Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-10-12

shall be ascestained by the legislature.
not by any special lsw varying according
to tho snbject or the railroad, but By :
general lay. And they further provide,
that this law shall be uniform ss to the
classes of property or subject upon
which they operate. In other words.
the constitution Of Dakota is more
guarded and more stringent in its provi-
sions against the railroad than even the
constitution VI Illinois. understand
that Judge Shannon has written some
articles in which he has boasted that be
has utterly demolished the arguments ID
favor Of the right OF tho people of Da.
kota to form Q state constitution, and q
state government for themselves. Has
be? Most wonderful man! II he has,
he has succeeded 10 demolishing more
than any man has ever demolished since
the days OF Sampson. II he has demol-
ished the decisions Of the supreme court
Of the United States, the decisions Of
congress and the presidents of thirteen
states in this great destruction, it is not
the least tribute to his transcendent
genins that he, himself, has escaped the
fate OF bis great prototype, and not bim-
self perished in this great effort. But
let us see what Judge Shannon has
demolished. Has he demolished the
fact that Michigan made it's own
state government without an enabling
act OF congress? No, he does not deny
that. Has he demolished the fact that
congress- itself admitted this right of the
state of Michigan by admitting it under
this constitution, and recognizing, rati-
tying. confirming and accepting its state
constitution; 9 state government 90 form.
ed without the permission OF congress !?
No. he dare not deny this, for if he did
the act of congress Of June 18th, 1886,
would confront him. Does he deny that
the supreme court of the state of Michi.
gan did decide that under the ordinances
OF 1877, the people Of the territory Of
Michigan had an unqualified and abso-
Lutte right to form q state government
for themselves without the permission
OF congress? No. he does not dare to
deny this. Does he deny that President
Washington asserted this right fer the
people of Tennessee? No, he does not
dare deny this. Does he deny that
President Jackson asserted this right
for the people of Michigan? No, he
does not dare deny this. Has he denied
that the people of Iowa formed their
state government and elected their state
officers without any permission of con-
gress? No he does not dare deny this.
Has he denied that Florida, Arkansas,
Oregon, California and Wisconsin fol-
lowed the example Of Michigan and
framed their state government without
any permission of congress; and that
congress sanctioned and ratified this
notion of theirs? No. he does not dare
deny this. He simply asserts that some
other states have not done 30, spd that
some other courts have held contrary to
the court of Michigan.
In reply to the distinguished ju-
rist and statesman, let me quote
to him from the debates in the senate on
the case of Michigan, the words of that
great man, Mr.. Morris, Of Ohio, quoted
by Mr.. Benton in his "Thirty Years OF
the United States Senate" as the best
synopsis given IN the debate of the views
OF the majority in congress on this ques-
tion. Mr.. Morris says:
hold that any portion of American citizens
VINO nay rends on portion of the territory Of
shall amount to that which should entitle then
to representation in the house Of Representa-,
tives in congress, have . right to provide fol
ment, and to be admitted into The Union when
Son,d they shall 20 apply And they sIe no
instance except there is some compact or agreed
ment requiring them to do so. l place this right
upon the broad. and consider indisputable
ground that Al ger.ons living within the juris
equal privileges.
And it ought to be . matter of hiRt
qualification to rs here, that in every
portion, even the most remote of oui
country, our people are anxious to OBJ
tain this high privilege at as early dat,
as possible. It furnishes clear proc
that the union is highly esteemed ant
has its foundation deep in the hearts o
our fellow citizens. Congress endorsed
this speech of MIR. Morris on the sam
day by vote for the admission of til,
state of Michigan of twenty-four for t,
eighteen against in the senate, and il
the house by Q vote of hundred an,
fity-three for to forty-fve against
This was the true vote OF congres
on the Michigan question, an,
not the vote on the memorial cited b,
Judge Shannon 80 mislesdingly, as
test vote. The vete on the memoirs
was not the test vote. The test vote wa
the final vote, the vote by which Michi
gan was admitted, which is as I hav
given it.
Another objection has been urged y,
some good honest people against the cor
stitution. 1t is this: that they failed t
insert in the constitution clause prc
hibiting the sale of intoxicating liquor.
As to this objection, q very short answs
will, think, suffice TO show all of yor
even the most determined temperate
man, that the convention did wisel,
This movement for statehood
is one which depends for it's force an
value entirely upon the unanimous an,
undivided support of the people; 1t is
struggle and contest against power
against corruption in high place.
against great corporations. II is strue
gle for life and death. It was, therefor,
of the highest importance, to contine th
present contest to the one single objec
Shall Dakota be free and Independent
state? 1t would have been suicidal {
have divided its people in contest ny
on other issues, however good in the
place these might be. and thus imper
the first and great issue, that of stat.
hood.
i Let me ask these ladies if your hous
was on fire aud you sent your bog out I
summon the neiphbors on a Suuda,
would you want him to stop at churc
and stay until it was ont before be di
your etrand? No. Tho church is goo
thing; he should go there on Sunday an
so should you, but when your house is O
fire the first duty is to put the fire on
and save your house, and to do that 70
must put church, Sunday and all else {
one side.
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you fc
the kind and hearty attention you hay
given me. want to say this one thin
in oonclnsion fo fha ladiaa. Aha.o IN :,