The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-12-25
DAKOTA TERRITORIAL NEWS.
GOV. MELLETTE'S MESSAGE.

N AEol
Dakota's Claim 10 Sta~tehood-Some of th'
Most Eloquent Words Ever Spoken in the
Territory.
Gov. Mellette in his message to the South
Dakota legislature, begins by justitying CAo
action of that portion OF the territory IN lt>
action to secure statehood He then refers
to Michigan's course, and says:
The citizens of Dakota inherit the right &c
sslf- government from the Pilgrim fathers an
the Huguenot eXiles. The blood OF their ances,
tors shed in the Revolution cries ont against
taxation without representation, while thelr OWE
blood and limbs LETT on freedom 5 battlefield Gu
public domain which they have made 70 bIcs'
som as the rose and WELD as the promegrante,
insist that they have some rights ana interests
which deserved TO be conserved by q common
voice to give true knowledge, backed by a com
mon vote to give power In the decisions OF queS-
tions affecting the title to their homes. state,
hood would also result IN a SPEEDY reduction o.
the great Sioux. Crow Creek and Slsseton Indiar
reservations, which would so greatly cOnduct
alike to the welfare Of both citizens and Indians.
The state of Dakota demands the possession o.
the lands set apart for her ctiAsh oy CohsEess
for the support Of ih-ir schools, for which they
are now taxed almost beyond endurance, while
the lands lie idle aud begging for the piow,
awaiting TO unfold Their riches TO the state anG
nation. The governor then quotes political,
AGRICULTURAL and general statistics 0t the terri
terry. The people Of Dakota are a state by the
supreme right Of creation. They nave cArNTI
the new state ont OF the wilds Of the prairie in q
half decade Of years. ~ a touch OF the IhaSIGa
wand ~ progress. The state Is the creature Oh
the people, not Of congress Nhllo congress
alone can endUw with life The people alone can
create, else the state were not the government
of the people, for the people and by the pee
Pile
TIE OF THE STATE
hsye been fixed according 70 the long avOwed
and practically unanimous wish not only OF hel
MN triFlgAnS hur also OF the citizens OF NONtE
Dakota This common desire has been mani
tested TO congress during the last hVe years, in
every manner possible 70 TINS people. IL mas
been repeatedly and unanimously conveyed o.
the territorial committees OF both the great
political L~srt.es. and also by unanimous melnori-
sis OF the territorial assemblies. i: has been
urged by the territorial delegates in congress, a
well as by delegations of her prominent Cttt-
zeuS, repeatedly sent from all sections and rep
resenting every possible phase Of local, political
and popular sentiment, and never has any rep
resentative body pretending TO possess authority
theyatO} from the people, declared against it a
history Of the statehood movement IN the ter
ntOry is then given. In view Otthe fact that the
constitution provides for the continuance or the
territorial government, the laws enacted there
under, and continues the territorial officers IN
the discharge Of their duties until admission into
the union, / therefore recommend that after
fully completing the organization of both
houses, meTh6rialiZlng congress on such internal
questions as may in yCuS judgment seem peril
nsnt 20 the Interests ~ the state, enacting such
LEGISLATION Is mEN iSEiLtE&Ae the lSOSTs OF sue
cseding sessions which yOu are authorized to
hold, R9d, .aftsS etecIluS tvs representatives OF
fhs sEste 70 the United States senate, you do
then adjourn your session subject to such future
assembling as yog may by law direct. / cannot
doubt that The simple justice 81 your cause,
wien presented by Your legally constituted repa
vsssntstiyes in congress, will forthwith secure
the admission OF your state. ! have that fRitn
in the broad patriotism, sound discretion and
sensitive regard fer the right, manifested by the
president Of the United States, to believe that he
will be a warm supporter OF your cause
COMPARED WITH EASSAS
The people Of DAkotS, so long removed from
party strife and ambition, can not conceive that
their fellow citizens 70 whom Is consigned q
orief authority, can be So blinded by selfish
m6rISss as to mock our helplessness by the very
surteis Of power. Kansas struggled to statehood
through blood, but her course can never excite
.He sympathy Of intelligent statesmanship as
has the contempt so persistently shown 20 the
rights Of the people OF Dakota. The state has
not only demonstrated herself 10 be capable Of
administering and maintaining government, be-
ing 8 very hive OF industry and thrift, present.
