Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-08-14
WELCOME, WYOMlNGi

Inc TITSi ETet Ntdtt Noiueu-Ilo" an
Experiment Has Been Crowned With
Success.
The following extracts are taken from
an address by Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
in Woman's Journal:
When the United States of America
inscribed her name on the roll of ma
tions, with constitution placing all
power in the hands of the people; ignor-
ing popes and kings, and declaring all
men equal, we celebrated the greatest
event that had thus far marked the his
tory of the race. But now we have as
sembled to celebrate q still greater
event, the drawing of the glad day when
the mother of the race is at last recog-
nized as human soul, as a person, en-
dowed with inalienable rights; as citi
zen of the State, with an equal voice in
government; an equal factor in the So
cial scale of being; a member of the
church universal, to be guided in mat
ters of faith by her own individual con-
science and Judgment; for political equal.
ity means all this-civil, social and re-
ligious freedom.
The admission of Wyoming as State
into the Union, with provision in her
constitution for woman suffrage, is our
second declaration of independence; as
much more important in national life
than that of 1T76 as the fulfillment of a
principal exceeds its proclamation.
When the Territory of Wyoming,
twenty-one years ago, recognized wom-
an as an equal factor in civilization, but
few appreciated the momentous and far
reaching consequences of that step; and
when the great experimentwas coDsum-
mated by the recent debate and vote at
the national capital, the most sangulne
of us could hardly believe that woman,
in her long, dreary struggle for free
dom, was at last victorious.
n 4
Near the close of the first Legislative
Assembly, without any previous discus
sion, member introduced the follow
ing bill
Be it enacted by the Council and House OF Rep
resentatives of the Territory of Wyoming:
SEQ. Every woman OF the age of Is resi-
dent in this Territory, may at every election to
be holden under the laws thereof cast her vote; (;
and her rights to the elective franchise, and to
hold office, shall lie the same under the elec.
tion laws of the Territory, as those of electors,
SEC II. This Act shall take effect and be in
force from and after its passage,
Strange to say, the bill passed almost
unanimously and without debate. 1t
was said all the time that it was done
partly as joke, and partly TO advertise
tho Territory, hoping thereby to induce
Il large immigration Of women.
Before women went TO the polls, dis
order and rowdyism prevailed; fisticuff
fights were usual and even the use of
firearms was frequent; fraud and vio-
lence marked the elections. And yet,
the first time carriages rolled up to the
polls loaded with women to vote, that
rough pioneer crowd fell back in line,
hats in hand, and maintained respect
full silence until the women had voted.
Their influence was felt, too, in the
choice of candidates; they invariably
opposed the nomination of men of i'm
moral character and bad habits.
In the courts, women discharged their
duties with wisdom and discretion.
Esther Morris, as justice of the peace,
| presided for two years, maintaining the
most orderly court in the Territory, and
none of her decisions were ever re-
versed.
As jurors, too, they were reasonable
and conscientious, holding their senti
ments and emotions in allegiance to the
evidence. Even in a murder case, where
much anxiety was expressed lest womer
should be governed by their feelings
their verdict was strictly in line with
the testimony. They felt the responsi
bility in deciding on human life, ant
carefully reviewed the testimony agair
and again, and after a prolonged an(
serious consultation, they were unani
nous in rendering the verdict guilty
Miss Anthony and / in coup2ay visit
ed the Territory in 1871, and saw tn,
women who had filled these various of
fees, talked with them at their firesides
watched them in their domestic avoca
tions, and ate bread made by the sam,
hands that had cast ballot We founl
social life there the same as in tn
Eastern Slater Marriage had not beel
annulled, cr4dles abandoned, nor tn
stockings mended by the State. W
were struch, too, with the earnestnes
and intelligence of the ~omen. Thei
conversation was more about laws AM
constitutions principles of government
and practical politics, than about fash
ions, personalities, and their neighbors
private affairs. They laughed over th
common idea that women had not tn
physical endurance TO vote and hold oi