Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-10-09
xAunYs EXCUSES DECEPTIVE

Mr.. HALEY in the course of his speech
before the citizens Of Lewiston said while
speaking upon the subject Of annexation
~ have been accused Of being an anti
annexationist and Of opposing the move
ment. acknowledge that eleven years
ago did oppose it and l believe for good
reasons l had right to oppose it. When
I Twas q delegate l represented all Of Idaho
mo party, clique or faction" He then
stated those reasons to be-First, The
North were not united on the question Of
annexation. Second, That there was a
Territorial debt of $4,000, which the
North were in duty bound to help pay.
Let rs look at the facts and see if these
stated reasons were true. At the time
Mr.. Haley was Delegate there were
two memorials asking for division Of
Idaho before Congress, one from the Leg
ialature Of Idaho (Which also represented
the wish Of all the people Of the Terri
tory) and one from the Legislature Of
Washington Territory. The memorial
from the Idaho Legislature asked for the
formation Of new Territory to be called
columbia. The memorial from Wash
ington Territory asked for the annexa-
ton Of Northern Idaho to Washington
Territory. The people Of Northern Idaho
seeing the inconsistency Of the prayers
Of the two memorials assembled in mass.
meeting at Lewiston and appointed CON-
nittec Of eight to draw up memorial to
Congress asking for the annexation Of
Northern Idaho to Washington Territory.
This memorial commenced as follows;
1Your mcmorialists, an executive COM
mittec appointed by the citizens Of the
counties Of Mes Perez, Shoshone and
Idaho, Of Idaho Territory, at q mass meet
ing held at Lewiston October 30, 1873,
% properly represent the views Of the
people Of said counties on the question
IF annexation to Washington Territory
would respectfully represent to your hon
orable body, ETC." This memorial was
signed by the committee which consisted
Of N. A. Kelly, Alouzo Leland, John
Clark, Jasper Rand, L. p Brown, B. F.
Morris, J. II. Evans, R. L. Yantis and
forwarded to Hon. John Haley to pre-
sent to Congress. We all know what the
result was and just how faithfully Mr..
HALEY represented the expressed wish Of
al the people Of this Territory, especially
our own. We are Informed that when
this question was brought before the Con-
grsssional Committee Mr.. Haley stated
that inasmuch as the memorial from North
Idaho was not signed by only eight men
(whcn tho memorial itself stated that
these eight men were an executive CON-
mittee appointed at mass-mccting Of the
people Of Northern Idaho) he would like
% have the matter laid on the table until
the Legislature Of Idaho could be heard
and accordingly the bill was tabled. Thus
the expression Of the people Of the Terri
tory through its Legislature and the pee
pie Of this section was ignored by an
evasion which was not only false upon its
face but well calculated to weaken public
confidence in tho honesty Of. it's author
and yet after these many years Of reAcc-
ton Mr.. HALEY has the audacity to stand
up before this people and say that "thc
North were not united on the question
q annexation" thereby implying that the
men Who signed u memorialists were not
truthful when they said they we're an ex.
ssntive committee Of the people Of North
srn Idaho. His second reason is an i'm.
petition upon our public faith and credit.
Is il possible for Mr.. HALEY to make
anyone believe that the people Of this
section wished u evade their Territorial
dabt9 There has never been an anucxa.
tion proposition entertained wherein we
were not to pay our proportionate share
81 the Territorial debt. In the division
Of States, Territories and counties there
. always provision made for the equit-
sble adjustment Of existing debts in the
act creating the division. Any PROPOSE
tion that We should not be annexed to
Washington until we paid the Tcrritor.
ial debt was gross insult to the people
of this section and We believe that when
Mr.. HALEY looks at this question in its
proper light he will think SO too. Mr.. Hail
eys opposition to annexation has contin.
ned throughout his entire political career.
Two years ago he was instrumental in
defeating memorial fasoriug annexation
In the Legislature Of this Territory
through his influence with his Mormon
friends. During the last Conuress;on,,