Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-03-29
ANOTHER EFFORT.

a convention to frame constitution IL
the State of Washington, without waiting
the action of Congress. and clectin@ tive
Senators, a Representative, at the time
of voting on the constitution, and suci
other officers as are necessary to st ;
State government in motion, ant
presenting this constitution to Congress
and send the Senator's elect and Reiresen
tatiye to demand and urge admission
The Union thinks that the people would
readily sanction this course, bat tax :
special care to object to the constitution
already adopted by the people, and cx-
presses doubt as to the proper persons
to call for this convention. We have No
doubt that the people of both Washing
and North Idaho would sanction such a
move. But in the remarks of the editor
he is silent about North Idaho, which we
suppose to be an omission without design,
= he has heretofore, of late, been clam
orous that North idaho should form a
part of the new State. We think that a
convention called by leading representa-
tive men of the districts to be included
In the new State would have the primary
power to make such call, in the
absence of an enabling act Of Congress.
That it would require neither the Govern
or nor the Legislature to make the call,
q both the Governor and Legislature are
Territorial officers and their powers to
call q State Convention for framing n
constitution are no greater or higher than
any other class of men, who are rcpreson-
tative men Of the people. If they were
then the people in their primary capacity
could not take any steps towards change
from Territorial to State government.
u the people respond to such a call and
BY majority, choose delegates to such a
convention, that convention would have
I'll the powers of convention to frame a
constitution, that could be conferred upon
them without an enabling act of Congress.
The doctrine that it requires the officers
de facto Of the Territorial government to
say when change from Territorial to
State government shall take place never
had any foundation in fact, Or principle
under our form Of government, unless it
had been made 50 by an express net of
Congress, in the form of an enabling act.
A dozen, half dozen, or even one man,
may make such q call, and if the people
BY majority in the different districts re-
sp0nd to the call and elect the delegates.
they ratify his acts, and the delegates
chosen arc competent to proceed and make
4 constitution, upon which admission can
be Is readily obtained, as if the conyen-
ton to frame said instrument had been
called by the Governor, Secretary and all
tho members Of the Territorial Legisla-
ture. If Congress had passed an enab-
ling act, requiring the Territorial officers
to make the call, the condition might be
different. These are our views upon the
question Of who shall make the call for a
convention. Now in the matter of pro-
pricty Of this advance movement, all we
have to say is that, if the prospects for
admission would be more immediate and
sure, than to await an enabling act of Con-
gcss before proceeding, then We say go
ahead with q call for convention at
once. If not, then await the enabling
cot. We are not prepared to say at pres
cnt which would be the quickest and sur
ess way to reach the desired object But
one thing VIC will say right here, and that
is If II is desirable to include North Idaho
Ia the constitution for the new State,
don't exclude the delegation from North
Idaho from the right Of voting in the
Constitutional Convention, on all qucs-
tons before the said convention, as did
the Legislature Of Washington, when they
called the convention of 1878. The prin-
Gple is that the people who are to be
governed by the provisions of said consti-
tuition, shall have full voice in the franz
ing Of said constitution. That exclusion
Of the vote of North Idaho's delegate in
the convention of 1873, was an egregious
blunder, and inimical to the rights of the
people of North Idaho, and ne man who
is familiar with the underlying principles
Of a Republican government Of the peo-
pie, can dispute the allegation, and near
ly every member of the convention of
1878, 50 affirmed, and yet because the
Governor and Legislature of the Terri
tory said he must be denied vote, a
majority Of that convention were afraid to
grant him a vote. Then that Governor
and Legislature had no more authority to