Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-12-26
Full Text OF the Document Pro-
sented to the State Legts!a-
ture at Huron.
VARIOUS STATISTICS.
a Review of lDakOtn's Struggles
10 Obtain Observation-Disclosures.
eOusnc.s Of Her Claims.


ordain for them a state government. lou come
amounted to your work by their ballots. liherty's
simple badge of power. Your warrant of guar
antee is the constitution Of the United States
and the Legislative en9ctments of the American
congress, written in the blood Of patriots she'd
from Bunker Hill To Appomattox.
PECULIAR RELATION OF OUR STATE TO THE
UNION.
/ deem it pertinent to call your attention to
the peculiar relation sustained by the state Of
Dakota to the federal union. While that portion
of the territory OF Dakota south of the 10th
parallel unquestionably constitutes "A state. de
ure, and by the present exercise Of their func-
tions by Der Legislative and executive officers be-
comes essentially a state de facto, she has not as
yet obtained the recognition by congress To which
she Is clearly entitled by statute, precedent, JUS
tce and reason.
RIGHT or ADMISSION BY PRECEDENT.
Michigan was for almost two years a state in
the full exercise OF her functions, legislative, ali
ministrativo and Judicial, before admission into
the union, and her official acts during that
period have been fully sanctioned and sustained
by III law OF the land hrkansas was recog-
nized and admitted upon like procedure, rs
Tennessee, Maine, Florida, Iowa, Wisconsin,
California and Oregon, some OF them at the end
81 long and bitter controversies, accompanied 10y
violence and blOodshed. These victories of the
cause of self government were won by the most
exalted courage of American citizenship. supple
mented by the most thrilling cloqueLce of the
American forum; they have been fully confirmed
by the official Judgment OF the state and national
Judiciary, and are grounded forever in that safer
hnal depository of all American liberty. the
minds and hearts of the people.
LEGAL RIGHT TO ADMISSION.
Both the compact contained in the ordinance
OF l7s7, upon which the state of Michigan rested
and won her cause and the guarantee contained
in the treaty Of the Louisiana purchase, which
| NunA Gft.eiallu ayplra.i IN hahulf nf ApkonGaa or,
ply in direct terms and with positive force to
sustain the constitution and government Of the
state OF Dakota.
HER NATURAL RIGHTS OF ADMISSION.
The citizens of Dakota inherit the right TO
self-government from the Pilgrim fathers ana
the Huguenot exiles. The blood of their ances-
tors shed in the revolution cries out against taxa
ton without representation, while their own
blood and limbs left on freedoms battlefields
entities them freemen.
BENEFITS TO De DERIVED FROM STATEHOOD.
How great soeyer Dakota's faith in the guides
who hold her leading strings, she would walk
alone! In truth she has long been of age and
needs no guardian. She certainly possesses the
best knowledge of and the deepest interest in
her own welfare. and comedies To no state "a
more ardent zeal forthe common union.
SHOULD HAVE A voIcElN LAND-LAws.
Her sturdy toiiers on the public domain which
they have made Ia blossom as the rose and yield
as the pomegranite, insist that they have some
rights and interests which deserve TO be con-
| served by q Common voice 10 give true knOWl-
edge, backed by a common vote. to give, power
ia the dec sions OF questions affecting the title
to their homes, rs we'll as those who model their
ideos of the interior after that building and
its grounds III Washington.
ENTITLED TO VOICE IN INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Statehood would also result in "a speedy reduc.
tion. OF the Great Sioux. Crow Creek and Sisseton
Indian reservations, which would SO greatly con-
duce alike to the welfare of both citizens and IN
dams. To the former by opening to settlement
vast tracts of fertile lands. and to the Indians by
bringing them in closer contact with civilian
ton and aitordlpg them at the same time means
and encouragement to industry and advance
ment. Forty-four per cent. of the area Of the en-
tire stale IL devoted TO the occupancyof less than
fraction OF their lands, and would gladly dis
pose of the remainder. j am rejolced To observe
that the president of the, United States recon-
mends to congress the reduction OF these reserva-
tons 10y 80 per centum, an act which would re-
suit in speedily doubling the wealth and popula-
ton Of the state and conduce greatly to the COM
fort of the Indians.
