Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-09-29
a DELEGATE REPLIES.

a DELEGATE sEPuEs.
Mr. Van 0sdsi. Yankton County Delegate
70 Pierre. Explains Himsslf and Defends
His Acts.
To TIE Prxss snd Oekotgiaa.
James River, d. T., Sept. 18th, 1854
In answer to an abusive article published
| in a recent issue Of the P. and d., and
signed by "Old man afraid Of his name,"
wish to say that this unlocked for at
tact upon the honesty and consistency
Of the delegates elected from Yankton
county, in the Pierre convention, is IN
manly and uncallcd for. 1t is an un-
disputed fact that We were elected to
take part in the territorial convention,
without instructions and with the under.
standing that we:iwould support the
nomination of good, honest, compe-
tent and upright man, from south Da-
kota, as first choice in the convention.
We think we found thatSman in the per-
son of Judge Clifford. Is there any
thing inconsistent about that?
While 1, (and I believe the remainder
Of the delegates elected from Yankton
county also,) have friendly regard for
the personal welfare of Mr.. Raymond,
and as residents of Yankton county, do
admit that he has thus far dealt with
the people of south Dakota fairly and
squarely. yet, thlnk'that We have nomi-
mated man in the person of Judge
Clifford, whoiwill work in the interest of
our section as::..faithfully, as honestly,
and as fairly as any delegate that has
been elected heretofore in our great ter
ritory.
Now can it be expected, that John B.
Raymond could, and would, If nomin-
sted and elected, work with that same
fairness toward south Dakota that he
has done heretofore with such men of
the north as La Moure, Walsh, Nickeus
& Co. as his co.workers and advisers?
The writer was informed by Mr.. Ray
mond one evening at Yankton, during
the soldiers reunion, that he had
downed those political barnacles of the
north, who were in our last legislature,
and it was left for us to snow under, in
the the great storm of indignation, those
of the south.
But what did we find when we reached
Pierre?
We found that those of the south
) were all showed under with the single
exception of ]. o. B. Scoby, while he
with Walsh and Nickeus of the north
we're present, and were oil working for
and, recognized as leaders in the Ray
mond forces. u.
Again: Can we. in all fairness, thinl
; that such leaders of the south as Joh1
r. Gamble of Yankton, and Judge
Moody of Deadwood, who fought the
egality Of the capital commission act
in the courts of our territory without
fee or charge, would fo1sake US and
join our political enemies, while such
leaders in the forces of Raymond al
Scoby, Walsh La Moure and Nickens
would leave their allies and humbl,
come to us and beg to lie taken under
our wing?
It is recognized fact that the North
ern Pacific railroad is opposed to til,
openlng of the Great Sioux reservation
west of the Missouri for settlement, fo
the simple reason that they wish to dis
pose of their surplus lands along tn
line of their road first. Now is it no
reasonable for us to expect that soutl
Dakota man as delegate in congress
would do more effective work towar,
the opening of that great reservation
than John B. Raymond would when hi
political life or death is at the dictatio
7 of that great corporation. These are
, . few of the reasons why am in favo
: Of Judge Clifford, in preference to job
: B. Raymond, as our next delegate i
= congress. AS one of the committee O
resolutions, had engrafted in our rese
lutions, one requesting our delegate
. congress to work for the passage of
bill for the improvement of the Mi
souri, river for the protection of valu.
BILE lands on its borders, and Judge Gi
!, ford pledged his word to me that b
would have portion of that appropri
y tion. if secured. apply to that portion {
the river just below Yankton. That
all the Ak l had to grind or expect t
have. admit that was not person
ally pleased with the general make Vi
of theIterritorial central committee, an
the defeat Of the resolutio
prohibiting non-residents
Z. counties from holding proxi,
j, in our territorial convention, but it al
g pears that We cannot all be satisfe
with all the results of q territorial col
vention. The delegates from Yankto
county are open to a just criticism fe
= their actions, but chronic GROWERS mus
bear in mind that through us they crit
, else the actions of our next door neigl
: Dor in adjoining counties, and sever
y eights of all the delegates of south D.
. kota.
II At the ratification meeting, held j
Pierre on the evening Of the nomination
- number of prominent lenders of IL
"a Raymond forces spoke, and they a
y acknowledged that Judge Clifford r
b ceived his nomination fairly and honestl
and, that now that the battle was ov'
they would fall into line and suppo
him in election. Let us all do likaHis