, 1896-10-14
hon. N. c. BROWN.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF HIS LIFE
AND PUBLIC CAREER IN
THE WEST.
N.stor Of the Legal Fraternity-His
Great Success rs Il Lawyer-Re
Has Always Held II Conspicuou3
Place IN the Couactlc CT the Rs
publican Party.

publican Party.
Hog. Melville c. Brown the republic
can nominee for Judge of the Second
Judicial district Of the State of Wyo-
ming, is justly regarded as one of the
leading lawyers Of the state. He Is
recognized as the Nestor Of the legal
fraternity. having taken ny his resi-
dence in Laramie as early az 1868, since
which time he has tean rore promi-
nently identified with the legislation
bearing upon the growth and prosperi-
ty Of the state. than any cher citizen
Within Its borders. He has not only
taken high rank az an attorney and
counsellor during the rany years that
he has resided in Wyoming, but from
the very first has held a conspicuous
place in the councils Of the republican
party. He has frequently teen called
upon to fill public Office. and In every
instance the high trus. repcsed in him
has been administered with honor and
distinction. But his greatest success
has been in the legal profession. 1t
may be truthfully said that no other
attorney in the state has been identified
with as many important cases.. both
civil and criminal. Almost from the
first Judge Brown took rank among the
ablest attorneys In the state, a posi-
ton which he has maintained up to the
present time. 1t may be said Of him
that he has few equals, and no super
Tors at the bar Of Wyoming.
Before. however. reviewing the pub
lie services Of Judge Grown. 1t would ne
we'll to take a glance lack over his
earlier life, and observe some Of the
Influences that have In a marked de
gree shaped his career in later years
He was born about 81 years ago in the
old Pine Tree state Of Mime AZ AnGrs-
ia, where amid the wholesome infu-
ence Of a Puritan ancestry lie grew to
manhood.
The schools Of his native t1wn al
forded him the foundation Of a good
practical education. which he was abe
to supplement with study III after years.
The wonderful stories OF the ;ii,lur-
cry of gold in California early att-a.t ted
his attention, and bs.,., the civil war
we find him him seeing his fortune en-
the Pacific coast Flo was among tie
first to visit the gold fields Of Idaho,
and at the age Of "a, was elected a men,
Der of the first te-.'tor 81 legislature CT
that territory. HIS opponent, George
Ainsley, has since that time been twice
elected to congress by the democrats o:
Idaho. 1t did not take long to finl ont
that Judge Brown was in indefeeig-
able worker, and before tn. session was
over, 1t was observed By Seth Slater. a
man Of large legislative exp II icnce and
clerk Of the house at that time, that
Judge Brown and one or two other
members Of the legislator, were doing
most OF the work. When 1t Ii UNDER
stood that 1t becomes the duty OF the
first legislative assembly Of a new ter
ritory to formulate laws to meet all
the varying conditions Of a new terri
tory, the magnitude of the work to be
done can be appreciated. With such
an experience In legislative affairs 1t
was natural that the people Of Albany
county should In 1871 choose Judge
Brown to represent them in the second
Wyoming assembly.
An effort was made at this time to
repeal the law giving to women the
right OF suffrage. Judge Brown, who
was ably assisted by the late Hon. W,
W. Corlett. took the ground that wo-
mar suffrage had not been given a fair
trial, having voted only at one election.
He maintained that the people of the
United States were looking to Wyo-
ming to solve the question. and to con-
denim 1t without giving the women an
opportunity to demonstrate their ca
pacHty in public affairs would do a
great wrong to the cause of equal SUI
frage. The bill, however, passed both
houses Of the legislature, hat failed to
become a law, owing to the veto Of . re-
publican governor. In 1884,. 20 years
after this even, Judge Brown az . mem
Der of the constitutional convention,
was called upon to champion the cause
Of equal rights. It had been demon
strated to the satisfaction Of most peo-
pie in the state that woman suffrage
had been a benefit to Wyoming. but