Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-12-24
Gov. MBDBttG's MESSAGE.

Gentlemen of TIE Sencte and House
of Representatives.:
You have assembled to exercise for
The state Of Dakota her first govern
mental functions. You assemble at
tie edict OF more than a quarter mill
lion of free American citizens to Or
dain for them a state government.
You come annoInted to your work by
Sheir ballots. liberty's simple badge
If power. Your warrant of guaran-
Tee is the constitution Of the United
States and the Legislative enactments
Of the American congress, written
AZ the blood OF patriots shed from
Bunker Hill to Appomattox.
PECULIAR RELATION or our STATE TO
THE UNION.
l deem il pertinent TO call your at
tsntion to the peculiar relation sus-
tanned by the State Of Dakota to the
federal union. While that portion
Of the Territory of Dakota south Of
the 46th parallel, unguestionably con-
stitutes a state. de jure, and by the
present exercise Of their functions
BY her Legislative and executive Off
sers becomes essentially a state de
fdcto, she has not rs yet obtained the
recognition by Congress 10 which
she is clearly entitled by statute, pre-
eedent, justice and reason.
HIGHT OF ADMISSION by PRECEDENT.
Michigan was for almost two a
o state in the full exercise of her
functions, Legislative, administrative,
and Judicial, before admission into
the union. and her official acts during
that period have been fully sanction
ed and sustained by the law of the
land. Arkansas was recognized and
admitted upon like procedure, as
were also the states Of Vermont Ken
tucky, Tennessee, Maine, Florida, Iowa,
Wisconsin. California and Oregon.
some OF them at the eud Of long and
bitter controversies, accompanied by
violence and bloodshed. These vic
tories Of the cause of self government
were won by the most exalted cour-
age of American citizenship, suppl
mented by the most thrilling elo
quence 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 final depository
OF all American liberty, the minds
and hearts of the people.
aIGHT TO ADMlsssIoN.
Both the compact contained IN the
ordinance Of 1877 upon which the
state OF Michigan rested and won her
cause and the guarantee contained in
the treaty OF the Louisiana purchase
which was specially evoked in be-
half Of Arkansas, apply in direct
terms and with positive force to sus-
tain the constitution and government
of the State of Dakota.
HER NATURAL RIGHT 10 ADMISSION.
The citizens of Dakota inherit the
right to self-government from the
Pilgrim fathers and the Huguenot
exiies. The blood Of their ancestors
shed in the Revolution cries out
against taxation without represents
ton, while their own blood and limbs
left on freedoms battletieids entities
saSsh AANNAhCh.
BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED FUCMssTATE-
HOCD
How great soever Dakotg's faith in
the guides who hold her leading
strings, she would walk aloneI 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 we'll
fare, and comedies 10 no state a more
ardent zeal for the common union.
SHOULD HAVE A yoIGE IN LAND LAWS.
Her sturdy tnilars on the public
domain which they have made to
blossom as the ross and yield as the
pomegranate, insist that they have
some rights and interests which de
serve to be conserved by a common
voice to give true knowledge, backed
by a common vote to give power. in
the decisions of questions affecting
she title TO their homes. as we'll as
those who model their IDEAS of the
Interior" after that builang aud It's
grounds in Washington. u
ENTITLED TO A VOICE IN INDIAs AFFAIRS
Statehood would also result
in a speedy reduction of the
Great Sioux, Grow Creek and
Sissetou Indian reservations,
which would SO greatly condnce alike
ia the welfare OF both citizens and
Indians. To the former by
opening to settlement vast tracts of
fertile lands, and to the Indians by
bringing them 10 closer contact with
civilization and affording them at the
same time means and encouragement
10 industry aud advancement. Forty.
four per cent of the area Of the en-
tire state is devoted 10 the occupancy
Cf less than twenty-five Thousand La.
dians, who IA use at most but a
small fraction of their lands, and
would gladly dispose of the remain
der. / am rejoiced 10 observe that
the President of the Uaited States
vacpmpapHa m cnuuraua tha ralu. |