The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-07-30
THE CONSTITUTION
Shall the Constitution Rec
ognize the Deity.
SxRx DsnarE os rHE srEsrer.
The State Militia mas Plenty Of
Friends In the C.nvsn sian-
csDmftt~e Meeting.

oLYxr1A. suiy .a--shA-s ;se Deity L.
recognized IN the constitution wss .se
question that led 10 10 extcnsess srssi sesl-
nonseES debate. 20 she Sassusxxnee az
hszfs-1 personalities between tsu snana-
a-ers n tho cCngsntion soiay. The discus
sion srose over the report ~ the csssa nsistxSs
On preamble and bin ef rigAss which made
sssnsl declaration Of the rmr1ssse Of
the foundation of the constitution
without the CUSTOMARY recognition
OF supreme Being When the urpAs.Ase
pros~ssss1 was read three amendments sass
substitutes were Immediately esfersss. and
it was oss the one made iy Judge Turner
that the debate wSs preci rssafesi The re-.
e arks Of the members were fssr the NEST
part wholly reserent. bur the Opposition
10 the substitute w3s none the lssss de-
ei1ec N iss expressions, Ii was
tsartenoed thai the constitution of the
United states contains 80 reference ~
God and that the Sapfcme Being had d.
rscily nothing whatever Ea DO asth the
form ation of this constitution. A refer.
eoes se HIS a wise providence male a< 4
matter OF form and s. Inatfer OF eourssSy
70 the Deity wenso be . piece 81
demagogy and bnncomhe that would
derucnstrgfe only the deep frssncersfy Of
the persons wko p aeed IL IA THE coss>sifFl-
fiou. GA the ether hand II Was heid thar
the expression was customary aud that il
appropriately and felle:ogsly aeknowl
upon The supn F0e Being. To leave
IL out would b. 10 encourage
a belief that il was omitted
because of the infdelity and f:reyerence al
the people of Washington. These and
many other arguments were elaborated
upon ieug aud earnestly. The
personal remarks were brought ahont
by T.. H. Sullivan, who in
course of somewhat violent hsrangne In
sireetly ifnpngnsd the motives OF Turner
in introducing the substitute. This Turner
resented in q speech that sxcoriated Sulli.
van severely. The matter was finally
brought 10 vote and the substitute
was defeated by two msjorify. Then
an amendment offered By Minor which
corl srpmi>c1 on the = eprrme BEING In
stead of Is a. was offered and lost on a
tie vote The Question was referred 10 TOE
committee, which snes.touight and decided
to submit exactly the same report tenor
row
FRIENDS or THE MILITIA.
TIE very friendly feeling the members
of the convention have for the
militia OF Washington was evil
deneed Ia the afternoons debate.
when Grisfitts made his motion thar
the entire report of the committee en mill
sary affairs be reported back 90 the con-
yenflon with the recon mendafion that IL
do rot pass. Just t.e spoke IN favor of
the motion, tsriffitts and Turner All the
remaining speakers pronounced their
high regard fer the national
guard snd declared they would do what
they eoni for II. At the ssIae time it was
acknowledged that the REPORT might be
ftly abridged, and tits VIII probably he
done when IL comes mp for action tomor-
row
COMMITTEES MEETINGS.
The cnmmittes on leg slative department
held meeting this evening and hesni an
address by Delegate fstftiits against per
mitting aliens to own Iana in the new
state except gold silver or lend mines II
Is probable that a report emhelying Mr.
trifitts ideas viii be tnsse toThs conyen-
ton.
The committee on elections aud elective
rights this vsniny heard addresses by DR.
Blackwell. Mr.. saxon and others on
woman sufffage They positively
assert they do not want 4
separate plank, but ask that the
legislature be empowered Ia pass on the
question. IL is probable, however. that
the committee viii recommend the sub
mission to the people OF separate plank,
the wording To be such that the question
will tie decided by them finally one way or
apoIher.
The committee on public lands further
considered Dsrham'S article tonight No
material change wss made. but three ma
iority reports will be substituted. One OF
these viii lie in favor OF allowing possess
orS Of tide lands who have made improve
nlenfs prsoT right OF purchase.