[Maine] Rawson, M.M. [Maubec Mitchell] - [Als] Maine House Member M.M. Rawson Reports to Gubernatorial Candidate on Corruption in the Vote for Governor

Augusta House [Augusta, ME], 1855. [3] pp. Bifolium. 8 x 10 inches. Letter dated January 4th, 1855, one day after the Maine elections, from Maubec Mitchell Rawson, newly elected Whig member of the Maine House of Representatives, to fellow Whig party member and candidate for Governor, Isaac Reed, reporting on the efforts to fix the vote in favor of Reed's opponent, Anson Morrill. Rawson had been appointed as a member of a gubernatorial committee that morning so was privy to the shenanigans: "Much talk is made about the course which some members of the Senate & House wish to pursue. I tell them I have no objections to throwing out the votes in the Hancock Plantation & thereby elect or in any way assist Mr. Milliken but to throw them all out & by so doing disfranchise some thousand & declare Mr. Morrill elected by the people. I tell them such a course will be suicidal to the great American party which Mr. Reed & myself are one." He goes on to report who is opposed to these moves and who might be witnesses: "When I see you I will inform you who are the men who are so conscientious about this matter. I am perfectly quiet & cool, but I have been at work.. most of the time for the last 24 hours.. They [the Committee] propose to spend the night in the committee room, so as to have it said that we are doing up business in shape, but they are more anxious to declare Mr. Morill Gov by the dear people. I have heard nothing from you, but I think my course is patriotic or an honest one & I shall pursue it unless you suggest otherwise.. Don't show my letters to anyone. I shall be glad when this session shall close." Anson Morrill (1803-1887) was elected Maine's Governor in 1855, and served until 1856. He had been a candidate under the Know Nothing and then Republican parties. John F. Milliken however, was not among the list of Representatives in 1855, but seems to have gotten himself appointed Postmaster in his hometown. Isaac Reed (1809-1887) was a merchant and shipbuilder. He served in the Maine Senate (1839-1840; 1850, 1863); the Maine House of Representatives (1842-1843; 1846; 1870-1871); as State Treasurer (1856); and in the U.S. House of Representatives (1852-1853). Maubec Mitchell Rawson (b. 1825) was from Waldoboro, Maine. Very good, folded, small tear to one edge, minor soiling and ink bleed through.