Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-09-23
Qhe Rtpnb'ita't
wAFERFowN. WIS.
THE CONSTITUTION LOST.


Startling Discovery Made by Officials at
Madison.
MADISON, Wis, Sept. 19.-Wisconsin
has lost a constitution. It has not been
deprived of its fundamental law, but it
is minus the original document adopted
by the constitutional convention of lS4S.
Hunt high or hunt low the engrossed
copy which bore the signatures of the
members OF the convention cannot be
found. 1t should be among the archives
OF the secretary of states office, but is
not, and one of the most valuable his
torical relics of the state is either lost or
stolen.
Allen Worden, father of the state
printing clerk, was a member of the
convention. A few weeks ago he was
in the city, and having a curiosity to see
the document to which he affixed his
SIGNATURE SO many years ago, asked for it.
1t then developed that the engroSSed copy
was not in the office and had not been for
years. In fact, it had been gone so long
that doubts were expressed that it was
ever there or that an engrOSSed copy was
made. Mr.. WOrden set this latter doubt
at rest. however, by the assertion that he
knew the constitution was engroSSed and
saw the members sign the document. af-
liking his own name with the members of
the convention from La Fayette County.
The fact OF the engrOSSment was i'm
pressed upon his mind by the circum-
stances surrounding its adoption. There
had been bitter, wOrdy opposition to the
constitution and some of its provisions
had been StrenuOuSly fought. so that when
lt came down to the engrOSSment and
signing of the document much curiosity
was expressed as to whether the men who
had opposed the provisions would sign if.
Iinnnp tho Ill
gates came up to atfiX their names a great
deal OF interest conferred in the event.
Thus Mr.. Worden knew positively
that the document was prepared for the
archives OF the state whether it ever
reached there or not. Since it is not on
file the question IS under discussion where
1t is now. An effort may be made to find
1t. 1t is barely possible that some delegate
may have taken 1t with him by mistake
when he departed.
A. O. Fox is reported to have SAID that
he has seen among his fathers papers
copy OF the document in manuscript, anC
this may lead to clue to It's Whereabouts
DR.. William Il. Fox, of Oregon, this coun
", was member of the convention ana
look deep interest in the PROCEEDINGS.
1t is also thought that the constitution
may have been misplaced among Other
records in the capitol, but there has been
general sitting Of the papers in the secre-
tary of states and governors offices in the
past few years and it is thought if the doc
ument was there it would have been dis
covered.
Meanwhile the state must content itself
to work upon the copies OF the constitu-
ton which have been accepted as copies of
the original, though whether they are cor
rect copies cannot be absolutely verified
unleSS the original is found.
Morgan l.. Martin. of Brown County,
was president, and Thomas McHugh Secre-
sary, OF the constitutional convention.
They and the other delegates affixed their
names to the document February l. 1915.
and the peOpe ratified their action in the
March succeeding.
Chief Justice Cole. Of the supreme court.
was member of the convention from
Grant County.