[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 122, 110th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
[NOTE: Oct. 2, 2008 -  [H.Con.Res.378]   LOUISA SWAIN DAY--SUPPORT

Whereas the Wyoming Territorial Legislature passed, and Governor John A.
Campbell signed into law on December 10, 1869, a measure stating,
``That every woman of the age of twenty-one years, residing in this
territory, may, at every election, to be holden under the law
thereof, cast her vote.'';

Whereas this Suffrage Act granted women in the Wyoming Territory the
right to vote with full civil and judicial equality to men;

Whereas Louisa Swain, on September 6, 1870, became the Nation's first
woman voter under laws guaranteeing absolute political equality to
women;

Whereas she cast that vote as a 70 year-old woman in the town of
Laramie's municipal election;

Whereas, the Laramie Daily Sentinel wrote, ``It is comforting to note
that our first woman voter was really a lady . . . of the highest
social standing in the community, universally beloved and respected.
The scene was in the highest degree interesting

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and impressive. There was too much good sense in our community for
any jeers or sneers to be seen on such an occasion'';

Whereas this vote was inspirational to the women's suffrage movement and
to the cause of civil rights;

Whereas, Wyoming's statehood, in 1890, brought the codification of this
suffrage right through the ratification of the new Wyoming State
constitution under Article 6, section 1;

Whereas, when the Congress threatened to withhold statehood from
Wyoming, territory legislators replied with a telegram stating that
Wyoming would remain out of the Union 100 years rather than join
without women's suffrage;

Whereas President Benjamin Harrison, on July 10, 1890, signed into law a
bill admitting Wyoming into the Union, and recognizing it as the
Nation's ``Equality State'';

Whereas these actions instigated a path to the passage of the 19th
Amendment to the United States Constitution 50 years after Louisa
Swain's historical first vote; and

Whereas September 6, 2008, would be an appropriate date to designate as
Louisa Swain Day: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress supports the designation of a Louisa Swain Day.

Agreed to October 2, 2008.