1884 Constitutional Convention

Montana's 1884 Constitutional Convention was called by the Thirteenth Territorial Legislature, which authorized an election of delegates in November of 1883. Archives West. The constitution produced in 1884 was meant to allow the Territory of Montana to obtain statehood, but the proposed constitution was not ratified by the United States Congress due to party politics. Archives West. Later, in 1889, Montana was successful in obtaining statehood, but much of the work and discussion throughout the 1884 Constitutional Convention is important to the 1889 Montana Constitution, as the delegates in the latter Convention relied upon the 1884 Convention's work.

While the proceedings of the 1884 Constitutional Convention are significant, they are not currently available online. As of this page's creation, the documents are available at the Montana State Archives (located in Helena, Montana) in two or three record boxes and microfilm form, as well as in microfilm form and a seven volume paper reproduction of the microfilm at the William J. Jameson Law Library at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana (located in Missoula, Montana). Below is a volume-by-volume table of contents for the print documents found at the Jameson Law Library.

Volume 1

Complete Collection Table of Contents Pages 1 to 2
Volume 1 Table of Contents Page 3
Organizational Documents Pages 4-14

Members' Joint Oath of Office Pages 4-6
Individual Oaths of Office Pages 7-14
- Joe A. Browne Pages 7-8
- Eddy F. Ferris Pages 9-10
- Francis W. H. Medhurst Pages 11-12
- Charles W. Savage Pages 13-14

Payroll Pages 25-34

Member Payroll Pages 25-29
Officers & Employees Payroll Pages 30-34

Misc. Pages 35-36

Order of Business Guide Page 35
Standing Committees List Page 36

Minutes Transcribed from Secretary's Original Minutes Pages 37-213

Day 1 1/14/1884 Pages 37-52
Day 2 1/15/1884 Pages 53-71
Day 3 1/16/1884 Pages 72-76
Day 4 1/17/1884 Pages 77-82
Day 5 1/18/1884 Page 83
Day 6 1/19/1884 Pages 84-87
Day 7 1/20/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 8 1/21/1884 Pages 88-91
Day 9 1/22/1884 Pages 92-93
Day 10 1/23/1884 Pages 94-98
Day 11 1/24/1884 Pages 99-103
Day 12 1/25/1884 Pages 104-111
Day 13 1/26/1884 Pages 112-117
Day 14 1/27/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 15 1/28/1884 Pages 118-123
Day 16 1/29/1884 Pages 124-131
Day 17 1/30/1884 Pages 132-136
Day 18 1/31/1884 Pages 137-144
Day 19 2/1/1884 Pages 145-147
Day 20 2/2/1884 Pages 148-152
Day 21 2/3/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 22 2/4/1884 Pages 153-155
Day 23 2/5/1884 Pages 156-165
Day 24 2/6/1884 Pages 166-170
Day 25 2/7/1884 Pages 171-177
Day 26 2/8/1884 Pages 178-192
Day 27 2/9/1884 Pages 193-213

Minutes from Convention Secretary's Original Notes Pages 214-290

Day 1 1/14/1884 Pages 214-240
Day 2 1/15/1884 Pages 241-277
Day 3 1/16/1884 Pages 278-288
Day 4 1/17/1884 Pages 289-290

Volume 2

Volume 2 Table of Contents Page 1
Minutes from Convention Secretary's Original Notes Pages 2-226

Day 5 1/18/1884 Page 2-3
Day 6 1/19/1884 Pages 4-9
Day 7 1/20/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 8 1/21/1884 Pages 10-15
Day 9 1/22/1884 Pages 16-17
Day 10 1/23/1884 Pages 18-26
Day 11 1/24/1884 Pages 27-37
Day 12 1/25/1884 Pages 38-50
Day 13 1/26/1884 Pages 51-58
Day 14 1/27/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 15 1/28/1884 Pages 59-65
Day 16 1/29/1884 Pages 66-78
Day 17 1/30/1884 Pages 79-88
Day 18 1/31/1884 Pages 89-104
Day 19 2/1/1884 Pages 105-109
Day 20 2/2/1884 Pages 110-123
Day 21 2/3/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 22 2/4/1884 Pages 124-128
Day 23 2/5/1884 Pages 129-148
Day 24 2/6/1884 Pages 149-161
Day 25 2/7/1884 Pages 162-172
Day 26 2/8/1884 Pages 173-192
Day 27 2/9/1884 Pages 193-226

Petitions Pages 227-244

Petition from Missoula 1/28/1884 (Establishment/Expenditures) Pages 227-228
Petition from Bozeman 2/5/1884 (Establishment/Expenditures) Pages 229-232
Petition from Women's Christian Temperance Union Pages 233-234
Petition (Property Tax/Public Lands) Pages 235-236
Petition from Bozeman 1/23/1884 (Establishment/Expenditures) Pages 237-240
Petition from Custer County (Establishment/Expenditures) Pages 241-244

Committee Reports Pages 245-253

Report on General File 18 Pages 245-248
Agricultural Committee Report on Contagious Diseases Page 249
Memorials and Congress** Pages 250-253

Motions and Amendments Pages 254-259

Volume 3

Volume 3 Table of Contents Page 1
Proceedings of Daily Sessions (Transcribed from shorthand by Stenographer) Pages 2-297

Day 1 1/14/1884 Pages 2-7
Day 2 1/15/1884 Pages 8-73
Day 3 1/16/1884 Pages 74-92
Day 4 1/17/1884 Pages 93-100
Day 5 1/18/1884 Pages 101-108
Day 6 1/19/1884 Pages 109-110
Day 7 1/20/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 8 1/21/1884 Pages 111-149
Day 9 1/22/1884 Pages 150-171
Day 10 1/23/1884 Pages 172-238
Day 11 1/24/1884 Pages 239-298

Volume 4

Volume 4 Table of Contents Page 1
Proceedings of Daily Sessions (Transcribed from shorthand by Stenographer) Pages 2-253

Day 12 1/25/1884 Pages 2-65
Day 13 1/26/1884 Pages 66-146
Day 14 1/27/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 15 1/28/1884 Pages 147-253

Volume 5

Volume 5 Table of Contents Page 1
Proceedings of Daily Sessions (Transcribed from shorthand by Stenographer) Pages 2-288

Day 16 1/29/1884 Pages 2-144
Day 17 1/30/1884 Pages 145-228
Day 18 1/31/1884 Pages 229-288

Volume 6

Volume 6 Table of Contents Page 1
Proceedings of Daily Sessions (Transcribed from shorthand by Stenographer) Pages 2-261

Day 19 2/1/1884 Pages 2-109
Day 20 2/2/1884 Pages 110-179
Day 21 2/3/1884 Sunday; Convention adjourned until Monday.
Day 22 2/4/1884 Pages 180-260

Volume 7

Volume 7 Table of Contents Page 1
Proceedings of Daily Sessions (Transcribed from shorthand by Stenographer) Pages 2-253

Day 23 2/5/1884 Pages 2-78
Day 24 2/6/1884 Pages 79-110
Day 25 2/7/1884 Pages 111-161
Day 26 2/8/1884 Pages 162-281
Day 26 2/8/1884 Pages 282-359

Stenographer Certification of Authenticity Page 360
Extract from Proceedings of 23rd Day Speech of Joseph K. Toole Regarding Taxation of Mines Pages 361-364