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

ing any election, and all persons who
shall he qualified electors under the
laws OF this territory ut the vote of
ratification OF this constitution at the
polls, shall be entitled to vote ut such
election for I'LL officers that now are or
hereafter may be elective bv the peo-
pie: lst, citizens OF the United states:
IND, persons OF foreign birth, who shall
nave declared their intention to become
citizens, co%mformably to the laws of
the United States upon the subject of
naturalization"
Section 6, providing that no person
Snail be elected or appointed tp any Of
nee. evil or military, who is not IA citi-
zen OF the United States and who shall
not have resided in the state six
months next preceding such election or
appointment. was stricken out, as was
also the eighth section, giving the bal
lot 10 women over twenty years Of age.
aI school elections and making them
eligible to hold school offices.
George III. Hand Of Yankton moved
lnat the committee on elections and
rights OF suffrage be instructed to re-
port another section in lieu of and cov-
erlng the same points as section S. but
AAt'so opJCIGlOllSlDlt DnIHSe0lO-
gy, capable Of only one construction
y. Z. Mellette Of Codington offered a
substitute to the section giving the leg
islature power to enlarge but not re-
restrict the right of suffrage. lie said
that the right Of suffrage as established
by states throughout the country is apiNN
Eating the people, and that it would he
wise in this new state to provide that
the right OF suffrage may be extended
without changing fundamental laws.
He would have the right Of suffrage
left in the hands OF the people.
IL. }. Campbell Of Yankton thought
the convention on the brink of a; very
dangerous precipice. When once
granted to any class of citizens under
this clause proposed, suffrage can V
be revoked.
w: w. Brookings Of Minnehalla said
the legislature had had the privilege
for twenty years, OF charging the right
OF suffrage, and had never abused it. 1t
was before the legislature once and it
can be safely entrusted there again. He
supported Mr.. Mellette's proposition.
There is no other subject, he said, that
could be left to the legislature so safely.
He was opposed to woman suffrage
generally. He did not want to impose
upon them suffrage. He would be
willing to confer the right of holding
any office. however, because woman is
competent to hold office, but she should
not vote. 1t would not benefit her to
vote, but it would to hold office.
NJ. Grigsby OF M%innehaha opposed the
proposition. because it gave, he said,
too much latitude to the legislature,
irrespective OF constitutional prOvis-
ions, and permitted an enlargement of
the right so as to confer it, in the heat
OF some uprising, and prohibited a re-
striction OF it again when cooler judg-
ment should prepaid.
The matter went to the committee on
phraseology.
MILITARY.
The report from the committee on
military was taken up for adoption.
On motion of \. G. Mellette of
Codington the 9Th section as adopted
read: "4All military records, banners
and relies of the state, shall be faith.
fully preserved, and it shall be the duty
OF the Legislature to provide by law fol
the safe keeping Of the same"
The vote was adopted without Other
amendment.
EDUCATION.
George IL. Hand Of Yankton moved
to take up and consider the report
Of the committee on education without
it going to the committee on printing
The motion was lost.
PREAMBLE AGAIN.
\. motion was made that the report
OF the committee on preamble be taken
up and acted upon without printing.
Robert Dollard OF BonHomme most
strenuously and emphatically objected
He declared that it was the business OF
this convention to discover whether OF
not the statements contained in that
preamble are really true. lie could I'm
dertake to demonstrate to anybody that
the ordinance of 1887 did not apply tt
Dakota, and there are other assulmp
tiOns therein which he wanted to have
spread before the convention before he
argued them, in order that the mem.
bers might see exactly what they are
He felt that the adoption OF such sen
timents as those would lay this move.
ment liable to condemnation as treas.
enable, and was of the opinion that il
WIS COCttllS ulllltCeSSitl,S W pulucll Cllt
constitution with so much preamble OF
such quality. Therefore he wanted ii
printed so that the members could
comprehend its enormity before being
asked to take action on it as a body.
ADJOURNMENT. ~
At l2:45 the convention adjourned
until 10 O'clock Tuesday morning, the
president announcing that no night
Sessions could be held in the hall this
week, owing to its being engaged.
TueSday-Seventh Day.
OPENING.
At the opening OF the convention
Rev. DIR. Joseph Ward Of Yankton, OF.
fered prayer.
PROHIBITION.
Petitions praying for the submission
of prohibition to a vote of the people
at the same time the constitution is Of
tered for ratification were offered by G
J. Scheffier of Beadle, r. +. PettigreM
Of Minnehaha and in bulk from Other
counties.
While the petitions We're being re
ceiyed and referred to the committee