472 



MAINE. 



The Eepublican State Convention assembled 

 at Augusta, June 27th. Governor J. L. Cham- 

 berlain was unanimously renominated, and the 

 following resolutions were adopted : 



Resolved, That permanent peace can be secured to 

 the nation only by a firm adherence to the self-evi- 

 dent truth that all men are created equal. 



Resolved, That political powers being the inherent 

 right of the citizen, impartial suffrage should be the 

 uniform law of all the States, secured either by the 

 authority already possessed by Congress or the 

 necessary amendment of the Constitution of the 

 United States. 



Resolved, That the recent legislation of Congress, 

 providing for the restoration of the late rebel States 

 to their proper elevation in the Union, is character- 

 ized by justice and sound statesmanship, and receives 

 the hearty support of the loyal citizens of Maine. 



Resolved, That the American people owe a debt of 

 lasting gratitude to the brave soldiers and sailors 

 who, through the great struggle for our national ex- 

 istence, so nobly maintained^ and defended our liber- 

 ties amid unparalleled privations, sufferings, and sac- 

 rifices. . The Union men of Maine hereby pledge to 

 them, and to the widows and orphans of those who 

 fell in defence of the nation, our sympathies and 

 substantial support. 



Resolved, That we approve and indorse the military 

 administration of our distinguished, fearless, and 

 patriotic fellow-citizen Major-General Sheridan, in 

 Louisiana and Texas, and we pledge to him and the 

 other military commanders in the several Southern 

 districts the unwavering support of the Union men 

 of Maine in their efforts to protect the loyal people of 

 the late rebel States, and to secure the organization 

 of loyal and constitutional governments in said States. 



Resolved, That our national indebtedness should be 

 funded as speedily as the necessity of the Govern- 

 ment will allow, and at the lowest practical rate of 

 interest, always maintaining inviolate all pledges of 

 the national faith. 



Resolved, That the law in relation to taxation of 

 United States bonds and stock in the national banks 

 should be adjusted by Congress on constitutional 

 principles of equality, and that whatever municipal 

 taxation is imposed on stock in national banks, should 

 go to the advantage of the cities and towns in which 

 said bank stock is owned. 



Resolved, That we earnestly approve of the ad- 

 ministration of our present Governor, J. L. Cham- 

 berlain, who has proved as able and efficient in coun- 

 cil as in the field, and that we emphatically commend 

 him to the the citizens of Maine for a triumphant 

 reelection in September. 



At the election in September, J. L. Cham- 

 berlain was chosen Governor, receiving 57,332 

 votes, while his opponent, Mr. Pillsbury, re- 

 ceived 45,990. 



The measure of prosperity which this State 

 has enjoyed during the past year, while not so 

 great as in former times, has perhaps been all 

 that could reasonably be expected. Some of 

 the chief sources of thrift have been cut off, or 

 turned into other channels, and many indus- 

 tries stimulated into unusual activity during 

 the war have been greatly restricted. 



The financial condition of the State is rep- 

 resented as satisfactory and improving. The 

 amount received into the treasury during the 

 year 1867 is $1,604,673.84; balance in the 

 treasury Januarv 1, 1867, $232,192.49; total, 

 $1,836,866.33. Expended in 1867, $1,628,024. 

 32; cash on hand December 31, 1867, $208,842. 

 01; total, $1,836,866.33. Estimated, the amount 



of the funded debt at present is $5,090,500, of 

 which $458,000 is civil indebtedness, and the 

 balance, $4,632,500, the war debt. Of this, the 

 first which matures is $800,000 in 1871, to meet 

 which there is a sinking fund and other re- 

 sources, amounting in the aggregate to $627,- 

 500. The sinking fund, which amounts annu- 

 ally to $123,775.90, is amply sufficient to pro- 

 vide for the debt as it matures. The war 

 claim of the State against the General Govern- 

 ment has been made an object of special atten- 

 tion. An allowance of $566,864.45 has been 

 obtained, of which $357,702.10 was applied to 

 cancel the direct tax of $420,846, none of which 

 had been previously paid. The balance of- 

 $209,144.35 has been paid into the State Treas- 

 ury, and applied in accordance with the law 

 of 1861. The whole claim as now filed 

 amounts to $1,306,571.78, accounted for as 

 follows: allowed in 1861, $200,000; in 1862, 

 $120,000; in 1867, $566,846.45; suspended and 

 disallowed, $414,725.33. Some of the items 

 which found their way to the Auditor's Bu- 

 reau were so obviously improper as charges 

 against the United States, that they have been 

 withdrawn, in order to leave the account in a 

 better shape for settlement. The balance may 

 be arranged as follows : disallowed as im- 

 proper charges, about $200,000 ; disallowed 

 for want of sufficient legislation, about $85,000 ; 

 suspended for proof or explanation, $130,000. 

 The claim has been promptly met, and no 

 State has been more favorably dealt with in the 

 settlements thus far made. The prosecution 

 of the claim is at present suspended until the 

 order of business at the Treasury Department 

 will allow its further examination. 



The report of the Bank Commissioners 

 shows that only nine banks under State charter 

 are now in operation, and these are rapidly 

 winding up their affairs. It is worthy of men- 

 tion that though the legal liability of some has 

 expired, no one of them hesitates to redeem 

 its bills when presented. The savings banks 

 number twenty, and exhibit the condition of 

 that numerous class which depends on daily 

 labor and small earnings. The increase of de- 

 posits in these banks for the year is over a 

 million and a half, showing that there is more 

 private property now than before the war. 

 These banks also hold, for the benefit of depos- 

 itors, United States bonds to the amount of 

 more than a million and a quarter, and the 

 sum invested in these institutions is consider- 

 ably more than the whole amount of the public 

 State debt. These facts and the inferences 

 from them furnish an agreeable commentary on 

 the industrial and financial state of the Com- 

 monwealth. 



The Military Department of the State now 

 cojisists almost entirely of a few offices devoted 

 to the settlement of the accounts of the State 

 with the General Government, and with our 

 own citizens for services in the maintenance 

 of the Union. The Adjutant-General is the 

 only military officer of the State who is under 



