MAINE. 



need but aro unable to secure for themselves, 



thus holding the officers of tho hospital to a 



A \\ '(niiaii-Siitrrago Convention was hold at 

 Augusta on tho 28th of January, at which thu 

 I'.'ll'uvinir resolutions were adopted : 



Whereat, Tho disfranchisement of women, in addi- 

 tion to its palpaMi- injustice, impairs the moral vigor 

 of society, delays n -forms, encourages a spirit of weak 

 luiico and intellectual apathy in women and 

 istitutioii of partial or oppressive social and 

 .1 regulations by man ; 



fan, The women of Maine now ask for the bal- 

 lot with more unanimity and earnestness than tho 

 d people of America or the householders of 

 England did previous to their enfranchisement ; 



Whereas, The natural disabilities of women as wom- 

 en are not wholly imaginary and certainly much more 

 worthy of consideration than those of other pro- 

 scribed classes that have at length been emancipated, 

 iiK'lu.lin,' the men lately in rebellion against the Gov- 

 ernment ; 



Whereat, The attempt of man to conduct the Gov- 

 inent ia the present partial, one-sided, and unsym- 

 nietrical way, deliberately ignoring one-half of tho 

 mind and conscience that ought to be employed in 

 the direction of public affairs, has resulted in so 

 much confusion, strife, and corruption, that republi- 

 can government is seriously endangered : 



Setolved, That the members of this convention re- 

 gard the removal of woman's political disabilities as 

 the course which rightfully claims the precedence of 

 other reformatory movements, and is that which is 

 calculated to render all others possible. 



Retolved, That we pledge ourselves never to cease 

 the agitation wo have begun until all unjust discrim- 

 inations against woman are swept away. 



Retoltea, That the members of the State Legis- 

 lature now in session are earnestly exhorted to grant 

 the prayer of the hundreds of petitioners who for- 

 mally appeal to them for justice. 



Retolved, That the passage of an act, empowering 

 the women of Maine to vote at presidential elections 

 and all others in which the qualifications of the 

 electors are not prescribed by the Constitution, would 

 afford an opportunity for trying the experiment of 

 woman's suffrage under circumstances that would 

 furnish a satisfactory test of its utility, and that 

 such an act is the least that the Legislature can hon- 

 orably and in good conscience accord to its proscribed 

 citizens. 



On the same and the following days a State 

 Temperance Convention was held at Augusta, 

 over which Governor Dingley presided. Its 

 principles and purposes were set forth in the 

 following -resolutions : 



Retolved, That, while we rejoice and take courage 

 in view of the great progress that has been made in 

 the temperance movement in the post, we should not 

 bo indifferent to the fact that the traffic in and use of 

 intoxicating liquors are prevailing to an alarming ex- 

 tent in our State, especially in many of our larger 

 towns and cities. The crimes which result from this 

 practice and the degeneracy of morals on the part of 

 the young are truly alarming, and call for united and 

 efficient action on the part of every man to stay the 

 tide of evil which is sweeping over our State. 



Retolved, That the reaction which is taking place 

 is owing to the indifference and inactivity or the 

 churches and men of position and influence, and, 

 consequently, there is not a demand for the enforce- 

 ment of tho law upon the subject ; neither is there 

 that moral power in the community which would ren- 

 der tippling unpopular, and encourage and aid our 

 youth in making habits of sobriety. We do believe 

 that the change in the law, last winter, which allows 



I tho indiscriminate manufacture and sale of domes- 

 VOL. xrv. 33 A 



tic wine and cider, contributes largely to produce the 

 result above alluded to. 



Retained, That we urge on the citizens of the sev- 

 eral town* and cities ot the State, irrespective of MX 

 or parties, to immediately take action for the sup- 

 prewiou ot this evil, and we especially demand of the 

 churches, in view of their high and holy calling, to 

 arouse themselves to a consideration of the evil* of 

 intemperance, and that they take that action which 

 they have the power to take to stay this mighty evil. 



Retolved, That we recommend the appointment of 

 a committee from this convention to consult with a 

 committee already appointed by the Grand Lodge of 

 Good Templars to request of the Legislature, now in 

 session, so to amend the Maine law as that it shall 

 prohibit the manufacture and sale of wine and cider 

 for tippling purposes. 



Retoloed, That no motives of politics, expediency, 

 partisan interest, or personal friendship, shall induce 

 us to give our votes for any man for any office in the 

 gift ot the people, when that office will influence this 

 subject, who is not a total abstainer or who will not 

 go to the farthest verge of his constitutional power 

 to suppress the traffic in intoxicating liquors. 



Jtetolvtd, That we commend the movement now 

 before Congress for the appointment of a commission 

 to investigate the traffic in intoxicating liquors and 

 tho evils of intemperance in our nation, and tnu>t 

 that it will be favorably considered and adopted. 



liesolvtd, That the thanks of this convention are 

 tendered to those sheriffs and municipal officers in 

 the State who have partially or fully enforced the 

 law in their communities, and we recommend all 

 temperance men to fully sustain and assist them to 

 that end. 



The Republican State Convention met at 

 Augusta on the 18th of June. There were 616 

 delegates present. Nelson Dingley, Jr., of 

 Lewiston, was unanimously renominated for 

 Governor by acclamation. The following was 

 adopted as the platform of the convention 

 without discussion : 



1. The Republican party should not be content 

 with its past record, but, reiterating its former dec- 

 laration of principles, should move forward to meet 

 now issues as they arise. 



2. It is a high and plain duty to return to a specie 

 basis at -the earliest practicable day, not only in 

 compliance with legislative and party pledges, but 

 as a step indispensable to lasting material prosper- 

 ity. 



3. We believe the time has come when this can be 

 done or at least begun with less embarrassment to 

 every branch of industry than at any future time, 

 after resort has been made to unstable and tempo- 

 rary expedients to stimulate unreal prosperity and 

 speculation on a basis other than coin as the recog- 

 nized medium of exchange throughout the commer- 

 cial world. 



4. The Republican party of Maine approves of the 

 action of the President in vetoing the bill known as 

 the currency bill. 



6. Our delegation in Congress are entitled to the 

 gratitude of the people for their earnest and effectual 

 opposition to jobbery, extravagance, and corruption, 

 and for their efforts in behalf of an honest and eco- 

 nomical government. 



8. This convention views with lively satisfaction 

 the increasing indications that tbe vast water-power 

 of the State is being more understood and appre- 

 ciated as our strongest reliance for the increase of 

 our wealth and population, and expresses its earnest 

 sympathy for all judicious measures which tend to 

 encourage capital and labor to engage in manufact- 

 ures in Maine as the most effective means of devel- 

 oping its agricultural, maritime, and commercial in- 

 terests. 



7. The Hon. Nelson Dingley, Jr., for the ability 



