f women was also vehemently attacked by Alexander
M. Dockery of Missouri, George T. Barnes of Georgia, William M.
Springer of Illinois, and William McAdoo of New Jersey. It was
strongly defended by Henry L. Morey of Ohio, Charles S. Baker of New
York, Daniel Kerr and I. S. Struble, both of Iowa, and Harrison B.
Kelley of Kansas.

Every possible effort was made to compel the adoption of an amendment
limiting the suffrage to male citizens, and it was defeated by only
six votes. The bill of admission was passed March 28, 1890, after
three days' discussion, by 139 ayes to 127 noes. During the progress
of this debate Delegate Carey telegraphed to the Wyoming Legislature,
then in session, that it looked as if the suffrage clause would have
to be abandoned if Statehood were to be obtained, and the answer came
back: "We will remain out of the Union a hundred years rather than
come in without woman suffrage."[476]

In the Senate the fight against the suffrage article was renewed with
added intensity. The bill for the admission of Wyoming was reported
favorably through the chairman of the Committee on Territories,
Orville H. Platt of Connecticut, in January, 1890, but was not reached
on the calendar until February 17. On objection from Francis M.
Cockrell of Missouri, that there was not time then for its
consideration, it was postponed, but without losing its place on the
calendar. Not until May 2, however, did it come up again as unfinished
business, and only to be again postponed. On May 8 the bill was set
down for the following Monday, but it was June 25 before it finally
received extended consideration. The debate continued for three days
and the clause conferring suffrage on women took a prominent place.

George G. Vest of Missouri led the opposition and said in the course
of his lengthy oration:

I shall never vote to admit into the Union any State that adopts
woman suffrage. I do not propose to discuss the sentimental side
of the question.... In my judgment woman suffrage is antagonistic
to the spirit, to the institutions, of the people of the United
States. It is utterly antagonistic to my ideas of the Government
as the fathers made it and left it to us. If there were no other
reason I would never give the right of suffrage to women because
the danger to the institutions of the United States to-day is in
hurried, spasmodic, sentimental suffrage.... I believe that with