Montana. Constitutional Convention (1889)

On February 22, 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed an enabling act known as the Omnibus Statehood Bill, providing for constitutional conventions to be called on July 4, 1889, in Montana, Washington, and North and South Dakota territories. A convention was called in Helena, the territorial capital of Montana, to draft a constitution. Seventy-five delegates were elected in May from the sixteen existing counties. The convention was in session from July 4 to August 17, 1889. William A. Clark served as president of the convention.

On October 1, 1889, the draft constitution was approved by a vote of the people of Montana Territory. The U.S. Congress also approved the constitution, and a proclamation by President Benjamin Harrison on November 8, 1889, admitted Montana as the forty-first state.

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