Omar Bennett
In September 1889, 49 delegates from across Wyoming Territory assembled in Cheyenne to draft a state constitution. Of the 49 elected members, 31 were Republicans and 18 were Democrats. Four of the 49 did not sign the Constitution and attended only occasionally. The delegates were in a hurry as they knew that producing a document quickly would put more pressure on Congress to admit Wyoming as a new state. They met in Cheyenne and in just 25 days assembled the document. Wyoming became a state the following year.
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What You'll Learn
Who were the delegates?
In 1889, 49 delegates from across Wyoming Territory assembled in Cheyenne to draft the Wyoming Constitution. Of the 49 elected members, 4 did not sign the Constitution and attended only occasionally. Of those who did attend, 31 were Republicans and 18 were Democrats. The delegates were chosen in a special election called by Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren.
The only officer elected territory-wide was Delegate to Congress Joseph M. Carey, who also backed statehood. Carey argued that it was not unprecedented for territories with fewer than 60,000 people to be granted statehood.
On the 16th day of the convention, delegate A. C. Campbell introduced an amendment attempting to make a gubernatorial override require only a simple majority, but his proposal failed.
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Why did they meet?
In 1889, Wyoming was seeking statehood and its delegates met to draft a constitution for the new state. This was a significant step towards establishing Wyoming as a state, with its own distinct framework for governance. The delegates were aware that the process of becoming a state would be challenging, especially given Wyoming's unique position regarding women's voting rights. While Wyoming had granted women equal political rights, they knew that this would be a controversial issue when it came to Congress.
The delegates met in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in September 1889, following a special election called by Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren. The election for delegates was held on July 8, 1889, and 49 of the 55 elected members assembled to draft the Constitution. Notably, despite women having full voting rights, not a single woman ran for a delegate position. As a result, the Wyoming Constitution, though it included provisions for women's rights, was drafted, debated, and passed solely by men.
The delegates were under significant time pressure, as Governor Warren emphasised the need for haste. He wanted the constitution drafted by the end of September, just 25 working days after the delegates were elected. The urgency was due to the desire to have Wyoming's statehood proposal introduced before the current session of Congress ended. The delegates, therefore, worked quickly, using sections from other states' constitutions as a basis and making modifications as needed.
The resulting document, the Wyoming Constitution, outlined the state's governance framework, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, as well as individual and civil rights. It consisted of various articles, each addressing specific aspects such as the distribution of powers, legislative, executive, and judicial departments, suffrage and elections, education, water rights, and more. The constitution was ratified on November 5, 1889, and Wyoming officially became a state on July 10, 1890, through an Act of Congress.
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Where did they meet?
The delegates of the Wyoming Constitution met in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in September 1889. They assembled to draft the constitution, which was ratified on November 5, 1889, and Wyoming became a state the following year.
The meeting in Cheyenne was the result of an election called on July 8, 1889, by Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren. Notably, despite women having full voting rights and the right to seek and hold office, none ran for a delegate slot. As a result, the Wyoming Constitution, which prided itself on being the first government to grant women equal political rights, was drafted, debated, and passed by men.
The delegates were in a hurry, as they knew that if they could produce a document quickly, it would increase the pressure on Congress to admit Wyoming as a new state. Indeed, Warren emphasised the necessity for haste, as he wanted their work done by the end of September, just 25 working days after the election.
The delegates met in Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming, which was a significant centre for political activity in the territory. It provided a convenient and central location for the delegates to gather and engage in the important work of drafting the constitution. The specific venue where they met in Cheyenne is not clearly mentioned in the sources, but it is likely that they assembled in a government building or a designated meeting space within the city.
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When did they meet?
The delegates of the Wyoming Constitution met in September 1889, just two months after the election of delegates on July 8, 1889. They assembled in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and had only 25 working days to draft the constitution. This haste was due to Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren's desire to put pressure on Congress to admit Wyoming as a new state.
The delegates' quick work proved successful, as Wyoming became a state the following year on July 10, 1890. The Wyoming Constitution was ratified on November 5, 1889, and citizens voted on it at the November general election.
The delegates met in person, and a photo of them was captured on the capitol steps in 1889. They also met with friends and supporters, as evidenced by a photo of delegates and friends at the state constitutional convention in 1889 from the Ludwig-Svenson collection at the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
The delegates' meetings were focused and productive, resulting in a constitution that, despite its length, was largely assembled from sections pulled from other states' constitutions. This "scissors-and-paste" approach, as described by one source, or "cut-and-paste job," as described by another, was a tactical decision to save time. However, there were notable exceptions to this process, including in the areas of water and irrigation rights and women's rights.
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What did they discuss?
The delegates of the Wyoming Constitution met in Cheyenne in September 1889. They had just 25 working days to draft the constitution, so they assembled a "scissors-and-paste" document, borrowing sections from the constitutions of other states. However, there were two notable exceptions to this process: water and irrigation, and women's rights.
The constitution was made up of 17 articles, which set out the framework for governance in the state, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters.
Article 1, entitled "Declaration of Rights", consisted of 39 sections. This article set forth particular political and civil rights and limited the role of government. The 37 sections in the Declaration of Rights article also limited legislative power. The constitution stated that the "executive power" of the state was "vested" in the governor, but these broad powers were limited. For example, the constitution provided for a four-year term for the governor, with no restrictions on the number of terms a governor could serve. The legislature would need a two-thirds vote to override a gubernatorial veto.
Articles 2 through 5 and 12 through 17 set up the structure of the government, including the three distinct branches of the legislative, executive, and judicial departments. Article 6, "Suffrage and Elections", consisted of 22 sections. Article 7, "Education; State Institutions; Promotion of Health and Morals; Public Buildings", consisted of 23 sections. Article 8, "Irrigation and Water Rights", consisted of five sections. Article 9, "Mines and Mining", consisted of six sections. Article 10, "Corporations", consisted of 19 sections.
The constitution also provided that appointments to some boards of citizen volunteers be made for terms longer than the governor's. For example, University of Wyoming trustees are appointed for six-year terms. The constitution also allowed various boards and commissions to govern specific state agencies and appoint their directors, taking that power out of the governor's hands.
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Frequently asked questions
49 delegates were elected to draft the Wyoming Constitution in 1889.
Of the 49 delegates, 31 were Republicans and 18 were Democrats.
Yes, Delegate to Congress Joseph M. Carey was the only territory-wide elected officer who backed statehood.
No, despite women having full voting rights and the right to seek and hold office, none ran for a delegate slot.
The delegates assembled in Cheyenne in September 1889 and completed the constitution in just 25 working days.