NEW BENEFIT OF SCHOOL LANDS.
The state of Dakota demands the possession Of
the lands set apart for her citizens by congress
for the support of their schools, for which they
are now taxed almost beyond endurance, while
the lands lie Idle and begging for the plow await
ing TO unfold their riches to the state and ma
ton.
But why pursue a question that is not debata-
BILE? An American congress does not need to be
told why 1U,UU American citizens, who have
been guilty of no crime. fully equipped and
orglnizcd IA a state and bringing all the possible
prerequisites to meet every test Of statehood,
should be admitted into the union. IL refused il
will be an unwarranted and shameful act of
blind partisan lust for power, To remain for
ever a burning disgrace to the annals of the
nation and the memory OF those who perpetrate
the crime.
THE STATE BOUNDARIES.
But greatly IA the state desires and deserves
admission her people will never accept il with
boundaries more extended than at present de-
fined, whose area of s0,27 square miles is more
than equal 10 that of the six New England states
49, Isa0l ,.stL NnKy ArnA. onI nl,rp.r nrI ~
the near future. by the aid OF seif-governing
power, to be the abode of millions of prosperous
people. If they are told they cannot have. two
United States senators. while the states
mentioned containing y less area shall have six
teen, they prefer to have none. II her people are
to be dependents in fact. they will remain SO in
name likewise, We adjure the people of north
Dakota, in behalf OF our common interest, to re-
main firm in this their often-expressed avowaI.
we were mean enough to accept such injustice
ourselves, We cannot be SO base as to sacrlnce
the untold future of generations of freemen to
whom we must soon transmit our magnificent
heritage.
IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.
While fully appreciate the Importance to the
tanned in the Black Hills region. which, though
| still in the infancy Of their development, now
Weld annually more than five millions of gold
and silver and possess untold wealth of coal, PEI
troleum, salt, mica. tin, copper and building ma
terial, and commend To you II subject of their
development rs OF the greatest Importance, the
/ IiCL TtfIltils uht TIE lur ever ely upO
| her agricultural resources for the support of the
| dense population. which is to constitute her
chief greatness and importance as a common
wealth through all time.
soUNDR REASONS FOR ADMISSION.
| The fact that the great and adjust
ment between various interests OF producing and
transporting the nations products, between cap
ital and labor. and which from necessity must
| ever be an issue Of vital importance in the arena
of national politics until n happy means is dis
covered and established which shall do even and
exact justice to all and Cypress none, is 81 i'll un-
settled, demonstrates the necessity that the peo-
pie of this state and of the territorial domain re-
manning TO the Unit d States should insist upon
admission into the union in states of areal ex-
tent which will afford them at least a rcspecta-
States, one OF the coordinate departments of ma
tional legislation.
The fact that the balance OF wealth is now and
will remain forever with the east il rather an
| argument in support OF than against my position.
as since constitutional liberty was established
and while il exists among men must ever be
maintained in the interest OF the poor rather than
the rich, the weak rather than the strong and
mighty, IA it Ia the toiling millions who create
wealth and power upon earth.
Tho GLOWING official statistics, for which we
are indebted To the Hon. Lauren Dunlap, COM
missioner Of immigration for the territory of
Dakota, furnish an argument for admission
which cannot be Questioned. Their absence has
been the only excuse ever offered in congress for
refusing for five years the appeals OF our people
for admission. The population has been ascer-
tanned by an accurate census taken by sworn otfi-
GERS created by statutory enactment OF the terri
tory Of which tho state recently formed n part,
and the statistics gathered and compiled in the