in the enactment of the law in Wyoming
conferring legal equality upon women. I found it upon the
statute-book of that territory, and in accordance with its
provisions several women were legally drawn by the proper
officers on the grand and petit juries of Albany county, and
were duly summoned by the sheriff without any agency of
mine. On being apprised of these facts, I conceived it to be
my plain duty to fairly enforce this law, as I would any
other; and more than this, I resolved at once that, as it
had fallen to my lot to have the experiment tried under my
administration, it should have a fair trial, and I therefore
assured these women that they could serve or not, as they
chose; that if they chose to serve, the Court would secure
to them the most respectful consideration and deference, and
protect them from insult in word or gesture, and from
everything which might offend a modest and virtuous woman in
any of the walks of life in which the good and true women of
our country have been accustomed to move.

While I had never been an advocate for the law, I felt that
thousands of good men and women had been, and that they had
a right to see it fairly administered; and I was resolved
that it should not be sneered down if I had to employ the
whole power of the court to prevent it. I felt that even
those who were opposed to the policy of admitting women to
the right of suffrage and to hold office would condemn me if
I did not do this. It was also sufficient for me that my own
judgment approved this course.

With such assurances these women chose to serve and were
duly impanelled as jurors. They were educated, cultivated
eastern ladies, who are an honor to their sex. They have,
with true womanly devotion, left their homes of comfort in
the States to share the fortunes of their husbands and
brothers in the far West and to aid them in founding a new
State beyond the Missouri.

And now as to the results. With all my prejudices against
the policy, I am under conscientious obligations to say that
these women acquitted themselves with such dignity, decorum,
propri