Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-18

States according to the principles of the
constitution the inhabitants of the ter
r!tory and permit them to enjoy all the
rights. advantages and immunities of
the citizens Of the United States. I'm
der the condition of this cession. and in
accordance with the views OF some of
the ablest public men Of this country
several states have already been adj
mltted to the union after sharp discus
sion of the effect Of the treaty.
by the compact contained in the Or
dinance OF congress of July IL, 1887,
n the act and deed Of cession Of Vir-
glnia, it was expressly agreed, as
among the rights and privileges there
Dy secured to the inhabitants of the
territory northwest Of the river Ohio,
that said territory should be divided
into states Of reasonable areas, and
tnat Whenever any of said states should
have sixty thousand free inhabitants
therein, such state should lie admitted
~ It's delegate into the congress of the
United States on an equal footing with
II original states in all respects what
soever, and should he at liberty to form
a permanent constitution and state
government. upon condition. that such
constitution and government he repub-
llcan and conform to the principles of
such ordinance.
10y . u successive acts Of congress
to wit, June %. 1884. April 80. 1886,
June II. 1888, and March 3. 1849-all
and singular, the rights. privileges and
advantages granted and secured to the
people OF the territory northwest OF the
river Ohio by the articles of the com
pact contained in the ordinance OF
July IL. 1857. were extended and Sc.
cured to the inhabitants OF Dakota in
the territory east of the Missouri and
west Of the White Elk rivers, and
neither of said acts has ever been re.
pealed either in express terms or by
implication.
These guarantees have been carried
into partial effect by the admission OF
five states east Of the Mississippi river
and two states west of that river. with
areas reasonable in extent. The
territory of Dakota south of the
forty-siAth parallel of north latitude
with an area Of $4,000 square miles and
larger in extent than either of these
states, save one, o has a population
Of at least 100000 inhabitants, accord.
ing to the information of the best in.
formed among them, and beyond ali
doubt has in numbers an excess Of the
requirement for two members of con.
gress under the present ratio, us they
were apportioned by the last congress.
The constitution Of the United States
cannot and does not contemplate that
the inhabitants of the territory shall be
kept out of the union and in a state OF
dependency and vassalage for an indef-
mite time. On the contrary, it is con.
coded 10y all thoughtful men that under
it, without further guaranty, whenever
the inhabitants Of a territory, having d
sufficient number of inhabitants to in.
sure a stable government and have
clothed themselves with parapher-
MALTA of independent power, with a con.
%stitution republican in form, they are
of right entitled to admission into the
union Of states, and such right can be
denied only upon the ground that nc
power exists to enforce it.
Your committee can Tut hope te
outline the impregnable arguments up
on which the people can place theil
right to recognition. They have pre-
p%aredland herewith submit a preamble
truthfully setting forth the claim Of
this people to enjoy the blessings Of
self-gOyernment. and we recommend
it to be substituted for the preamble
reported by the committee on preamble
to the constitution:
I'VE. the people of Dakota, through
our representatives in convention as
sembled. invoking the guarantees OF
the federal constitution and relying
upon the pledged faith OF congress in
extending to the inhabitants of this
portion Of the territory Of the United
States the rights. privileges and i'm
munities secured to the people of the
territory northwest of the river Ohio
by the ordinance OF 1887, including the
right to form for ourselves a state con
stitution and government and he adj
mitted into the union on an equal foot
ing with the original states, such right
being from them secured by the condi
ton Of the ceSsion from France OF the
province of Louisiana, having com
piled with all the conditions necessary
to admission: manifesting profound
reverence for the Supreme Ruler OF The
universe: in order to form a more per
feet and independent government
establish justice, insure tranquility,
provide for the common defense, pro
mote the general welfare and preserve
to ourselves and to our pOSterlty the
blessings of liberty, do Ordain and es
tablish this constitution for the state
of Dakota"
PROHIBITION.
When the report OF the committee
having in charge the question OF pro
hibition was read lit made no recon-
mendation) j. NJ. Pease of Dawson
moved Il Substitute, Offering a plan fol
submitting separately the question oil
prohibition at the same time the consti
tuition is submitted for ratification by
means of Il separate ballot and ballot
box.
1t was moved the substitute be laid
upon the table. upon which motion the
ayes and noes were demanded. The
motion to table was lost.
AlonZo Converse of Sanborn--It viii
aid the vote on the constitution andit's
right that we let the people vote upon
the matter.
George H. Hand of Yankton-I shall
vote against this question, because il
will never become a part OF the consti'
tuition if it carries.
John Hayes Of Hamlin--I am in
favor of prohibition Just SO far as the