The Portland daily press., 1866-06-23
The Bangor Convention.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE PRESS.
nAruop Iuna 90 1SRR

BANGOR, June %, 1866.
Summer heats prevailed here yesterday
The mercury stood at 90 deg. in the shade,
at 1 o'clock, and the political thermometer
ranged still higher. The first demonstration
in the morning, was the publication OF a
broadside from the Brunswick delegation
This circular, addressed to the members of
the convention, was industriously circulated
in the hotels, on the streets, and in the con-
vention itself. 1t appeared also in the col
umns of the Wing, and has doubtless been
laid before your readers, furnishing them with
the most satisfactory evidence, not of Gener-
al Chamberlain's personal integrity and loyal
ty, which have never been questioned, but of
his entire sympathy with the great party
whose representative he is to be.
At thalfpast a special train over the Maine
Central railroad, brought in nearly 200 dele
gates, accompanied by bands of music from
Augusta and Gardiner. Perhaps triaing
lull in The general discussion might have been
noticed at about 10 O'Clock. but the consulta-
tion at the headquarters of the rival interests
was still brisk and exciting. Half an hour
later the tide began to set towards Norombega
Hall, and by II o'clock the floor was crowded
with delegates and the galleries were occupied
by an interested throng of spectators.
Tho Convention was called to order by Mr..
Stevens of the Kennebec Journal, and with
one impulse the reporters of the Boston Jour
nal, Advertiser and Iraceller, the Bangor
Wing and Times, the Lewiston Journal, the
Portland Star and Press, all sharpened their
pencils and began to write. Mr.. Stevens NOM
mated Hon. Albert G. Jewett for temporary
President of the Convention. Mr.. Jewett's
remarks on taking the chair, were brief but
forcible. He declared especially that it would
have been better that Lee should have taken
Washington by force of arms, rather than that
rebels conquered in the field should return to
the capital and in conjunction with their in
famous Northern allies, seize upon the gov
eminent which they strove to destroy.
The speech was received by the convention
with hearty applause. The temporary organ
ization, and the appointment of the Commit
tee ON Resolutions and of the State Commit
tee for the ensuing year, proceeded rapidly, as
already reported by telegraph After the
Committee on Resolutions had retired, Mr..
Robert Martin of Danville, proposed the fol-
towing resolution, which had been recon-
mended by the delegation from Androscoggin
County: +
Resolred, That the next Legislature be re-
quested to enact that the State shall assume
al equitable proportion of the several debts OF
the cities, towns and plantations, incurred for
payment of bounties to volunteers mustered
into the military and naval service of the
United States during the recent rebellion.
Mr.. Martin supported the resolution in
few remarks, simply statistical, showing the
extent of the burden such an enactment would
impose on the State, and dwelling upon the
inequality of the debts in their present form.
At the conclusion of his remarks he moved the
reference Of the resolution to the Committee ;.
which was agreed to without objection.
A motion was then made that the vote for
Governor be taken at half past 2. Informa-
ton having been received from the Commit
tee on Credentials, that their report could not
be really at that tInc the nour was iinaiiy fix
ed at half-past3 8. The suppressed excitement
of the Convention was manifested by the sin-
.gular interest with which this simple change
OF programme was noted. There was differ
ence of opinion, delegates who were to leave
last night preferring instead of halfpast 8,
and the amendment fixing the hour was only
carried by small majority. There were
those who saw in this division test vote; but
as they were unable to decide which party
was baeten, thar must remain among the m-
solved problems on the Convention.
The Convention r.-assembled at 2 o'clock.
MIR. David Brown, Of Hampden, offered res
olution covering three pages of letter paper,
reciting the fact of the rewards offered fer the
capture Of JEFF Davis abd others, and the
proposition to try them before jury of their
brothers in crime, and denouncing the policy.
The resolution was first passed amid tremen-
dous applause, but was afterwards reconsider
ed and referred to the Committe on Resolu-
tions.
A committee was then appointed to wait
upon Gov. Cony, who had arrived in the morn
ing, and request him to address the Conven-
tion. As the Governor appeared in the
crowded aisle he was received with rounds of
applause. Hon. James M. Stone, of Kenne-
bunk, formally announced the Governors
presence, and amidst repeated outbursts of
cheering, our deservedly popular Chief Magis-
trate began to speak. He referred to his un-
expected nomination in that very hall three
years before, and to the kindness and conf
dence since shown him by the people of the
State. The reconstruction of the South, he
believed, should be thorough and radical, and
though willing to take half would have pre-
ferred all that the North was entitled to claim.
He took strong grounds in favor of impartial
suffrage, and believed the day was not far dis
tant when that only just rule would be adopt
ed. In conclusion, he said that it was pleas
ure to him to be present on this occasion,
when successor to himself was to be chosen
for no soldier ever received his order for mus
ter out with greater satisfaction than he would
receive his muster out in January next
Other gentlemen were called upon to ad-
dress the Convention, but none responded un-
til Genera J. P. Cilley was called. Gen.
Cilley commented at some length upon the
present questions before the people-sus-
tanning Congress in the plaI of reconstruction
recently adopted, as being the best which
was attainable-but believing that further
advance should be made by conierring upon
the loyal colored men the rights of free
men including that of suffrage. He con-
cluded by asking the Convention to nominate
soldier, if possible, but declared as the Presi-
dent ofthe Sailors and Soldiers Union, that
whoever should be nominated by the Con-
vention as the standard bearer of the great
Union Republican party, would be fully and
cheerlully supported by the men whose wishes
he had just expressed.
Hon. John ]. Perry of Oxford, chairman Of
the committee of credentials, reported 341
towns represented by 1907 delegates. On