The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1876-09-15
Local Self Governmental in the
Territories,
SPEECH OF HON. WILLIAM R. STEEL OF WYo
MING, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES

MING, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
Mr.. Speaker, in a government which
rests upon such principles as does our own
any measure proposing to increase the
rights and liberties of the citizen or citi-
zens in their aggregate capacity merits
and should receive the profound and care
ful consideration Of the Congress of the
United States. More especially should this
be the case when such increase of person
al and political right can be granted and
guaranteed without change of the funda-
mental law Of the land and without inYa-
sion Of any rights either Of the Union or
the States.
| have listened with great pleasure, and
not, hope, without profit, to the eloquence
that has resounded through this Hall dur
ing the present session in reference TO this
centennial year Of the Republic" And
| doubt not that we have all felt our hearts
beat faster and our hope and pride in our
common country rise higher as, burying
all past differences and sectional animosi-
ties, members from all portions of our
country, representing the honest and loyal
sentiments of honest and loyal constituent
cies, have expressed their hope in and de-
yotion to the Union of the States and its
| perpetuity, and that all men who can di-
vest themselves of the extreme prejudice
which blinds reason feel that, the exciting
cause Of the past differences being remoy-
ed, we are nearer than ever to the realiza-
ton Of the hope for zone country, one flag,
and one destiny"
1t is well for Us in this year to look back
to the principles upon which this Govern
ment was founded and see what il was that
caused the feeble colonies to throw of the
government Of the mother country and lay
in suffering, priyation, and blood the foun-
dation Of this great Republic and it would
be well for all to see that the principles ly
ing at the foundation Of our political fabric
are not violated in this land in this centen-
NAL year.
Sir, what was it that led to the revolt OF
the colonies? Without going into familiar
and tedions detail Of the long struggle Of
the colonies to maintain their charters and
liberties, the handspring ofall their action
may be said to have been
No taxation without representation and demand
for tie right of local selfgoYernment.
The first congress Of the colonies met
October Z, 1865, in the city Of New York,
and on the 18th of that month published |
the Declaration Of rights" article Of
which declared
That His Majesty licge subjects in these colonies
entitled to all the inherent rights and liberties Of
his naturalDorn subjects within the Kingdom Of Great
Britain.
Article protested against the right Of
taxation without representation.
The immortal Declaration Of Independ-
ence, in which the colonies made their APP
peal to the judgement Of mankind, an
nounces it to be selfeyident truth
That all men are created equal: that they are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain inaienable rights
that among these arefe, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness That to secure these rights governments
instituted among men, deriving their just powers
from the consent Of the governed.
It is now one hundred years since this
great declaration of human rights was for
and it would be well to ask our
selves, is there within the limits Of the Re
public any system ofgovernment establish
ed by the Congress which violates the
principles upon which this Government
was established? Have the United States
any colonies; if so, are the people Of the
colonies denied the right Of local selfgov-
ernment and subjected to taxation with
out representation and do the govern
ments of the colonies derive their just pow
ers from the consent Of the governed?
And if these questions should be answer
ed so as to show that the territorial plan
Of government violates the fundamental
OF our system OF government;
that the Territories are essentially colonies
and under a pro-consular system Of gov
ernment, in which the right Of local self
government is denied ; that there is taxa
ton without presentation; and that the
territorial governments do not derive their
Just powers from the consent of the govern
ed, it would seem to be the drty Of Con-
gress to devise some method Of governing
the Territories which should give to those
colonies the largest liberty of selfgorern-
ment consistent with the safety Of the Re
public.
Sir, the United States have colonies, and
and those colonies are the organized Ter
ritories Of the United States, which are to-
day, with some slight changes Of detail,
governed substantially upon the same prin-
eiple as the American colonies were prior
to the Revolution.
The ordinance Of 1851 "for the govern
ment Of the territory Of the United States
northwest of the river Ohio continues
with but few changes the basis Of the plan