Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-09-22
in attendance IN the gallery and made
music for the OCCASION.

CALLED TO ORDER.
At 10:45 o'clock the convention wa
called to order by Governor A. @. Mel
lette, chairman OF the territorial contra
committee, who spoke as follows:
GENTLEMEN: According to usage 20,
meet as the representatives OF the re
publican party of the territory OF Dakott
to place ia nomination q candidate fol
delegate to congress | trust that the
usual harmony which charscterizes Da
kota's political conventions may prevail
among you. Applause That thai
spirit of fairness and business for which
you are proverbialIy noted on such occa.
sioas may possess you and that you will
do everything that is necessary to be
done at this time to strengthen repabl!-
canism In this territory. The rein OF
the Infamous organization called by
some and known as the democratic party
has never subsidized nor %terrorized the
republication OF Dakota. Applause.
| may say too, that you have not been
victimized by that tempting bait. 30
lovingly held out from the white house,
known as fricasssed mugwump, angle
worm bait. (Applause.) You lave not
been deceived by it. 1t will hang before
you undisturbed. While the rest of che
administrative powers OF the earth seem
to be against you. an Almighty and just
God smiles upon you He makes fruit
ful your glorious prairles by sun
shine and showers, and while
he blesses. men may curse. The out
rageous infamy prscticed upon you by
the democratic administration of this
country in denying the right. of self gov
eminent to q half million American citi-
zeus you can stand. You can even
stand the policy of the department
which proposes 70 take from the honest
settlers their honest homesteads for the
benefit of the democratic party. You
can if necessary stand all this-and
great reservations filed with worthless
indians. Yea Gan withstand il, and
prosper and flourish in the future as
you have done in the past, to the aston
ishment of the world SO long as the God
of heaven continues to bless @ in this
b ountiful land.
This is strictly a business meeting,
gentlemen. l shall read the call for
which you are assembled.
Chairman Mellette then read the off.
cial call of the committee authorizing
the convention.
Mr.. Taylor, OF Lincoln, presented the
name of Colonel B. M. Evans, of Grant,
for temporary chairman and moved his
election.
Mr.. Hughes, Of Burleigh, seconded the
nomination.
Mr.. Plummer, OF Trail, moved that
Mr.. Evans'.election be made by acolama.
tion. The motion was adopted and Mr..
Evans was declared elected unanimous
iy.
The chair appointed Messrs Hughes
johnson and Wheelock a committee to
conduct Colonel Evans to the chair.
Mr.. Evans addressed the convention
as follows:
Gentlemen OF the convention, and
fellow Eepnhlieang: The ordinary
clyilities of such an occasion as this COM
pei me to tender you my thanks, for
the honor which you have conferred. l
am deeply sensible of this honor. /
would not be content to simply return
to you q formal vote of thanks. 1t
would be absurd for me to attempt to
hide the qualification that / feel because
of the honor that you have conferred.
l feel that words. are unable to express
the sentiments of my heart, and L say
this in all sincerity, because | regard this
convention as the most important that
has ever been called together in the
territory of Dakota. 1t is important,
gentleman, because as I understand it,
1t is the first distinctive republican con-
v%ention which has ever been called
together. 1t therefore becomes his
torical III its very nature, o proud event,
and more especially because
the nominee of this
convention will be the congressman
elected from the territory. (Applause)
Now, this occasion tempts an enlarge
ment of the themes that occur to me as
l stand before you; but / know that we
are met here for business, and chat
whatever l might say would be apparent
" OF little effect upon your determine
ton, because your divisions, whatever
they may be IN this convention, are
divisions upon matters of e%xpedienoy
and matters of practice. Heretofore
your divisions bave been for personal
ends. They have been wrangles for
political p~referment of individuals, but
| feel that 10 the first republican con-
yention gathered in this territory, that
all difference of opinion that there may
be, will be founded upon the principles
which characterize the republican
party. / thank you again, gentlemen,
for the honor conferred.
The next duty, | suppose, will be the
nomination of a temporary secretary.
Mr.. Gamble, of Yenkton, named Mr..
MeManima. of Hughes, for temporary
secretary and he was elected by accla-
nation.
Mr.. Fahenstock, Of Codington. moved
the appointment of q committee of nine
on credentials and the motion was
adopted.
The chair announced as such commit.
tee Messers Fahenstock OF Codington
Hunt of Sphinx, Taylor of Lincoln
Bryson of Potter, Hubbard of Cass
Parker of Walworth, Pierce OF Penning-
ton, Durley of BeadIe and Spencer Of
Ramsey.
Mr.. Jones, OF Turner, moved the ap-
pointment of a committee of eleven or
permanent organization and the motion
was adopted.
MI. Edwards, of Cass, moved that
the committee on credentials be in
structed to report the names of the gen
tlemen occupying seats 10 the conven.