Senator James Doolittle of Wisconsin was among the speakers at the Bangor Democratic Convention in August 1866. John Martin (1823-1904), a Bangor accountant and shopkeeper and a Republican, attended the convention at Davenport Square and drew illustrations of some of the speakers and of the scene.

This illustration, on page 20 of Martin's "Scrap Book No 3," is accompanied by the Martin's comment that Doolittle, a "bosom friend of Andrew Johnson and no doubt advised & concreted the shamefull betrayal of our republican party."

The Bangor convention preceded the Democrats' Philadelphia convention, held before the 1866 mid-year elections with the hope of forming a new political party to help President Andrew Johnson, who was heavily criticized for his policies.