Isaac Roop was elected Governor of the provisional ‘Nevada Territory,’ in October 1859. J.J. Musser certified that Roop had won by a large majority, but never revealed the actual count of the ballots.
This result is at odds with a letter written to the San Francisco Herald, soon thereafter. Richard N. Allen claimed that in an honest election, Roop would have lost to Captain Jim, chief of the Washoe Tribe — who couldn’t run, of course.
The residents of Nevada showed a remarkable flair for freedom and democracy from the very beginning.
They ignored federal law and told Congress where Nevada was before Congress located and defined the dimensions of the territory.They also elected a Governor, even though it was a requirement of law that the President appoint that person.
No wonder the U.S. Government has kept a heavy boot on Nevada ever since.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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