Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-15

territorial secretary, to prevent exactly
| script. Somewhere on the journey Tut
nislaid his papers, and MoD' mas first
constitution passed out of Existence.
The convention was j. session until
April a. 1t was strongly criticized, es-
pecially by The Montana Post a news
paper of Virginia City, and by many
persons Of northern origin whose hatred
for the south was undated.
Thus, in a welter of uncertainty
criticism and nlegality, ended Mon
tana's first attempt at statehood. Nor
were the ensuing years productive OF
results. In 1867 congress amended the
organic act and declared that the sec
ond and third legislative assemblies Of
the Montana territory were Illegal and
that all laws passed in those sessions
were null and void. Matters within
the territory were not of the best. The
placer claims Of Virginia City lost
their richness, and the population of
the capital drifted away so rapidly
that 1t was necessary to again change
the seat of the territorial government.
This time the selection was Helena,
the present day capital; as In the case
of Bannack and Virginia City, mines
determined the selection, for rich gold
deposits had been found in the vicinity
Of Last Chance and Confederate gulch-
es near Helena
But, In time, the movement towards
statehood became more definite. In
1888 the territorial legislature passed
joint resolution providing for con-
stitutional convention in Helena, 10
convene Jan. IA, 1884. This act called
for the election Of As delegates, in
manner that was acceptable to all those
interested. They were seated without
Feb. 8, 1854. After the trouble of the
first convention, this second convention
went along with amazing smoothness.
William A. Clark was elected president,
and Paul Van Cleve, secretary. A con-
stitution was drafted, referred TO the
people, and on Nov. e. 1884, ratified
by them in a general election. 1t APP |
oeared that the trail towards statehood !
was open.
But there were more difficulties. The |
federal government refused to recog- |
lize the constitution as legal, contend /
ing that only a federal order could /
make a Constitutional convention valid. /
The Montana convention had been
allied into session by the territory and
lot the federal authorities. Joseph K.
roole, then territorial representative
n congress, did what he could to Sc
.ure the approval of the senate and
house OF representatives 70 the con-
titution, and consequent admission Of
Montana to the union, but without
ucceSs.
But Toole had great faith in Mon
ana, and threw his every energy IN
he effort to gain recognition. he OBJ
aimed the support of other western
and secured the passage
Z bill providing for the admission
Z Montana as a state when certain
onditions had been fulfilled. This bill
as signed by President Cleveland on
Earch 8, 1889, and directed the people ,
I Montana to elect rs delegates to
institutional convention. !
This third convention met IN Helena, I
uly 4, 1889, and held sessions IN the {
,urthouse Of Lewis and Clark county.
be convention was called TO order at I
noon by L. A. walker, secretary OF '
lie territory and temporary officers,
be superseded later by permanent I
Gicers, were appointed. The proceed !
rs were considerably hfndered by the .
Else Of q Fourth Of July crowd Of Z
errymakers outside. AS sidelight on Il
e convention, it might be noted that Z
ven delegates had been members OF q
e 1884 meeting. >
Fireworks began at once; the mining 3