class, or political party. There were in the Convention. men from all walks in life, from the farmer to the statesman, men who had or have since then served the State in the following capacities: Chief Justices (3), United States Senator, United States District Judges (2), Governors (3), Representative to Congress, President of the University, State Treasurers (2), and also representatives for the stock industry, for the mining interests, for the merchant, for the press, and, by far the largest number representing the legal profession. A majority of the members had served the Territory in the legislature. They were not novices, but men of wide experience and careful judgment, familiar with the present and future needs and necessities of the State. Our Constitution, as it now exists, was formulated and adopted by this Convention and signed by the members. In accordance with a resolution passed by this body the Governor called a special election for November 5, 1889, asking the citizens to ratify or reject the Constitution as presented. The voice at the polls gave an overwhelming majority for the document. A bill for the admission of Wyoming as a State into the Union on an equal footing with the original Thirteen States, was introduced in the House of Representatives at the next Congress. The bill passed the House, was sent to the Senate where an amendment was made in reference to the Yellowstone Park, and the bill returned to the House of Representatives for concurrence. The House agreed to the amendment and the bill was passed, with the signature of the President of the United States attached to the bill, on July 10, 1890. The long struggle for equality and liberty had ended and Wyoming became the forty-fourth State of the Union. In the fall of this year the people elected the State officers, a Representative to Congress and members of the First State Legislature. The most important action taken by this as sembly was the election of two United States Senators.* We now had a voice in our National laws, through our Senators and our Representative, we had a voice in the selection of our President by virtue of our three electoral votes, and we chose our State officers by the voice of the people at the polls. The Constitution took effect and was in full force immediately upon the admission of the territory as a State, July 10, 1890. (Art. XXI, Sec. 8.) While the Constitution was framed and submitted to the people for adoption, before Congress enacted a law for the admission of Wyoming into the Union, it was stated by Art. XXI, Sec. 23, that there was no intention or purpose on the part of the Convention to set up and organize a State government until such time as the United States Government in its wisdom and authority should admit the Territory as a State and call it Wyoming. REFERENCES. Windsor, Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol.II. Hinsdale, How to Teach History, Annexation. Hermann, The Louisiana Purchase. (A Government publication.) Hosmer, The Louisiana Purchase. Hosmer, A Short History of the Mississippi Valley. Lewis and Clark, The Expedition of Lewis and Clark. Dye, The Conquest. McMaster, History of the People of the United States, Vol. II, Chap. XIII. Wilson, A History of the American People, Vol. III. Washington Irving, Astoria. Cozner, The Lost Trappers. Chittenden, the History of the American Fur Trade of the Far West. Fremont, Report of the Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains. Henry and Thompson, New Light on the Early History of the Greater Northwest. (Ed. by Coues.) *Hon. Joseph M. Carey and Hon. Francis E. Warren. Roosevelt, Winning the West, Vol. IV. Hinsdale, The Old Northwest. Winsor, The Mississippi Basin (1697-1763). Austin, Steps in the Expansion of Our Territory. Thwaite, Rocky Mountain Explorations. Coues, The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike. Northwestern Wyoming Including Yellowstone National Park (Government publication). Brooks, First Across the Continent. Mowry, Marcus Whitman and the Early Days of Oregon. Burton, The City of the Saints, and Across the Rocky Moun- tains to California. Coutant, History of Wyoming, Vol. I. Wyoming Historical Collections, Vol. I. Wyoming, Compiled Laws 1876, Sioux and Shoshone Indian Treaties. U. S. Geological Survey Bulletins, No. 171 (for State boundaries). Pomeroy, Constitutional Law. Story, The Constitution. Cooley, Constitutional Limitations. Journal and Debates of the Constitutional Convention of Wyoming. |