Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-06-29

Day and that part Of ces,sr sud Fall Rve,
Sergeant south of Butte. e................. /
18th para'leL....... 3
Faux. k................. II ~
The report was unanimously accepted with
out dissent
THE ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE
The committee OH address to the people sub
mtted the following, which was adopted:
To the People Of Dakota: When the sentiment
becomes unanimous in the minds of 250.OOO pa
there are certain rights to which they are entitled
but Of which they are deprived, common fairness
and common decency demand that respectful atten-
tion and consideration should be given to their
claim for the exercise of those rights and privi-
feges. For the purpose of emphasizing and form =
ally FORMULATING the claims which the citizens of
the southern portion of Dakota make in the matter
Of statehood and in its rights and privileges, a
convention of $50 delegates chosen from her sew
eral counties met at Huron, June 10, 1888, there
being a tull representation from every organized
not yet organized. These representative men
chosen by tho several counties upon the definite
issue of taking steps for securing statehood for that
assembled, they, as the duly selected represen-
ta'ives Of 100000, people, unsurpassed
for intelligence :, and patriotism, most
soemnly y.1,nl., and with one voice declared it
people, that they be vouchsafed the exercise of
those rights promised them as citizens of these
United States whenever they should number &C, 900
souls, guaranteed to them by solemn treaty at the
time the region, portion of which they occupy,
became part of the domain of the United States:
asserted for such as they, by the Fundamental! law
of fourteen commonwealth aud guaranteed to
them by every precedent that can possibly be con-
sidered as bearing upon the issue
IT is BUT JUST AND RIGHT
and in due Difference to the ssterhood, CT which
n1rrtn frl a.,
said convention should STATE some of the grounds
upon which her claim is tased. only that those
who might oppose it may have knowledge OF their
error, but that the people themselves may even
more fully comprehend and realize what are their
rights in the premises, and what is the necessity for
their prompt, unswerving and persistent assertion
and every means which individual or organized
is for 1S' t1e purpose eof'a'e of supplying Ana
this information that the commission has directed
the preparation of this address. In the first place,
let it be understood and known of all men that not
single feature of anything that is contemplated is
any departure from duo aud ordinary process, as
recognized by the higher law of the land, by the
repeated interpretations thereof by tho most emf
nent judicial authority, and by the practices and
customs which have prevailed from the earliest
ment which the southern half of Dakota
is making to-day in attempting to secure
sstatehood is pure and simple patriot
ism. The people of the southern portion
of Dakota ask at the hands OF the congress of the
United States the division of the territory upon
the forty-sixth parallel and the admission of that
tonpble right. They ask division because the do
main thus allotted to them even then would be
larger than thirty other states in the Union and its
boundaries would be sufficient to contain the whole
of the six New England states, or half of the four
Middle states, and with resources capable of main
tanning population Of 100000. and to-day con-
tains more than
FOUR TIMES THE NUMBER OF INHABITANTS
required by the federal ordinance of 1887. They
ask it because the interests, commercial and other
wise, of the different sections Of the new North
west extend in an east and west direction, and that
therefore, there is nothing to join the interests of
Southern Dakota with those of the section from
which she wants to be dissolved. They ask it be-
cause the characteristics of the two people are as
different as could vel! be imagined; that of
Southern Dakota being a people of home holders
and steady going citizens. comparatively con-
tent with the days of small things and themselves
directly interested in the conduct of public affairs
while the affairs in Northern Dakota are more di-
rectly in the hands of large capitalists and extensive
operators and spectators who are able to dictate
large bodies of farming people in their employ or
under their control. No commonwealth could be
diverse might be Joined. They ask it because they
have the right to organize their government that
the expenses thereof shall be ths least burden
some, and that experience demonstrates that the
rate of taxation for State purposes is much
less in small commonwealths than in larger
ones, statistics proving that while the assessment
this purpose in Delaw and Rhode Island is only
10 mills on the dollar, 1t is in New York 81 mills,
and Illinois "a They ask it because The records
of the legislative enactm ents show II at it is i'm
practicable to establish laws which sha! be of uni-
of such diverse interests and business
as North and South Dakota They ask it because
the proposed area of the new State is as .aree as
permits of ecoaony OF government, and the full
and fair exercise of the political PRIVILEGES OF a
good people: for to
ORGANIZE INTO ONE STATE
80 large an the present Territory of Oak ota
practically precludes the Door from participate
ing in its conventions and management, thus tend
ing to make it only rich mans government, which
is contrary to the liberty and spiri. of our nstiu-
tions: and. therefore, on behalf Of the principles
enumerated in the declaration of independence and
in behalf of law and precedent as established by
clare thar the right ndisputabe rests with the peo-
pie to define their own boundaries and
adopt their own State, constitution because
the compact contained in the ordinance
of 1857, which has been extended over the people
of Dakota By five successive acts of congress- guar
antees absolute to them the right to form perman-
ent constitution and State government whenever
the said Territory shall contain 60 900 free inhabt-
purchase was acquired. which is the supreme law
of the land, guarantees to the people OF Dakota
Territory, as absolute as the ordinance of L 7s7.
States and admitted as as soon m ~ as ' possible,
federal constitution; because the highest
hulnOtity III the lana mas SOiemnly declared
that congress has no power to hold and govern this
people permanently in the character of Territory;
because their rights aud privileges have heretofore
been recognized and given to large number of
the existing States, among them being Tennessee.
Arkansas. Michigan, Florida and Iowa; because we
are now deprived of the most sacred rights and
privileges of American citizenship, on account OF
the wide expanse of our domain and the limited
and inadequate judicial system consequent upon
the Territorial condition, for that the writ OF
HABEAS CORPUS IS PRACTICALLY SUSPENDED
in large portions OF the commonwealth and other
extraordinary legal remediea attainable. and on
account OF the great expense nade necessary by the
are in many cases compelled TO travel to reach the
courts to attend trials: because If admission be
longer delayed the supply OF public lands will be
SO nearly exhausted that the State cannot receive
from the e neral government the grant for public
purpos 8. which by the customs and precedents in
Fos, that on account OF the rapid development of
Dakota, settlement is going in advance OF the
pubic surveys, thus obtaining lands designed for
schools and other purposes which it will be imp os-
sbe 10 replace; because the people OF Dakoia, in
whom the right OF sef-sovtrnment inherently
OF their legislature. through their representatives
IN their several conventions, expressed that pur-
pose. spontaneously assembled aud through their
entire press declared their will and determination
that Dakota south OF the forty sixth parallel should
now become State. Now. therefore, in view of
be maintained ard division and statehood secured,
this convention appeals to. every citizen Of
Dakota .south of the forty-siXth parallel
to give his vote and influence for delegates to the
constitutional convention. to meet Sept i, SS3,
aud spare effort that honest. able and loyal meu
port they NAV receive at the polls shall demon
strate our numbers and natrotsrn so that the con-