MA INK. 



461 



* north nn 



-took val)<\V, and to 

 'ifii. This 



\vill secure tho early completion 



s the province of New Bruns- 



. and thus t -tahlish the nearest and most 



-lilaro between Montreal and 



:-.:iIroad to the Aroostook is of 



importance in a national and military 



if of n war with England, in 



tho United States Government the 



alley of tho St. John. Tho value 



of t'. >:i from Bangor to St. Stephen, 



both fr local development and national and 



international interests, is obvious to every one 



who looks at tho map. 



Tho most notable event in the history of 

 Maine during 1866, was the great conflagration 

 rtland, on July 4th, by which from one- 

 third to one-half the city, including nearly all 

 the business portion, was laid in ruins. Tho 

 >mmenced at a boot shop in High Street, 

 and, aided by a strong southerly gale, was car- 

 r'u-il almost duo north to North Street^ on Mun- 

 joy, destroying in its career every thing within 

 a space one and a half miles long by a quarter 

 of a mile wide. Tho utmost exertions of tho 

 tirenien could not arrest the progress of tho 

 -, but availed only to prevent them from 

 lin^in new directions. Upward of tifty 

 buildings were blown up to check the flames, 

 but with no perceptible effect, and the inhabi- 

 could do little more than flee with their 

 families to the upper part of the city, leaving 

 their property to be destroyed. The only build- 

 ing not swept away by the fire was the custom- 

 , which, being fire-proof, escaped in a dam- 

 aged condition. The handsome city and county 

 buildings, on Congress Street, which were near- 

 ly fire-proof, and had been hastily stored with 

 furniture, offered scarcely any resistance to the 

 flames. Among other buildings destroyed were 

 il of tho handsomest and most valuable 

 churches in the city, all the banks, all the news- 

 paper offices, nearly all the printing-offices, all 

 tho jewelry and wholesale dry-goods establish- 

 ments, and all the telegraph offices. The fire 

 lasted into the afternoon of the 5th, taking about 

 that time a westerly direction, in consequence of 

 a change of the wind, but at the close of the day 

 it was finally subdued. The result of the fire, 

 it may be stated in brief, was to destroy prop- 

 erty to the value of $10,000,000, on which 

 there was loss than $5,000,000 insurance, and 

 to render a quarter of the population house- 

 ad homeless. The latter were, as far as 

 lo, received into the houses spared by the 

 ...-ration, but thousands lived for weeks in 

 canvas tents, or in hastily erected barracks and 

 i ml were necessarily subjected to great 

 hardships. To relieve their necessities sub- 

 scriptions were started in every city or consider- 

 able town of tho Northern States, from which 

 over half a million dollars was received in con- 

 tributions of money, food, and clothing. Much 

 was also received from Canada. The native 





energy of tho population of Portland did not 

 long succumb to this disaster. "Within a few 

 days, work was commenced in clearing away 

 the ruins, and by tho close of tho year most of 

 tho business portion of the burnt distrii 

 rebuilt, and in a more beautiful and substantial 

 manner than before. It is more than probable 

 that, by tho return of tho anniversary of the fire, 

 but few traces of tho devastation will remain. 



As Maine was the first State in which a 

 thorough political canvass was possible on 

 the issues raised by the conflict of opinion be- 

 tween tho President and Congress on tho 

 subject of reconstruction, the result of the 

 election was anticipated with great interest, as 

 indicating what would bo the general verdict 

 of tho people. The Kepublican Convention 

 met at Bangor on June 22d, and nominated for 

 Governor General Joshua L. Chamberlain. Of 

 the resolutions adopted the following were the 

 most important : 



Resolved, That the Union party of Maine plants 

 itself upon the doctrines of the Declaration of Inde- 

 pendence ; that we hold that all men, without dis- 

 tinction of color or race, are entitled to equal civil 

 and political rights. 



Resolved, That the joint resolution for the amend- 

 ment of the Constitution of the United States, re- 

 cently passed by the two houses of Congress, receive 

 the emphatic indorsement of the convention of the 

 loyal people of Maine. 



Resolved, That we have full confidence in the 

 Union Republican majority of Congress; that we 

 recognize them as the true representatives of the 

 loyal sentiment of the country; that we heartily ap- 

 prove the measures of reconstruction thus far 

 adopted by them, and that they deserve and receive 

 the earnest thanks of the loyal people of this State 

 for their steadfast adherence to the great principles 

 of liberty, justice, apd equal rights, which should 

 be the basis of a restored Union. 



Resolved, That the services and sacrifices of 

 those who formed the late Union army and navy, 

 and the important consequences which have resulted 

 therefrom, impose upon the country for all time an 

 obligation of gratitude and regard for the living, as 

 well as the dead, never to be forgotten or over- 

 looked ; and at the same time we acknowledge our 

 great indebtedness for the all-important services and 

 generous contributions of tho loyal men and women 

 of the country, which aided so much in carrying the 

 nation successfully through the war. 



A series of resolutions reported by the minor- 

 ity of the committee on resolutions denounced 

 in strong terms the reconstruction scheme of 

 tho President, . urged the hanging or banish- 

 ment of Confederate ringleaders, and insisted 

 that Congress should immediately provide for 

 impartial suffrage throughout the United State-. 

 before the States lately in rebellion are entitled 

 to readmission. They were, after protracted 

 debate laid on the table, and the series above 

 given adopted by a large vote. 



Tho Democratic Convention assembled at 

 Portland on August 3d, and nominated for 

 Governor Ebeu F. Pillsbury. Tho folio whig 

 resolutions were unanimously adopted : 



Retained, That the majority of the Thirty-ninth 

 Congress, by its failure to appreciate the fact that 

 the country has passed from war to a state of peace, 



