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Precepts in the form following were issued to the Selectmen of the several towns, and to the Assessors of the several plantations composing the Oxford District, to wit.

State of Maine.

[to the left is a circle with "Seal." inside it and "Albion K. Parris," written under it]

To the Selectmen of the town of ______ in Oxford District,

Greeting:

Whereas the Constitution of the United States provides, that when vacancies in Congress happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such vacancies: And whereas, also, it is provided by law, that, if it shall appear, by the return of votes, from any District, for a Representative to Congress, that no person is chosen by a majority of all the votes returned, the Governor shall cause precepts to issue to the Selectmen of the several Towns, and Assessors of the several Plantations, within such District, directing and requiring them to cause the Inhabitants of their respective towns and Plantations qualified therefor, to assemble and give in their votes for a Representative in Congress: And whereas it appears from the votes duly returned from the several Towns and Plantations in said Oxford District, for a Representative in Congress, to fill the existing vacancy in the representation from this State, that no person has a majority of all the votes:

These are in the name of the State, to require you, in manner as the law directs for calling Town Meetings, to cause the Inhabitants of the Town of __________ duly qualified to vote for Representatives in the Legislature of this State, to assemble on the last Monday of November next, being the twenty seventh day of said month, to give in their votes to the Selectmen, who shall preside at said meeting, for a Representative, that is an inhabitant of the said District, to represent the Inhabitants of this State in the Congress of the United States, to fill the existing vacancy in the representation from this State occasioned by the resignation of the Honorable Enoch Lincoln. And you the said Selectmen, or a major part of you, shall in open Town meeting, sort and count the votes, and form a list of the names of the persons voted for, with the number of votes for each person written in words at length against his name; and the Town Clerk shall make a record thereof. And you the said Selectmen, shall, in such meeting, make public declaration of the persons voted for, and of the number of

[The last word of the last paragraph written at the end of a new line]

[The following is in the left margin under the seal/signature]

A List

Of the persons voted for in Oxford District, to fill the existing vacancy, showing the number of votes for each person according to the first return.

James W. Ripley 1563

Levi Whitman 1055

Sam[?] A. Bradley 448

Samuel Small 42

James Wripely 6

Stephen Emery 5

Benj. Chandler 4

Scattering 4

Cornelius Holland 3

Joseph Howard 2

Stephen Heald 2

James Ripley 2

Nathl Weymouth 1

Timothy Gibson 1

Moses Stone 1

Peter C. Virgin 1

John Conant 1

George French 1

[Total] 3142