Constitution of the State of Maine

Archive

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Saco Museum

Name/Title

Constitution of the State of Maine

Entry/Object ID

2023.3.1

Scope and Content

Printed copy of the Constitution of the State of Maine as written in convention in Portland, October 29, 1819. Printed in Portland by Francis Douglas. The leaves are sewn together with string and covered in a heavy laid paper cover. Inscribed on the title page in ink are the names Gibeon Elden and Samuel Elden, multiple times. Also, in modern blue ink on the inside cover: "Gift of Mrs Agnes Wiggen / Y. I. 10/13/1973" At the end of the printed constitution is a list of all of the delegates to the convention, listed by town and county.

Dimensions

Height

9-1/2 in

Width

5-5/8 in

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

In July 1819, a successful vote for Maine separation was held, with a majority of support in all nine counties. The state constitutional convention met in Portland in October. It was approved by a large majority of the popular vote in January 1820. The new constitution had strong protections for religious freedom, had no property qualifications for voting, and allowed free men of African descent to vote, at a time when many other states were limiting the black franchise. However, like most state constitutions of the time, it denied the franchise to women, Native Americans, and paupers. This copy of the Maine Constitution was owned by Gibeon Elden of Buxton. Many local residents probably owned such copies. Benjamin Simpson wrote in his diary on December 6, 1819, "reading the Constitution of the state of Maine."