Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

BOSTON, JUNE 2, 1809,

STATE GOVERNMENT.

On Wednesday the annual renovation of the Government of this State commenced. The Legislative Branches assembled at the State House. In the Senate, the Hon. HARRISON GRAY OTIS, was re-elected President, and Mr. Cobb, Clerk. The federal republican majority is three. Mr. Pope, of Bristol, a federalist, is prevented by sickness from attending. In the House of Representatives, the Hon. TIMOTHY BIGELOW, was re-elected Speaker, and Mr. Tillinghast, Clerk. The federal republican majority for Speaker was 36; for Clerk, 42.

After being thus organized, the Legislature was joined by the Executive Branch, and moved in procession, escorted by the Independent Cadets, to the meeting house of the Rev. Mr. Emerson, where the Election Sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Osgood. At the termination of the religious exercises, the procession returned to the State House; and a joint committee was chosen by the Court to count the votes for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor.

In the Senate, yesterday forenoon, the usual vote of thanks was passed to the Rev. Gentleman who delivered the Election Sermon, and a committee appointed to request a copy for the press. The vote of thanks was opposed, and the yeas and nays called for—the yeas were 20, nays 16. Mr. Cushman, of Kennebec, voted with the yeas.

In the afternoon, the committee on senatorial returns made report. Some returns were illegal according to the democratic law, which if rejected, would have changed the members from Lincoln: but as the federalists questioned the constitutionality of that law, the returns were accepted, notwithstanding they were in favour of democratic candidates.

In the House, yesterday, several remonstrances against Representative Returns were presented—one from some inhabitants of Boston. They were committed.

SATURDAY, JUNE 3.

Votes for Governor, &c.

Yesterday the Committee of the two Houses, appointed to examine the returns of VOTES for GOVERNOR and LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR, in the several towns and districts in this State, reported, the whole number of votes returned agreeably to the Provisions of the Constitution, to be, 93,322—of which the Hon. CHRISTOPHER GORE, had 47,916

His Honor Levi Lincoln, . . 45,118

By which it is ascertained that Mr. Gore is elected Governor of the Commonwealth, by a majority of 2798 votes.—There were 288 scattered votes for Governor.

Gill, not signed by the T. Clerk, 89	25
Waterboro', do. do.	48 69
Harrison, do. do.	25 31
Lanesborough, do. do.	113 105
Isteborough, do do.	33 8
Norr idgwock,* (supposed)	80 22
—	388 260

The whole number of votes for Lieutenant-Governor was 92,017, of which the Hon. DAVID COBB had 47,540, Hon. JOSEPH B. VARNUM, 44,729. Gen. Cobb is therefore elected by a majority of 2,811 votes. There were 241 scattered votes for Lieutenant Governor. Of the returns only six were rejected, viz. Gore, Lincoln.

NOTE.

A most wicked forgery had been practised on this return. The member from Norridgewock who was Moderator of the meeting, and another gentleman from that town who was present at the meeting, will testify, that the votes were nearly as above stated; that the return was duly sealed, and delivered to the Postmaster; and that they saw him enclose it, with other letters, in the mail for Boston. It further appeared, that Mr. Gale, the messenger of the Governor and Council took the return from the Post-Office in this town. On examination, it was found to have been mutilated by erasures and interlineations. The y of the word Eighty was erased, and een added; which made the votes for Mr. Gore eighteen instead of eighty, and the word twenty-two in the votes for Mr. Lincoln, was so altered, as to read seventy-two. There were other alterations on the face of the return; which was rejected, as the exact number of votes in the original could not be ascertained.