The Idaho Constitution Convention drafted the

Idaho Constitution Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...

in 1889 in preparation for the

Idaho Territory The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory w ...

to become a U.S. state.

History

Background

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 George Laird Shoup (June 15, 1836December 21, 1904) was an American politician who served as the first governor of Idaho, in addition to its last territorial governor. He served several months after statehood in 1890 and then became one of the s ...

, 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 John Hipple Mitchell, also known as John Mitchell Hipple, John H. Mitchell, or J. H. Mitchell (June 22, 1835December 8, 1905) was an American lawyer, politician, and convicted criminal. He served as a Republican United States Senator from Oregon ...

, and its potential statehood was discussed over the remainder of the

50th Congress The 50th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887, ...

Proceedings

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 William Horace Clagett (September 21, 1838 – August 3, 1901) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from various places in the United States. He was the uncle of Samuel B. Pettengill. Born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Clagett mov ...

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.

Approval of constitution

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. On July 3, 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed the law admitting Idaho as the 43rd U.S. state.

List of delegates

Committees

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.

Notes

References

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Constitutional Convention Constitutional convention may refer to: * Constitutional convention (political custom), an informal and uncodified procedural agreement *Constitutional convention (political meeting), a meeting of delegates to adopt a new constitution or revise an e ...

1889 in American law American constitutional conventions 1889 in Idaho Territory