The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1876-09-15
NO. 20.


: who are identified with them in interest
whose hopes and aspirations are bound u
in the progress and prosperity of peopl
and Territory, for when communities be
come great, powerful, and prosperous the.
run along even if badly ruled and manag
ed with certain degree Of order and regu
larity.
Mr.. Speaker, the great country west 0
the Missouri River is but beginning to b.
known and developed; it is and must eve
remain the great mineral-produciug sec
ton of the country. If we are to have
resumption Of specie payments in thi:
country it must come from our production
of the precious metals exceeding our ex
port to pay the interest upon our bondee
Indebtedness in foreign hands, or it mus
come from the contraction of the volume
of currency. In any event the production
of cold and silver should be encouraged by
every means. I believe that the mineral
production of the Rocky Mountain region
will increase year by year; scarcely week
passes but some new and valuable mine is
discovered. As a mere economic question
emigration to these sections of country
and development of their resources should
be encouraged by every means in the
COVER of the government. Population and
capital are kept out of the Territories by
the present system of government. We
believe that a change in the system of the
government of the Territories would add
very largely to their prosperity and that it
is therefore question which appeals not
only to what is right and just under our
form of government, but also to the self.in-
terest of the Republic.
During the century we have amended
the Constitution until all men are entitled
to equal privileges by the fundamental law
of the land. Slavery Of the colored man
has been abolished; and to-day, having
passed the centennial day of the nation, it
has within its borders no serf or slave, no
person or community deprived of the ines
timable right of liberty and local selfgov-
ernment, except it be the people of the
Territories Of the United States. How
auspicious the time for giving to every cit
izen Of the Union residing in the Territor-
les the great privilege of liberty and local
self-government, and making this Govern
ment in fact what it is in theory, Gov
ernment where the people as of right shall
select their officers and ruters.
The people of the Territories are not
strong enough Or powerful enough to com
pei an acknowledgment of their right to
but they ask it Of the
American Congress as right, trusting to
the justice of members to see that the great
principle that Hall governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the
governed shall not be made living lie
in this Republic by tie arbitrary and I'M
republican government imposed upon the
people OF the Territories.
Mr.. Speaker, there was time when
great political contests, now happily i'm
possible, caused the Territories to be the
field of the thought and study of the states
man ; but now that they are pepriyed of
political Importance and power, they are
being neglected., aud sheir great resources
and possibilities scarcely realized even if
thought Of But here is a field worthy the
thought and care of the statesman; the
better government of large communities of
American citizens, an increase of liberty
and rights to half a million Of people, with
increase of happiness, progress, and pros
perity.
The Territories are all capable of great
Development. Nothing, il, my judgement,
would do SO much for their development
and to induce labor aud capital to emf
CRATE to them as to give the people gov
ernment of their own, to open the avenues
Of yolitical preferment to the citizens of
,he Territories, giving the people a govern
nent Of their own choice, responsible di-
cectly to them for any dereliction Of duty
or abnse of power, and bringing the legis-
ative, executive, and judicial branches
nto harmonious action for the advance
nent and prosperity of the Territories
Take for example the Territory Of Wyom-
ing, rice in all the elements and resources
necessary to make a great and powerful
commonwealth; with an area Of coal-beds
estimated to embrace 10000 square miles,
with coal mines in operation at various
points, one mine, near Evanston, in the
western portion of the Territory, being in
a vein of coal twenty-seven feet of thick
ness, with deposits of sulphur as rich as
any in the world with its copper and mex
haustable supplies of iron Of all kinds
with its mines Of gold and silver, and its
great undeyeloped mineral region Of the
Big Horn, Powder River Tongue, Rose
bud, &C., believed by all who have any
Of it to be by far the richest
,,,;n o,.al .err;n7, ~, the continent with itc