 Seal of the Idaho Territory | |
| Date | July 4 to August 6, 1889 |
|---|---|
| Location | Boise, Idaho North America |
| Participants | see below |
| Outcome | Created Idaho Constitution |
The Idaho Constitution Convention drafted the Idaho Constitution in 1889 in preparation for the Idaho Territory to become a U.S. state.
On April 2, 1889, outgoing Territorial Governor Edward A. Stevenson, who had successfully prevented the territory from being absorbed by neighboring territories, issued a proclamation calling for an election to be held on June 3 of that year, to elect 72 delegates to a constitutional convention. On May 11, Stevenson's successor, George L. Shoup, issued a proclamation endorsing the convention, which was scheduled to meet on July 4 in Boise. Idaho, like its fellow statehood-seeking territory, Wyoming, was not the subject of an enabling act, as other statehood-seeking territories usually were before holding a constitutional convention. However, an enabling act for Idaho had been introduced in December 1888 by Oregon Senator John H. Mitchell, and its potential statehood was discussed over the remainder of the 50th Congress. [1]
The convention met as scheduled on July 4, 1889. John T. Morgan was elected temporary president while the convention organized and settled membership disputes. The following day, William H. Clagett was elected as permanent president of the convention. On July 8, the standing committees of the convention were assigned, and from then until July 17, the committees proceeded to write the bulk of what would eventually be adopted as the state constitution. From July 18 through August 5, the convention engaged in debate over the particulars of the constitution. On the twenty-eighth day of the convention, August 6, 1889, the constitution was approved by delegates by a vote of 51–0, and 64 of the 72 delegates (of whom one was deceased) proceeded to sign the constitution. [2] [3]
On November 5, 1889, Idaho Territory voters approved of the new constitution by a margin of 12,398 to 1,773. North Idaho had the strongest returns for adoption, while central and southeast Idaho had the weakest returns for adoption, with southeast Idaho falling in between. [4] On July 3, 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed the law admitting Idaho as the 43rd U.S. state.
| County | Votes for adoption | Votes against adoption | Approval % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ada | 1,331 | 443 | 75% |
| Alturas | 290 | 51 | 85% |
| Bear Lake [lower-alpha 1] | 44 | 39 | 53% |
| Bingham | 716 | 171 | 81% |
| Boise | 539 | 80 | 87% |
| Cassia | 130 | 92 | 59% |
| Custer | 498 | 33 | 94% |
| Elmore | 795 | 26 | 97% |
| Idaho | 199 | 137 | 59% |
| Kootenai | 1,032 | 24 | 98% |
| Latah | 2,523 | 117 | 96% |
| Lemhi | 890 | 30 | 97% |
| Logan | 380 | 71 | 84% |
| Nez Perce | 112 | 103 | 52% |
| Oneida | 278 | 95 | 75% |
| Owyhee | 388 | 37 | 91% |
| Shoshone | 1,811 | 51 | 97% |
| Washington | 442 | 173 | 72% |
| Territory total | 12,398 | 1,773 | 87% |
Over the course of the convention, 37 committees were established. The Republican majority controlled most committees, including those that set the framework for the state government. [18] [19]
| Committee | Date established | Majority party | Majority members | Minority members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credentials | July 4, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Crutcher, Poe, Cavanah, Standrod, Hagan | Republicans: Heyburn, Savidge, Shoup, Allen |
| Committee to receive the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs | July 4, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Sweet, Clagett, McConnell | Democrats: Beane, Ainslie |
| Committee to escort the President to the Chair | July 5, 1889 | 67% D | Democrats: Cavanah, Batten | Republican: Morgan |
| Committee on Committees | July 6, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Heyburn, Allen, Hays | Democrats: Standrod, Batten |
| Rules | July 6, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Shoup, Beatty, Morgan | Democrats: Reid, Mayhew |
| Committee to wait upon the Chief Justice | July 8, 1889 | 67% D | Democrats: Ainslie, King | Republican: McConnell |
| Ways and Means | July 8, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Hasbrouck, Wilson, Shoup | Democrats: Crutcher, Harris, Blake |
| Executive Department | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Gray, Savidge, Allen, Hampton | Democrats: Ainslie, Coston, Poe |
| Legislative Department | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Morgan, Pinkham, Robbins, Lewis, Glidden | Democrats: Blake, Pefley, Pierce, Stull |
| Judiciary | July 8, 1889 | 53% R | Republicans: Heyburn, Sweet, Beatty, Wilson, Howe, Hampton, Morgan, Savidge | Democrats: Mayhew, Ainslie, Woods, Reid, Stull (to July 16), Harris, Batten, Hagan (from July 16) |
