The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-08-24
Woman Suffrage in Wyominu.

Miss Esther Wagg knows something
about that note. but nc says nothing.
Woman Suffrage in Wyoming.
Mr.. Pomeroy, editor of Pomeroy's Dem
ocrat, who is making Il lcisurelv trip to
the Pacific, stopping at all places of inter
est, gives the following account of confer
ring upon women the rights of voting and
sitting upon juries--
This territory was the first to give the
right OF suffrage to women. Out here in
the ''wilderness," so-called, midway
across the Continent, under the shadows
of mountains ever covered with ice and
snow, the ballut-box was first opened to
females.
The credit of this is due to James H.
Hayford, editor Of the Laramie Daily
Sentinel, one of the pioneers here, former
ly from Wisconsin. In 1868 Mr.. Haytord
prevailed upon the members Of the Terri
torial Legislature, then in session ut Chey-
enne, to vote for bill giving women the
right to vote. The bill was introduced by
Hon. John Herrick Il Democrat, Of Shcr-
man, and passed bya Democratic Legisla-
ture. So it is that to an editor. and to
Democrats, are the women OF America in
debted for this, their first legal recogni-
ton as citizens, after the Republicans had
given the right to negroes After the
right to vote had been given women here,
the county officials made up jury list,
and omitted the names of women. The
completed list was handed into the Office
of the Sentinel, Mr.. Hayford's paper
He saw the omission and refused to pub
lish the list till the law was complied
with, and names of women put in with
those of men. The county official said
the law was Joke The editor was in
tlexible-said the law was in earnest.
The officials caved in and made Il new
list, adding the names Of women, and
thus the jury was drawn.
The first Jury was drawn for the March
term of court, 1870 Six men and six
women. The first case of Importance
was one of murder, 1t occupied the at
tenton of the court four days. The men
jurors. while out of court. were in one
room, under charge of deputy sheriff
The women jurors, under a female officer
occupied another room. Their delibera
tions were begun with prayer.
They spent their hours when out OF the
courtroom IN earnest thought, supplica-
ton to God for guidance and attentive
reading Of the laws affecting the cases
befUlc tllcnl. In this respect We arc tol |
they resenbled children more than wo-
men.
AND WHY NOT?
when all this matter of law, Of jury, OF
courtroom, and judicial proceeding was
to them a novelty. Their aim seemed to
be to do that which was right
Up to the time the right of suffrage had
been given to women here. there had
been i'll Laramie Il few houses of prostitu-
tion-relics left by the railway pioneers
for the editication Of those who might
come after Them. One day the saloons Of
the place, and these houses, We're present
cd for Indictment to the grand Jury, com
posed Of men and women. 1t became
the duty Of this grand jury to examine
into the habits, customs, "morals," pc
culiarities, and iniquitics of the ones
charged with offending the peace and
morality of Laramie-so
AT IT THE JURY WENT.
The women visited not only the saloons
to inquire into matters, but they went
from one place of prostitution to another,
to see how it was for themselves. They
talked with the female inmates inquired
into their mode and manner Of life, the
profits of their business learning so
far rs they could the names OF the patrons
or frequcntcrs of these institutions.
The women of easy virtue who had
been plying their avocation here, on be-
ing kindly met by the wives and mothers
of the citizens Of Laramie, made clean
breasts of it, and rs u general thing, ask
ed only to be fairly dealt with. They
claimed with great degree Of truth, that
it was no worse for them TO live in such
houses than for the
HUSBANDS OF TIE WOMEN
who were visiting them to inquire into
their mode of life to patronize them
They do say that when the female ltt-
rors returned to their homes, after making
this grand tour of inspection, more than
one of them told her husband she had a
little something to say to him in the bed
room, or away from the ears Of the chill
dren. Some of the men said:
"Oh! pshaW, don't - don't -- believe
such stories.''
''But," replied the interviewing wife,
'you know how it is yourself"
At some tea-tabes the evening meal
was partaken of in silence. Supper over,
the jury-women met to consult among
themselves; while the husbands went out
to meet little groups standing here and
there, on street-corners, behind some
stove, under some shed, or Just over yon-
der behind train of cars. The consulta-
ton among the women over, they retired
to their homes; while, toward the wee
small hours, we are told, the husbands
came in. silent and thoughtful.
When the morning sun arose once
again the
CYPRIANs, LIKE THE ARABS,
had folded their tents and silently stole
away! From that day to this ''p''-tutes
have had no name OF habitation in Lara
mie.
To the ladies Of the place Laramie is
indebted for many of her improvements
Finding they had u voice in the affairs
they proposed to exercise it. One day
they wanted q school-house; so lhey
went out with subscription-papers in this
direction and that, asking every man
they met, taking what stamps they could
but ''nay" from none, till, as the result
of two days soliciting, they accumulated
funds to build q very fine school-edifice
So, when they wanted u chruch, all th
ladies turned their attention to the mat
ter, and solicited everywhere till the!
obtained money to build first one chrucl
and then another; the people of Laramie
seeming to have forgotten to quarrel
bicker, and backbite among themselves
each religious denomination there think
ing itself as good but no better than any
other From all we can learn, Laramie
is one of the most mellow hearted, broth
erly, christianized places on the American
continent.
Wild mocking birds and canaries ar
very abundant at Anahein, Cal, and S
tame that they fly into peoples houses an
I q q Al.