Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-03-19

As mas Dttn IeInaIkeu Dy tue Scutieihen
who have preceded me in the discussion OF
the resolution now under consideration,
this is matter OF very grave importance
to the entire people of Montana-not only
TO those who are here to-day, but TO those
who are 10 come hereafter.
Allow me to say in the few remarks j
shall make about this matter, that | have
given this subject considerable thought. |
presume there are but few-perhaps we
may find few who wear breech-clouts-
who would rather see US remain Terri
tory.
Put take il for granted that every in
telligent man and woman desires to see
Montana assume the rights OF State
among the Sisterhood o. States.
disagree with the gentlemen from Sill
yer Bow. baldwin and Forbis and be-
lieve there is no conflict between the reso-
luton and the provisions OF the constitu-
tion of Montana do not know but the
constition in this respect might have been
made better, but take 1t as whole, | am
proud to say that it will compare favorabiy
with any constitution heretofore adopted.
By passing this resolution we simply
provide for a provisional organization rs a
means OF impressing upon Congress the
fact that we are thoroughly in earnest in
our efforts to become State, and that we
may give authority to Representative
and two Senators TO knock at the doors OF
Congress and say, I'VE are here, and we
have come to stay"
Ii may be true that before the next
election the Territory of Montana may
become a State, but if il is not, If we can
place ourselves in an attitude to show that
this Legislature has elected Senators and
a Representativ- and that we are thorough
ly in earnest il. our efforts TO become a
State, il will aid in fastening the day.
1t can do no harm because it costs the
Territory of Montana nothing whatever.
Those officers, their authority, preroga-
tives and duties will expire when the State
is admitted, because in pursuance OF the
sections of our constitution II VIII he IN
cumbent upon the Governor OF the Ter
ritory To issue his proclamation calling an
election. We are simply providing for a
provisional organization and nothing else.
IL has been usual in the admission OF
States into the Union to 90 to Congress
and ask for an enabling act To meet IN
convention for the purpose of organizing
as a State The people of Montana, seeing
the condition they were in and the neglect
of those who had these things IN charge,
passed Joint resolution In their Legisla-
tive Assembly, of their own motion, call
ing a convention together. In pursuance
of that resolution the delegates elected by
the people to that convention assembled
together.
They gave their work their time, their
talent for the purpose of forming consti-
tuition that would be acceptable TO the
people OF Montana. In addition to that,
when this constitution had been formu-
lated. il was submitted TO the vote OF the
people of Montana, and by large majority
was adopted. To all intents and purposes
il is the constitution of the people OF
Montana.
This is not an anomalous proceeding.
We have precedents for this. There are
other people in the Northwest moving IN
this direction. A resolution similar VIII
pass the Washington Legislature and
the Dakota legislature. and they ask
us to join them and go down TO Congress
and insist upon our rights rs citizens. We
are here but 10 private citizens. We ere
in no better condition than our fore-fathers
were in 20 We are to-day sitting here as
members of the Legislature, while we are
not full-fledged American citizens. The
Indians are the wards of the Nation roam
ing about with their breech-clouts on. but
the theory of the Government is that when
a gentleman passes from State to n Ter
ritory he loses some OF his rights as citi-
zen.
1t was earnestly considered by gentle
men of 10th parties that il would be well
for us TO meet in Joint convention and
elect one Democrat and one Republican
and send them to Congress, but after con-
sideration il was thought better to follow
this course.
This is not political question. 1t is a
question involving the inalienable right OF
the people of Montana as citizens of the
United States. We have precedent for
this too in the State of Michigan, organized
in 1887. They elected their State officers
and the officers assumed their duties two
years before they were admitted by Con-
gress, and finally the statesmen of the
country took the position that they had
the right to be admitted and to recognize
themselves under the constitution Of the
United States.
The Speaker also cited the case Of Cali
. fornia, and after arguing at length what the
constitutional questions involved, con-
clnded as follows:
This is not trivial matter. Earnest
men have thought this over. consider
that it is the most serious, the most i'm
portant measure that has come before this
Legislature, and as men, ~ members Of the
Legislature of Montana, we should 50 re-
gard it.