476 



MAINE. 



dependence of the civil service ; and to-day, with 

 especial congratulation, they recall the fact that, 

 during the sixteen years the Republican party has 

 been in power, every appointee of the National Gov- 

 ernment in Maine has done his duty, and that during 

 the whole period no officer has been guilty of mis- 

 conduct : nor has a single cent of the public money 

 been withheld, or in any way wrongfully appro- 

 priated. 



7. The great industrial interests of the country, in 

 Agriculture, in manufactures, in mines, and in com- 

 merce, are entitled to encouraging legislation, with 

 such incidental protection and development as wise 

 systems of revenue may rightfully and properly 

 afford. 



8. A sound currency based on coin and redeem- 

 able in coin is essential to the prosperity of the 

 people. Its attainment would impart confidence to 

 capital, secure remunerative employment to labor, 

 decrease the expenses of living, remove stagnation 

 from trade, and greatly promote the development of 

 commerce in which Maine is so deeply interested. 

 We therefore demand that in the resumption of spe- 

 cie payment the promise of the National Govern- 

 ment be kept in an honest, straightforward manner, 

 and that no backward or sideway step be taken. 



9. The Navigation Laws which were enacted in the 

 infancy of the Republic have proved their wisdom by 

 long and varied experience. They embody the ma- 

 tured judgment of three generations of commercial 

 men. Any radical change in these laws, especially 

 in regard to the registry and enrollment of shipping, 

 would be detrimental to the highest interests or 

 American commerce, and a damaging blow to the 

 naval independence of our country. 



10. The States of South Carolina, Florida, and 

 Louisiana were fairly and legally carried by the Re- 

 publicans at the November election of 1876, for the 

 State and National tickets, and the undoubted right 

 of President Hayes and Vice-President Wheeler to 

 the electoral votes of those States was affirmed by 

 the highest and most impartial tribunal that could 

 be organized under the authority of the National 

 Government a tribunal to which the Democrats in 

 both branches of Congress gave their deliberate as- 

 sent. For the Democratic party now to raise the cry 

 of fraud is both unmanly and dishonest and if 

 persisted in must be accepted as an indication that 

 that party in its mad desire for power is willing to 

 incur all the hazards of anarchy and revolution. 



11. That we are opposed to any further land grants 

 or subsidies for railroads by the general Govern- 

 ment. 



Touching matters relating especially to our own 

 State, this Convention declares : 



1. That economy, integrity, and fidelity preemi- 

 nently distinguish all branches of the public service 

 in Maine, of which the strongest proof is the steady 

 reduction of taxation, even under the pressure of 

 burdens inherited from the war for the Union. And, 

 in the wide-spread depression of business and finan- 

 cial interests not only in the United States but 

 throughout Europe, it is matter of sincere thankful- 

 ness that the people of Maine have retained as great 

 a degree of comfort and prosperity as any community 

 on the continent. 



2. Taxation to be just must be equal and impar- 

 tial. Our Legislature is renewedly urged to ascer- 

 tain whether all forms of individual and corporate 

 property within the State are now bearing their 

 equitable share of the public burdens. 



3. Our system of non-sectarian public education 

 must be continued, developed and improved so that 

 every child in the State may have, at the public ex- 

 pense, all the culture needed fbrionorable advance- 

 ment and success in life. 



4. Temperance among the people may be greatly 

 promoted by wise prohibitory legislation ; and it is 

 a source of congratulation that the principle of pro- 

 hibition, always upheld by the Republicans of Maine, 



is now concurred in by so large a majority of the 

 people that it is no longer a party question, the De- 

 mocrats for several years having declined to contest 

 it or dispute it. 



5. With entire unanimity and with the most 

 cordial indorsement, this Convention presents Sel- 

 den Connor as a candidate for Governor. A pure 

 and upright man, a gallant and suffering soldier, 

 a faithful and honorable Executive, he combines in 

 his person and in his history all the characteristics 

 which commend him to the confidence and regard of 

 the people of Maine. 



The following resolution was presented by 

 ex-Governor Chamberlain, now President of 

 Bowdoin College, and advocated in a vigorous 

 speech : 



Resolved, That we reaffirm our unshaken confi- 

 dence in the integrity, patriotism and statesmanship 

 of Rutherford B. Hayes ; and we cordially approve 

 his efforts to carry out in good faith the principles 

 svowed by the Cincinnati Convention. 



Mr. C. A. Boutelle, of Bangor, offered the 

 following as a substitute, and supported it by 

 some spirited remarks : 



Resolved, That this Convention declares its belief 

 that Governor Packard of Louisiana and Governor 

 Chamberlain of South Carolina were elected to their 

 respective offices by the same votes that elected 

 Rutherford B. Hayes President of the United States, 

 and that both Governors were clearly entitled to 

 recognition by the General Government ; and that 

 the failure to recognize them placed the National 

 Government in the humiliating attitude of surren- 

 dering to rebels, threatening with arms in their hands 

 to resist its legitimate authority. 



After a conciliatory address by Mr. Elaine, 

 both were laid on the table, and the platform 

 adopted as reported by the Committee. Gov- 

 ernor Selden Connor was unanimously renomi- 

 nated by acclamation. 



The Democratic Convention was held at 

 Portland, on the 14th of August. Joseph H. 

 "Williams was nominated for Governor on the 

 third ballot. The following platform was 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That the Democracy of Maine, in Con- 

 vention assembled, hereby afiirm and adopt the 

 Blatforrn and principles adopted by the National 

 emocratic Convention at St. Louis," in June, 1876. 



Resolved, The reversal of the verdict of the Amer- 

 ican people, as expressed at the ballot-box in 

 November last electing Samuel J. Tilden President 

 of the United States, was the most monstrous politi- 

 cal fraud recorded in history. The Democracy sub- 

 mitted to it in the interests of peace ; it must not 

 be repeated, and we call upon Congress to prepare 

 and submit for ratification an amendment to the 

 Constitution, which will render its repetition im- 

 possible, and consign conspirators attempting it to 

 condign punishment. 



Resolved, That the restoration to the common 

 rights of citizenship of the people of three Southern 

 States, long kept subject to military occupation, is a 

 just acknowledgment of the wisdom of Democratic 

 principles; that the Democratic party acts upon 

 principle, makes no factious opposition, and opposes 

 only what is wrong in an Administration in posses- 

 sion of the Government. 



Kesolutions were offered condemning the 

 prohibitory liquor legislation of the last twenty 

 years, and demanding legislation that should be 

 in accordance with the bill of rights, and best 



