FIFTH DAY.

Hall of the Constitutional Convention,

Capitol Building, Cheyenne, Wyo., Sept. 6, 1889.

The convention assembled at ten o’clock a. m.

Mr. President in the chair.

Prayer by the chaplain.

Roll call, thirty-seven members present.

Journal of previous session read and approved.

Mr. Fox presented the credentials of Mr. F. H. Harvey, delegate elect from Converse county. Referred to the committee on credentials.

The convention stood in recess for ten minutes.

On reassembling Mr. Jeffrey offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the delegates to this convention elected for the purpose of forming a constitution for the proposed state of Wyoming do hereby declare, on behalf of the people of said proposed state, that they adopt the constitution of the United States.

Referred to Committee No. 1.

On motion of Mr. Teschemacher the rules were suspended for the purpose of authorizing the committee on credentials to make a report. Mr. Fox of said committee made the following report:

Cheyenne, Sept. 6th, 1889. Mr. President:

We, your committee on credentials, have examined the credentials of Mr. F. H. Harvey of Converse county and do recommend that he be entitled to a seat in the convention.

GEO. W. FOX, Chairman.

J. M. McCANDLISH, Secretary pro tem.

On motion of Mr. Fox the above report was adopted.

Mr. Harvey thereupon was sworn in by Justice of the Peace W. P. Carroll and took his seat in the convention.

PROPOSITIONS AND RESOLUTIONS.

The following propositions were read first time and referred: File No. 14. By Mr. Barrow.

“County Seats, Boundaries and Divisions of Counties.”

Mr. Potter moved its reference to committee No. 12.

Mr. Irvine moved to amend by referring the proposition to committee No. 6.

Mr. Burritt arose to a point of order, it being the point that a motion to refer is not under the rules, subject to amendment.

The chair sustained the point of order.

The convention by a rising vote then referred File No. 14 to committee No. 6.

File No. 15. By Mr. Palmer.

“Concerning School Lands.”

Read first time and referred to Committee No. 16.

File No. 16. By Mr. Palmer.

“Concerning a compulsory Secret Ballot.”

Read first time and referred to Committee No. 5.

File No. 17. By Mr. Palmer.

“Concerning Private Detective Agencies.”

Referred to Committee No. 10.

File No. 18. By Mr. Campbell.

“Qualifications of State Officers.”

Referred to Committee No. 5.

File No. 19. By Mr. Campbell.

“Creation of New Counties and Municipal Corporations.”

Referred to Committee No. 12.

File No. 20. By Mr. Fox.

“Preamble.”

Referred to Committee No. 1.

File No. 21. By Mr. Chaplin.

“Freedom of Conscience, etc.”

Referred to Committee No. 1.

File No. 22. By Mr. Baxter.

“Creation of New Counties.”

Referred to Committee No. 12.

The president presented a communication from Mr. Joseph Ramsey, of Tennessee, proposing several articles for the constitution of Wyoming.

Referred to Committee No. 18.

Mr. Baxter offered the following resolution, which was adopted:

Resolved, That the president of this convention be requested to send to the president of the constitutional convention of New Mexico, now in session in the City of Santa Fe, greetings of the people of Wyoming, and convey some expression of the hope which we entertain that both Wyoming and New Mexico may at an early day be admitted as states in the Union as of right they ought to be.

Mr. Hoyt presented the following resolution, which was laid over under the rules:

Resolved, That the members of standing Committee No. 10, entitled “Manufactures, Commerce, Live Stock Interests and Labor,” is hereby increased to ten in order that each county of the territory may be represented therein.

On motion the convention stood in recess until two o’clock p. m.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The convention reassembled at two o’clock p. m.

The president in the chair.

The president presented the following communication, which was read:

Lexington, Missouri, Sept. 3rd., 1889.

B. S. Elliott, President, and Members of Wyoming Constitutional Convention, Cheyenne:

Dear Sir:—As an old resident of Wyoming and a member of her first legislature, it will not seem out of place for me to express my interest in your proceedings, and my best wishes for the success of the new state.

The name of the state has much to do with its future fortunes, and if the new state is to be named after a county, it would seem to me much better to name it after one of your own counties, than after a county in an eastern state, as it is now named. Uinta is a much prettier name than Wyoming, and it is one that belongs to your locality and was not imported from the east. Wyoming was chosen for you when helpless. When you become full-fledged free men choose your own name. There are many other pretty aboriginal names that belong to the west, but it would be hard to find a more suitable and pleasant sounding name than Uinta, spelled with five letters.

With many wishes for the prosperity of the new state, I have the honor to be, my dear sir and gentlemen,

GEORGE WILSON,

Member of Council, First Legislature.

On motion of Mr. Reid the foregoing communication was laid upon the table.

At the request of M. Palmer, Mr. Preston was excused until his return next week.

The convention excused Mr. Barrow until Tuesday next.

The president submitted the following communications from his excellency, the governor of the territory, which were read and referred to Committee No. 5.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Cheyenne, Wyo., Sept. 3, 1889. Hon. M. C. Brown,

President Constitutional Convention,

Cheyenne, Wyo.

Dear Sir:—I am in receipt of a letter from Henry B. Blackwell, of Boston, regarding woman’s suffrage, in the Wyoming constitution.

He encloses letters from U. S. Senator Henry W. Blair, of New Hampshire, Ex-Governor of Massachusetts John D. Long, and Member of Congress T. B. Reed of Maine.

The three letters I herewith enclose you for any use you may desire to make of them during the convention.

Very Truly Yours,

FRANCIS E. WARREN,

UNITED STATES SENATE,

Washington, D. C., Aug. 21, 1889.

Henry B. Blackwell,

Cor. Sec’y Am. Woman’s Suffrage Asso’tn.

