The 7th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature

Arizona Territorial Legislature

The Arizona Territorial Legislature was the legislative body of Arizona Territory. It was a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Council. Created by the Arizona Organic Act, the legislature initially consisted of nine members in...

 which convened on January 6, 1873, in Tucson, Arizona Territory

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...

.

Background

The Indian Wars continued within Arizona Territory

Arizona Territory

The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....

. Dissatisfied with the situation, Governor Anson P.K. Safford

Anson P.K. Safford

Anson Pacely Killen SaffordVarious sources give multiple variations for the spelling of Safford's two middle names. Among these are Peasley, Peacely, Keeler, and Killen. was the third Governor of Arizona Territory...

 and Territorial Delegate to Congress Richard C. McCormick had successfully lobbied for a replacement to General George Stoneman

George Stoneman

George Stoneman, Jr. was a career United States Army officer, a Union cavalry general in the American Civil War, and the 15th Governor of California between 1883 and 1887.-Early life:...

 as commander of the District of Arizona

District of Arizona

District of Arizona was a subordinate district of the Department of New Mexico territory created on August 30, 1862 and transferred to the Department of the Pacific in March 1865.-District of Arizona Commanders:...

. Replacing the general was Colonel George Crook

George Crook

George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...

 who was bringing new methodologies to the fight.

Following the establishment of a public school system by the previous legislature, Arizona's first public school had opened in March 1872. On a more private level, Governor Safford and his wife Jenny had experienced a public falling out of their marriage following the death of their infant son. The situation had escalated to the point where she had printed and distributed pamphlets claiming he had committed marital infidelity and contracted a venereal disease.

Governor's address

Governor Safford gave his address to the session on January 17, 1873. In regards to the Apache situation, he stated "The hostility of Indians strikes at the life of our people, retards immigration, prevents development of our resources, and impoverishes the masses"

In more mundane matters, Safford reported on the need to revise the territorial legal code, build a prison, and make provisions for the care of the insane. He also declared Arizona's "great diamond mine

Diamond hoax of 1872

The diamond hoax of 1872 was a swindle in which a pair of prospectors sold a false American diamond deposit to prominent businessmen in San Francisco and New York...

" a hoax.

Legislation

Among the session’s accomplishments was the transfer of a section of Pima County

Pima County, Arizona

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

 to Maricopa County

Maricopa County, Arizona

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

  They also changed the name of Arizona City to Yuma

Yuma, Arizona

Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....

.

The legislature authorized Governor Safford to print an immigration pamphlet promoting the territory. They also passed a resolution commended General Crook.

Finally the legislature passed granted a divorce to the Governor and his wife.

Members

House of Representatives
Name	District		Name	District
John B. Allen	Pima		John Montgomery	Pima
John H. Behan Johnny Behan John Harris Behan was from April, 1881 to November, 1882 sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona Territory. Behan was appointed the first sheriff of the newly-created county in February, 1881. The mining boomtown of Tombstone was the new county seat and Behan's headquarters...	Yavapai		Granville H. Oury (Speaker)	Maricopa
C. H. Brinley	Yuma		J. M. Redondo	Yuma
William Cole	Yavapai		C. W. C. Rowell	Yuma
William C. Davis	Pima		John T. Smith	Pima
Mohave and Yuma	Thomas Stonehouse		Yavapai
Fred Henry	Yavapai		John W. Sweeney	Pima
Lionel M. Jacobs	Pima		J. S. Vosburg	Pima
F. M. Larkin	Pima		Henry Wickenburg	Yavapai

Council
Name	District
Mark Aldrich	Pima Pima County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
Thomas J. Bidwell	Yuma Yuma County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*70.4% White*2.0% Black*1.6% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.8% Two or more races*20.8% Other races*59.7% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
Juan Elías	Pima
J. P. Hargrave (President)	Yavapai Yavapai County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.3% White*0.6% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*5.0% Other races*13.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
W. F. Henning	Yuma and Mohave Mohave County, Arizona Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
A. O. Noyes	Yavapai
Levi RugglesPima
Hiram S. Stevens	Pima
King Woolsey King Woolsey King S. Woolsey was an American pioneer rancher, Indian-fighter, prospector and politician in 19th century Arizona. Woolsey Peak and other features of Arizona geography have been named after him, but he has also been criticized by historians for brutality in his battles with Apache native...	Yavapai and Maricopa Maricopa County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...