| Preamble and Bill of Rights | July 8, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Shoup, Morgan, Hammell | Democrats: Standrod, Clark, Steunenberg |
| Names, Boundaries and Organization of Counties | July 8, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Reid, King, Jewell | Republicans: Crook, Hasbrouck |
| Seat of Government, Public Institutions, Buildings and Grounds | July 8, 1889 | 57% D | Democrats: Cavanah, Crutcher, Kinport, McMahon | Republicans: Gray, McConnell, Melder |
| Education, Schools, School and University Lands | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Shoup, Pinkham, Harkness, Armstrong, McConnell | Democrats: Batten, Chaney, Hogan, Bevan |
| Elections and Right of Suffrage | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Beatty, Salisbury, Heyburn, Hays | Democrats: Ainslie, Mayhew, Beane (to July 18), Hagan (from July 18) |
| Revenue and Finance | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Hays, Sweet, Hasbrouck, Crook, Glidden | Democrats: Blake, Hogan, Lamoreaux, Steunenberg |
| Legislative Apportionment | July 8, 1889 | 56% R (to July 20) 61% R (from July 20) | Republicans: Shoup, Underwood, Heyburn, Ballantine (to July 10), Pyeatt, Hendryx (to July 16), Whitton, Brigham (to July 31), Hays, Maxey, Pinkham (from July 10), Melder (from July 16), Sinnott (from July 20), Sweet (from July 31) | Democrats: Myer, Kinport, Parker, Stull (to July 16), Poe, Lamoreaux, Standrod, Jewell, Cavanah (from July 16 to July 20) |
| Militia and Military Affairs | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Hammell, Pyeatt, Campbell, Pinkham | Democrats: Clark, Myer, Hogan |
| Public and Private Corporations | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Ballantine, Andrews, Savidge, Glidden, Pritchard | Democrats: Mayhew, Kinport, Chaney, Bevan |
| Federal Relations | July 8, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Sweet, Salisbury, Moss | Democrats: Nelson, Anderson |
| Municipal Corporations | July 8, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Woods, Hagan, Pierce, Pefley, Vineyard | Republicans: Beatty, Harkness, Crook, Wilson |
| Labor | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Armstrong, Sinnott, Howe, Heyburn, Robbins | Democrats: King, Lamoreaux, McMahon, Pefley |
| Schedule | July 8, 1889 | 56% R (to July 29) 56% D (from July 29) | Republicans: Gray, Sweet, Howe (to July 29), Savidge, Hampton | Democrats: Woods, Beane (to July 18), Blake, Vineyard, King (from July 18), Reid (from July 29) |
| Manufactures, Agriculture and Irrigation | July 8, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Stull (to July 16), Coston, Jewell, Beane (to July 17), Taylor, Cavanah (from July 16), Anderson (from July 17) | Republicans: Allen, McConnell, Harkness, Moss |
| Mines and Mining | July 8, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Crutcher, Cavanah, Bevan, King, Standrod | Republicans: Glidden, Ballantine, Salisbury, Hays |
| Live Stock | July 8, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Harkness, Underwood, Pyeatt | Democrats: Myer, Pierce |
| Printing and Binding | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Allen, Hays, Lemp, Sinnott | Democrats: Clark, Parker, Steunenberg |
| Revision and Enrollment | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Beatty, Hammell (to July 27), Morgan, Shoup, Howe, Sweet (from July 27) | Democrats: Hagan, Vineyard, Harris, Standrod |
| Salaries of Public Officers | July 8, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Poe, Coston, Reid | Republicans: Wilson, Hasbrouck |
| Public Indebtedness and Subsidies | July 8, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Hagan, Batten, Taylor | Republicans: McConnell, Harkness |
| Committee to escort the ladies of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union | July 9, 1889 | 100% D | Democrats: Pefley, Mayhew, Ainslie | — |
| Special Committee on Finance | July 18, 1889 | 100% R | Republicans: McConnell, Harkness, Lemp | — |
| Committee to receive the delegation of Members of Congress | July 20, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Hays, Clagett | Democrats: Ainslie, Reid |
| Engrossing | July 26, 1889 | 67% R | Republicans: Hasbrouck, Sweet | Democrat: Mayhew |
| Special Committee on Revision of the Minutes and Proceedings of the Convention | July 27, 1889 | 67% R | Republicans: Wilson, Moss | Democrat: Clark |
| Select Committee to draft Article VIII, Section 6 | July 30, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Ainslie, Reid, Mayhew | Republicans: Hays, Clagett |
| Address to the People | August 3, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Clagett, Pinkham, Hays, McConnell, Armstrong | Democrats: Ainslie, Reid, Taylor, Clark, Cavanah |
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