Dear Sir:—

The most common arguments urged by the opponents of woman suffrage to a national constitutional amendment giving suffrage to women, is that the whole subject belongs to the states, and to the people of the states. Always in debate they tell us to go to the states and fight out the battle there.

Hence all must see that you are pursuing the very course they pronounce the proper one, in your efforts to secure the suffrage for women in "the formation of the constitutions of the new states.

There is not the slightest ground to apprehend their rejection should these states apply, with woman suffrage in their constitutions.

There is very general willingness that the experiment be tried even by those who have no faith in the result.

Tried it must be, and the sooner the better.

Truly Yours,

HENRY W. BLAIR.

Portland, Me., Aug. 21st, 1889.

My Dear Sir:—There is no danger that the admission of Wyoming will be hindered in the least by putting woman suffrage in the constitution.

Very Truly,

T. B. REED.

To Henry B. Blackwell.

Cor. Sec’y Am. W. S. A.

LAW OFFICE OF ALLEN, HEMENWAY & LONG,

Boston, Mass., Aug. 22, 1889.

Dear Sir:—In my judgment, if Wyoming adopts a woman suffrage constitution, congress will recognize and respect tire right of the people of that territory to regulate and determine the question of suffrage for themselves, and would not refuse them admission as a state on that account.

Yours Truly,

JOHN D. LONG.

Henry B. Blackwell, Esq.

Mr. Chaplin submitted the following report:

Cheyenne, Sept. 6th, 1889.

To the Members of the Constitutional Convention of Wyoming:

Gentlemen:—We, your committee on printing, desire to report that we have asked for bids from the various printing establishments in Cheyenne, which are submitted herewith, and made a part of this report.

We desire to state that the committee in each case informed the printing establishments that no moneys were available for the payment of bills which might be incurred, but that they would be compelled to take their chances upon an appropriation by the legislature, or the United States congress.

W.E. CHAPLIN,

J. A. CASEBEER,

HENRY G. HAY.

To the Printing Committee of the Wyoming Constitutional Convention:

Sirs:—The Sun will do the printing as specified by you, upon . 16lb. flat cap at the rate of 55 cts. per 1.000 ems.

And upon a super sized callendered bb. paper after sample enclosed at 5 cts. less per 1,000 ems.

E. A. SLACK.

Cheyenne, Wyo., Sept. 6, 1889.

To the Printing Committee, Constitutional Convention:

Gentlemen:—We agree to print (75) seventy-five copies of all matter introduced in said convention for incorporation into the constitution of the state of Wyoming for the sum of (57) fifty-seven cents per 1,000 ems.

This to include paper and press work.

Type small pica.

Paper 16 lb. cap, good quality.

Respectfully,

BRISTOL AND KNABE PRINTING CO.

S. A. Bristol, Manager.

Cheyenne, Sept. 6, 1889.

Committee on Printing, Constitutional Convention:

Gentlemen:—I herewith propose to do the printing for the constitutional convention, in a manner similar to the enclosed legislative bill, at the rate of 65 cents per 1,000.

This includes composition, paper, press work, and everything complete.

Enclosed find sample of paper and style of bill.

Yours Truly,

JOHN F. CARROLL,

Manager Cheyenne Leader.

On motion of Mr. Coffeen the report was accepted and the committee authorized to contract with Mr. Slack, the lowest bidder, for the printing required by this convention, on the basis of his two propositions submitted to this convention.

Mr. Hay, from the committee on ways and means, reported as follows:

Mr. President:

Your special committee on ways and means to whom was re-referred the matter of employing an official stenographer to report the proceedings of this convention, beg leave to report that they have employed Miss Louise S. Smith, and submit her proposition herewith.

H. G. HAY, Chairman.

H. G. NICKERSON, Secretary.

Cheyenne, Wyoming, Sept. 6th, 1889.

Henry G. Hay, Esq., Chairman,

Cheyenne, Wyoming,

Dear Sir:—I beg to submit the following proposition for your final consideration.

I will make a stenographic report of the proceedings of the convention, and furnish a type-written transcript of the same at the rate of fifteen dollars per day, for each day actually employed in making such stenographic report, the work to be completed within thirty days after the adjournment of the convention.

Yours Respectfully,

LOUISE S. SMITH.

On motion of Mr. Campbell the report was accepted, and the action of the committee approved.

Mr. Potter gave the following notice:

Cheyenne, Sept. 6th, 1889.

Mr. President:

I hereby give notice that on to-morrow or some subsequent day, I will move an amendment to Rule six, by the establishment of an additional committee to be known as a “Committee on Ordinances.”

C. N. POTTER

The resignation of Corlett Downey, one of the pages of this convention, having been accepted, Mr. Potter nominated Fred Hufsmith for the position vacated; and he was chosen page by acclamation.

On motion of Mr. Campbell, the convention adjourned until ten o’clock a. m. Sept. 7th.

M. C. BROWN, Pres. Con. Attest: J. K. JEFFREY, Secretary.

• Journal of 1889-09-06: Mr. Smith's Amendment (introduced on 1889-09-07 10:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e664225)

• Journal of 1889-09-06 (introduced on 1889-09-07 10:00:00 - CREATE - e664216) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1889-09-07 10:00:00 - DEBATE_PROPOSAL - e664220) [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1889-09-07 10:00:00 - DEBATE_PROPOSAL - e664223) [view current proposal at this moment]
  • Journal of 1889-09-06: Mr. Smith's Amendment (introduced on 1889-09-07 10:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e664225) [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1889-09-07 10:00:00 - DEBATE_PROPOSAL - e664232) [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1889-09-07 10:00:00 - ADOPT_PROPOSAL - e664234) [view current proposal at this moment]