Jamestown alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1882, 1880-09-28
PETrI4,REw I. sPEEa,H.

Hon. r. F, Pettigrew, the republica,
nominee for Congress, spoke last Friday
evening to crowded house. Although
Mr.. Pettigrew had no intention of speak
ing, and the bills announcing the fac
were not printed until after Eve o'clock
he was greeted With large and appre'
ciatlve audience: He began his remarks
by saying that he came to jamestown tc
talk with the people and get acquainted,
and that AZ he had been nominated by the
republicans OF Dakota, to the high posi-.
tion Of delegate to Congress, he wanted
to tell them that he proposed. if elected
to give them fair representation. He
did not propose to represent Sioux Falls,
Yankton, or Minnehaba alone. but the
whole Of Dakota and the great people who
had seen Ct to o,nominate him. Southern
Dakota counted q population OF one ,hnn-
dred and atty thousand people, and North
ern Dakota forty thousand. The position
ofthe next delegate to congress would be
a trying and difficult one. "a great work
was before both delegate and people.
The speaker dwelt at length upon the
advantages and resources Of our territory ;
the superior prpductibility of our soil and
of the golden treasures that still remain
buried IN its bosom. In his opinion the
bad lands, which to-day are regarded BY
many as being wholly incapable Of pro-
ducing vegetation, would ere long wave
with golden grain. He had travelled over
nearly every foot of the territory during
his eleven years residence in it, aud his
observations had taught him to believe
these lands were far from being incapa-
BILE of production. Mr. Pettigrew said i:
"We will build State" That we would
build it out of the vast resources Of the
territory, aud not GU: OF the ruins of other
States and Territories, as the old world
bad done. Hefclt confident chat Dakota,
wherein dwelt the most intelligent of
Gods creatures, was fully able to gov
ern itself, and he hoped the time was
not far distant when IT. could have the in
estimable privilege of doing 80.
At this point the speaker introduced
new idea to the effect that in 1903 the
territory of Dakota was purchased from
France at a cost OF fifteen millions of dol
lars, and it was provision of the contract
that Is soon as it contained population
equal to that of any of the original thir-
teen colonies it shoul'! be admitted to the
union as State. The Importance Of Da.
kota's becoming republican State was
very essential, in the opinion of the
speaker.
He spoke Of the "free ballot" in the
South and dwelt in an eloquent manner
upon the bloody scenes Herewith con.
nected. He believed that the spirit man.
ifested by southern democracy, was the
same now as in the time of the war. That
the same influences we're being brought
to bear upon northern democrats that
were exercised in the days Of southern
disloyalty. The speaker did not believe
that northern democrats as class were q
disloyal people. They had rushed 60
their country rescue once, and boldly as
sisted in saving it from the hands of the
rebels and he believed that enough Of
them would cast their votes for Garfield
this fall t. save it again. After Mr.. Pet.
tigrcw concluded his remarks, VIM c..
White, attorney, of this city, was called
upon and spoke briefly, stating that he
en- to the remarks of Mr. Pettigrev. He
dwelt for as short time upon the psrma.
net Issues OF the day in very able
manner, and gave way to others.