Maine. Constitutional Convention (1819)

St 1819, c 161, an act to provide for separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts as a state, stipulated a July 26, 1819 election in which inhabitants of each Maine town, plantation, or district would vote on separation, results to be sent to the state secretary. (A previous attempt at separation under St 1816, c 41 had failed.).

If a majority of 1500 or more supported separation, Maine would become a state on Mar. 15, 1820. In the meantime the governor would call for election of delegates to a constitutional convention, whose drafted constitution would be presented to Maine inhabitants by Jan.1, 1820 for ratification. If accepted, the constitution would be effective on statehood; otherwise the Massachusetts constitution would remain in force. Also required was Congressional admission of Maine to statehood by Mar. 4, 1820.

The July election backed separation, 17,091 to 7,132. After election of 274 delegates on Sept. 20, the convention opened in Portland on Oct. 11. William King and Robert C. Vose were chosen president and secretary. Constitution articles were debated Oct. 18-29, after which the convention adjourned while the proposed constitution and a document comparing it to that of Massachusetts were circulated. The convention reopened Jan. 5, l820, to record Dec. 6, 1819 ratification, then adjourned finally on Jan. 7.

Since the Mar. 4, 1820 deadline for federal ratification could not be met, St 1819, c 287 (Feb. 25, 1820) extended it for two years. In fact Maine was admitted as the twenty-third state on Mar. 15, 1820.

NAME AUTHORITY NOTE. Series relating to the agency described above can be found by searching the following access point for the time period stated: 1819-1820--Maine. Constitutional Convention (1819).