This Day in History: 1800-06-15

Edward McCook, future territorial governor of Colorado was born.   

During the fifth session of the legislative assembly (1870), soon after McCook was sent out by President Grant to fill the gubernatorial chair, he spoke to the legislature:

“Before dismissing the subject of franchise, I desire to call your attention to one question connected with it, which you may deem of sufficient importance to demand some consideration at your hands before the close of the session. Our higher civilization has recognized woman’s equality with man in all respects save one—suffrage. It has been said that no great reform was ever made without passing through three stages—ridicule, argument, and adoption. It rests with you to say whether Colorado will accept this reform in its first stage, as our sister territory of Wyoming has done, or in the last; whether she will be a leader or a follower; for the logic of a progressive civilization leads to the inevitable result of a universal suffrage.”

Read more about early attempts to establish women’s suffrage in Colorado.