Eng throughout her domain q model OF law and
order sustained virtually without courts. the
admiration Of all well-minded and liberty low
Ing peoples. While constitutional liberty Is still
against the steel hand Of the invader, IL Is as
delicate as the petal OF the rose TO the touch of
injustice from within. Robbed Of justice, 1t Is
robbed Of respect: robbed OF respect, il is robbed
OF power; robbed OF power, II is robbed OF life.
Outraged contempt. death is the epitaph in
- - ~N~ $3.50 AL
Of time. 4 wrong 10 a state is . wrong TO the
Union While injustice Injuries her directly, the
gangreIe Of her wounds is absorbed into every
FIBRE OF the body polite Of which she Is 3 mem
Der. Amputation is deformity. The only rem
edy is 70 heal and the only ointment righteous
justice She no longer solicits q favor within
She demands 9 right granted bv law which con-
gress cannot legally refuse. IL her people are
content with less than justice. why are we IN
worthy to be free? II the nation offers less Il Is
al
ticnal liberty. Dakota Is . state with every
possible prerequisite fulfilled. q fact which she
knows and viii cause congress 20 know. She
enbodies the best effort OF the civilization OF
the sac. ana the broadest charity the world ever
produced. begogten by the religion Of Christ.
fostered ey ths constitution OF the United States
under the ~tutilsge Of the Declaration Of Inde-
reacence Situated In the bosom OF the Union
whose great artery cuts her IN twain as Il presses
OF - the SEA- embracing her mountains OF gold.
ard the hnitless expznse OF
TEE MOST FERTILE sou.
which laughs a. the czresses Of her happy hus-
z7d-e1 rejoicing IN the Most saiubrious cline
whicA the sun blesses I'm his journey. shs brings
hsr wtllinz hand s1dl0yaa hezrt-herseR-to the
stsserheo1 Of states have free confidence that
youT pasriO.c devotion and courageous maahood
sfi never reruit ron 20 betrzy the sacred trust
20 yoEr keePsr:x. and that you viii devise and
Rdops such ne1ns and measures in The future
- may be found necessary 20 fully realize he
expectations Of ycnr constituencies II their
rights ccrtfrns to be ignored II their dissrau-
l4lsen@1s - @119zc14 GG1i TIE n2xQShtps grfs-
E2z frcn dependency shall re1rca them 70 nov.
s.y srd starvation. whether TO abandon tia
beautiful land Of their adoption and the rrfas az
the maxuihcers stzrs Of their creation. . land
s1cxed 10 shera By every tie OF pasr.zl and social
sD&>Armenr and hx tha graves cf their dad ard
rstUrn 20 sEeir fcznner homes whfrh wll have
EzS@ed An-o the hands Of strangers or 10 adout
tExs1sz EieG&rrss 70 maintain their r1xhks viii
be > Gceszsc1 For frccnen 60 decide The orcs-
pe<tnx q s&as stsxe cxrnux long sndurs n IL
rEAsers ccHGzzl1-schosfA churches and bcrsr-
cSe1s insslscs1ons must be abandoned. or
rsfaced wi.hcnt the AID a. the rroceeds "a re
E7ds h<i1 In absy2nce for this support Lab
-ry 81 the toueh-ssone that inspires the civil
zs1cR OK the are. Tyrzrny lcng sustained
e<gess suh5ecss n for tyrznta The State O.
D1kc11 commits her c2nse 20 E1s decision 0f the
American congress. and clxtns fw rs consider
sctc1 20 the tntesrss W the remote
people q the Eastern or cvrH Western conkfn-
szE. and sxpscss 1Esrt0c BeZEx again denied
her rights. sAe viii czrry Der cause TO tbs
Gxstc1Al ludfczarg. and fn4IlV. VIA nrm rslf-
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