The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-10-14
TIL, GREAT JOKE OF WYOMING.
The History Of the Passage Of the
Woman Suffrage Act.
From the New York Sun. |

From the New York sun.
Cheyenne. Wyoming, Sept. u
The accident. for such it was, by
which woman suffrage became til"
law OF Wyoming happened in this
way: The President Of the Conn
Gil of the first Terri torial, Lcgis-
lature OF Wyoming >trolled into
the Office Of the Secretary Of
the Territory one morning i'll No
vember, 80, to talk about local poll
ties. Woman suffrage came i'll for
its share of attention. Said the
Secretary, who was a stanch adVo-
cate Of wOman's rights:
''Mr. President, do YOU know You
have the greatest opportunity of
any man in America to immortaliZe
yourselfo'
GLOW ?" inquired the President.
"By introducing a bill i'll the
Council extending the right of suf-
tragc to woman," replied the Secre-
tary.
IBy ,Jove! I'll do it if you'll draw
up the BILL responded the President.
" Agreed" answered the Secre
tary: and Mr.. President smiled the
quiet smile of satisfaction incident
to the birth Of a new idea, pulled
away at his cigar, Strengthened him
self, and walked to the Council
chamber to ponder on his future
greatness. The bill was drawn, in
troduced, and passed the first read
inc in the Council-more for the
novelty and notoriety than because
it's members were in it's favor.
In the Lower House, however,
the bill met opposition, and became
the subject Of earnest dissension on
the part of a minority. The majori-
ty looked upon the whole thing as
a Joke of the rollicking Secretary,
and were disposed to let him have
his fun, while they would enjoy the
big supper promised them by the
Secretary if they would pass the
bill. Thus the bill passed the
House, not surprising the Council
would confirm it on its final read
ing. The Council, however, did
pass the bill, whether from inlit1er-
ence or to appear consistent with
it's former action it is impossible to
say, as it is equally impossible to
account for most of the laws passed
by this Legislature on. any known
hypothesis. But whether joke or
design on the part Of the Secretary,
the members of the House were
certainly victimized, for they never
got that big supper, and the bill did
pass.
It only waited now for the Gov,
ernor's signature under the great
seal of the Territory to make this
bill a law in the land. In a few
DAYS the bill was returned with his
! Excellency's familiar O. X, and
woman suffrage became both fact
and a law in Wyoming. 1t must
be said in explanation, that the
Governor seriously supposes him
self a statesman with future pros
poets; and like all great men has
his hobbies, one of which is his Off
cial signature, OH which he greatly
prides himself, though as unintelli
gihle to an American as the Chi
nese characters Oh % package of tea
| ~~-~---~---9-..~ ~---~---~-~
NEWSPAPER BORROWERs.-Tht
following sensible and true para
, graph we clip from an exchange
, ''Of all things contemplate, :
man who will read a paper at hi
neighbours expense is the most con
, temptible; especially if that maj
esteems it his duty to lower paper
collectively, and editors generally
They always meet the carrier first
snatch the paper, and after greedil,
c devouring every morsel of news i
!. contains, throw it aside, saying
with contemplate curl of the lip
sWhat trash it is really fit TO
! nothing but waste paper AM
yet day after day they seem as ans
: ious to gain possession of the paper
and seem as disappointed at it
!, arrival as the good paying sui
: scriber, who ever welcomes it as
y pleasant visitor. Strange worlo
> this.'
t ~~~~~-~..%@~.--~~-~~--~
Drink nothing without seeing it
J, sign nothing without reading it
Y and make sure that it means Il
j. more than it says.
II Don't go to law unless you hav
d nothing to lose lawyers houses al
4 built on fools heads.
Put no dependence Oh the lab
. of a bag, and count money aftt
l. Your own kind.
|e In any business never wade in1
T. water where you cannot see Il
le bottom,-I Spurgeon.