The Portland daily press., 1866-06-22
The Bangor Convention,

The Lady Lang left her wharf in Portland
punctually at II o'clock Tuesday night. The
advance guard of the delegations from the
Western part of the State had already gone
forward by rail, and the main body were to
follow yesterday by the same conveyance
Only few stragglers chose the more commo-
dious ocean route, and entrusted themselves
and their fortunes to the excellent care ol
Capt Prince and his obliging clerk, Mr.
Thompson. At Rockland, our slumbers were
first disturbed by the influx of a body of dele
gates and lobby members of tomorrow's con-
vention. Fresh accessions were taken on
board at every landing thereafter, and the
pleasant voyage up the Penobscot was enli-
vened by a discussion, which, however excit-
ing, was but faint foretaste of the excite
ment which we found in this city, and which
has been steadily increasing until this morn
ing aet n
We reached Bangor at half-past 12. The
Congressional Convention had already been in
session for an hour, but had adjourned till 2
o'clock. The Convention was called to order
by Isaiah Stetson, ESQ.,, of Bangor, chairman
of the District Committee. Hon. Eben Wood
bury, of Houlton, was selected to preside over
the Convention. The whole number of dele
gates present was 2e8-42 from Piscataquis
county, Al from Aroostook, and 203 from Pc
nobscot. A long letter from Mr. Rice, pub
lislled in yesterdays Whig and already in your
hands, had confirmed the statement tina. his
friends had been authorized to withdraw his
name from the canvass. Mr.. Rice said that
he had declined to announce over his own
name, that he was not candidate, feeling
that as he had left the whole matter in the
hands of his friends, he could not with pro-
priety interfere. He acquiesced, however, in
their action, and treated the resolutions of the
Soldiers and Sailors Convention as purely
complimentary. thanking them very cordially
for their expressions of esteem and conf
dence. The publication of this letter left no
doubt cf the result of the Convention. The
balloting, which took place in the afternoon,
gave MIR. Peters clear majority of nearly 200
votes, Mr.. Rice being supported only by his
u
friends. The nomination was afterwards
made unanimous.
The resolutions, reported by Mr.. Joseph
Bartlett, editor of the Bangor Jefersoniar,
are considerably longer than the moral law
The four clauses of the preamble contain a
concise history of the late rebellion. The
ten prolix resolutions which follow, contain
an exhaustive treatise on reconstruction, ad-
vocate impartial suffrage 'sas preliminary
step to the grand desideratum of a.niuersal
suffrage" allude to the currency, and the Eu-
ropean- and North American railway, express
gratitude to the soldiers and sailors, and af-
firm that 9Oae Union party is amply sufficient
to reconstruct the rebelious States" A CO.
dicil pledges the party in this District to the
support of the chosen candidate. Mr.. Peters,
who had been sent for, accepted these resolu-
tons in their fullest extent. He declared
that the very ashes of slavery must be destroy
ed that no one man, be he President or not,
could be allowed to make terms for this ma
ton in dealing with the Rebel States; that
every man must have his equal rights in this
country; and thai he would trust even the
uneducated eolored men with the ballot much
sooner than he would trust the copperheads,
who are rebels by breyet. He had listened
carefully to the reading Of the resolutions, and
could take them all and more too. In the
course of his remarks, Mr.. Peters paid his
particular respects to the Bangor Democrat,
which has sought to defeat his nomination by
ostentatiously recommending him. Only Gen.
Grant, or the President of the United States
could properly sympathize with Mr.. Peters
during the hand-shaking which followed his
speech.
Afterthe adjournment of the District Con-
vention, the excitement respecting the guber-
material nomination, which had been simmer
ing all day, began to mount towards the boi.-
ing point. After the arrival of the evening
train, it was estimated that nearly nine hun
dred delegates were in town. The hotels were
overfowing, and cot, or even rocking chair
became a coveted blessing. Delegates ceased
to ask for rooms. The headquarters of the
Spring interest were at No. 35 Penobscot Ex-
change; of the Chamberlain interest at No.
"a or thereabouts, Bangor House. OF the
many gentlemen well known to Republican
voters, let me name few whom / have no
ticed here, promising that neither of the two
leading candidates is in town. There are two
ex-Govenors, to begin, Messrs. Washburn
and Coburn. There is Gen. Virgin, President
of the State Senate, Mr.. Stone, the Speaker of
the House, and ex-Speaker Dingley of Lewis
ton. Hon. Albert G. Jewett of Belfast, is
here. There are the two Farwells, N. A. OF
Roclland, and A. B. of Augusta; the two
Barkers, Lewis the orator of Stetson, and
David the poet of Exeter; two Stevenses,
John L. of Augusta, and R. S. of Paris; Gen.
Charles II. Smith of Eastport and Col. Daniel
Elliot of Brunswick; Hon E. w. Stetson oi
Damariscotta and Hon. R. A. Chapman OF
Bethel; Messrs. John D. Hopkins of Els
worth, CD. Gilman of brunswick, Joseph
81. Manley of Augusta, and-well, there are
others, but TO matter.
These and eight or nine hundred more were
discussing to-day's nomination till midnight
last night. A tea-fght is summers breeze
to the gale of talk which swept through the
parlors and corridors of the hotels last even
ing. Yet it was noteworthy that the discus
sion, even when warmest, was always respect
full and never ill-tempered. More than once
heard men say, whoever is nominated to-
morrow will be my candidate" and the reply
was always, Certainly; the choice of the
convention will be mine." While the friend.
of both candidates are devoted and eager
there is the most gratifying assurance of :
unanimous disposition to assent fully and free
ly to the decision of the majority. There have
been some misrepresentation on both sides
frowned down at once by the better judgmen
of men who could not afford to be helped BY
such means. A libelous handful, assailins
the character Of Collector Washburn and ac
cusing Mr.. Spring of seeking to buy the nom
nation, was introduced into the cars Tuesday
but was promptly suppressed by Gen. Cham
berlain's friends. 4 have reen the document
but was unable to procure copy. A lying