Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-01-15
OUR GOVERNOR.


County.
Special Correspondents Of the 1nter-ocean.
Blunt, D. T., Jan At would be al
most incredible to one who has not been
in Dakota, and seen and spoken with
the people, that such sentiment of dis.
like, and even almost hatred, should
exist here against Governor Ordway.
This county has no cause of grievance
against him, because it was organized
long before most Of its people came here,
and they have nothing to complain of on
that score; but some have como from
other counties; others reside in Sully OF
Potter, while sojourning here for bust.
ness purposes, and 30 much has been
said about him and his mismanagement
that there is very strong prejudice here
against him; 80 strong that almost any.
thing charged against him will be be-
lieved. This would not be good place
to try him were complaint fled against
him. Our next county (Hyde) is now IN
q state of confusion by his acts, he hav-
ing played in that county q trick-I
can call it nothing else-similar to that
charged on him in Potter, of send.
ing the commissions of the com.
mlssioners, not to them directly, but to
one of them TO be held by him till he
was satisfied that the others would do
his bidding, as the price of their appoint
mont. Having reason to suspect that
they would not he attempted to with.
draw them. and to issue commissions to
men who would do SO. This action has
left Hyde county in state of confusion,
with two bodies claiming to be the board
OF commissioners, and the people at q
loss to know whose orders or mandates
to obey or respect.
The popular charges are that Faulk
county was organized in the manner
charged as having brought about the
Potter county case. These cases give
color to the present charges in the pOpu.
lar mind, by bringing the governor into
contempt.
The answers the governor makes do
not relieve him of this contempt, but
rather increases it, because in all his in.
terviews and publications authorized BY
him. he. by implication. charges that
Dakota is peopled by scalawags and con.
scienceiess people who have no reputa-
tion to regard, and have formed con-
spiracy to reduce the immaculate Ord wsy
to their level. In all these replies he
shows an intimate knowledge of the de-
vious methods adopted by the schemers
be 30 affects to despise. and leaves the
impression irresistible that he Is too
familiar with the monster, vice, to view
it with horror, while his own manner pre-.
cludss the idea of piety, and circum.
stances seem to indicate the degree Of
familiarity that leads to the embrace.
Thegeneral impression throughout the
territory. il the press, which I read ex-
tensively, is fair indication, has no
doubt tempted those with strong avarice
and weak morals, to test the governors
integrity, or that of those who stood near
to him, by exerting the influence of
wealth upon them.
If General Gilchrist's accusations
against Ordway should prove to be true,
the reputation of the governor was oon
sidered of so little value that the pur-
chase Of his favors could be talked over
With as little reserve as would horse
trade, and at the diuner table in public
house the same subject was discussed,
with the variation that the auditor of the
territory and son of the governor. was
the direct person under discussion by the
very man who claimed to have bought
his services, in the corruption or decep.
tion of his own power, for, at the least
count, the gain Of the father, into the
use of his official sou.
The inside history of the organization
of Hand county is being revived by this
case, and creates some amusement. It
was not freely talked over, nor was il
published. believe at the time, because
too many desired to keep it quiet lest
the tar on their own heels should be ex.
posed. In this case, it is now said,
Ordway had made bargains with both
the Miller and the st. Lawrence people
playing the one against the other, 70
make them each bid the higher for the
appointment of board which should