”To return to State politics. In the winter of 1825, Governor Parris was nominated by a legislative caucus, but declined to accept; he said that public affairs would not suffer by his refusal, while duty to his family compelled such action. The caucus, with a few dissenting votes, nominated Judge Weston of Augusta, but he preferred to remain on the Supreme bench, and the Legislature was once more obliged to seek a candidate. They now sent a committee to Parris to say that his intention of declining a reelection had only recently become known, that the public mind had not had time to settle upon some individual who would be willing to accept the Governorship, and that they requested him to preserve pol1tical harmony and give an opportunity to ascertain the public sentiment respecting his successor, by consenting to serve another year. Unwillingly, Parris agreed to waive his objections.

The next year, as the Governor remained firm in his wish to retire, the legislative caucus nominated Enoch Lincoln, of Paris, who had represented the Oxford district in Congress for eight years. An able, popular, and highly respected man, he was probably chosen because, like Parris, he could hold the party together. He was by no means an ultra-Republican, he had firmly opposed the Missouri Compromise, and had been put up against Parris by the Wingate faction in 1825, but had refused to stand. His declination, however, does not seem to have been known in the county of Somerset. A report had spread that Governor Parris had refused a renomination and he received a number of votes. Probably the straight-out Republicans were not wholly pleased with his nomination. Ashur Ware wrote to Holmes: ‘I am glad to find that you are satisfied with Mr. Lincoln’s nomination. I have always been of the opinion that it was best to take him cordially. The belief has been that he will make a good Chief Magistrate. My acquaintance with him is not such as will justify me in speaking positively.’ Whatever may have been the fears of Judge Ware, the people would seem to have been well satisfied with Mr. Lincoln, for he was not only elected Governor, but was reelected for four successive terms without opposition.”

Reference Data:

Maine: A History, Vol. 1, by Maine Historical Society, American Historical Society, 1919, page 189