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Precepts in the form following were issued to the Selectmen of the several towns, and tot he Assessors of the Plantation composing the Kennebec District.

State of Maine

To the Selectmen of the Town of in Kennebec District,

[to the left is a circle with "Seal." inside it and "Enoch Lincoln” written under it]

Greeting:

Whereas, it is provided by law, that whenever any vacancies shall happen in the Representation of this State in the Congress of the United States, the Governor shall cause precepts to issue to the Selectmen of the several towns and Assessors of the several plantations, within any District in which a vacancy may happen, 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 to supply such vacancy. And whereas, the Hon: Peleg Sprague has declined accepting a seat in the twenty first Congress, to which he was elected in September last, there is now a vacancy in said Kennebec District.

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 Monday the sixth day of April next, 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. 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 votes they respectively have; and shall in open town meeting, seal up the said list, certified by you expressing upon the outside of said list the District in which the votes were given, and transmit the same to the Secretary of this State, on or before the first day of June next.

Given at the Council Chamber in Portland this twenty third day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine, and in the fifty third year of the Independence of the United States of America.

By the Governor:

Edward Russell, Secretary of State