The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-12
DAKOTA'S LOUD KNOCK.
HER CLAIMS FOR STATEHOOD PRE-
SENTEo IN THE SENATE.
What She Wants and Why She Wants It..
synopsis of the Report of the Commit
tee on Territories on the Subject.

Ute uptiidy u NUMBER Oh pcblliODs Woic PkC-
sented praying for the suspension of silver
coinage. Harrison, from the committee on
territories, reported favorably an original
bill to admit Dakota, and providing for the
organization of the territory OF Lincoln.
Butler reserved the right to submit minor
ity report An adverse report was pre-
sented by Harrison from the same commit
tee on the resolutions heretofore offered by
Butler and Vest calling for inquiries as to
the organization of a state government in
Dakota Placed on caleadar
The report on the Dakota question, &C.
companying the bill goes over all the ques-
tons involved by the proposed admission Of
the territory as state, giving complete
history of the movements made by the
territory for statehood, and recitation of
the several treaties made for the admission
of territories. 1t states that it is clear an
overwhelming majority of the people of
south Dakota approve the constitution
which has been framed and ratified and that
they desire admission into the union of
states under it. The main proposition of
the bill, says the report, is that the pro-
ceedings taken by the people OF south
Dakota shall be accepted and ratified by
mitted upon an equal footing with the other
states
Continuing, the report says: The consti-
tuition framed by Dakota is declared to be
Republican in form ard spirit and gives full
recognition TO the supremacy of the consti-
tuition and laws of the United States; estab-
fishes absolute religious liberation; throws
about the life and assets OF the citizen safe
guard of law, and provides in the most
liberal way for permanent system of pub
lie schools. The constitution was framed by
the people who are to live under it, in thu
exercise OF the American principle of pope-
lar government 1t meets their wishes, and,
according TO the report, their wants.
1T is not the province of congress" the
report says, ITO frame constitutions for the
new states. In some cuses congress has au-
thorizel tie president 10 announce by proc
laGat!on the admission OF a state if he
found the constitution adopted to he repub-
lean i'll form, and 70 contain certain arti-
clos OF compact stipulated in the enabling
act IN such cases, OF course, the state con
| st.tGnoa was never laid before congress
IS early as january 1871, memorial was
unanimously adopted by the territory and
| legislature. praying congress to divide
Dakota from the forty-sixth parallel and to
! organize two t4rritoria! governments for the
people Ths political conventions
If botn OF she great political par
| ties Lave repeatedly declared in favor
II division, and some OF them in
tsvor Of the admission o. the south half as
'5ate Toe newspaper press o. the territory
| ass very generally voiced thu same desire.
| Democrats as vel Republicans have taken
part in ell of the movements OF the people to
which We have Y,,erred The population
Of south Dakota in June last is Shown by an
authorized census to Re 2iS, ~, and that OF
| north Dakota 152, 1879, making a total Of
! sl5,6,4 The present basis OF representation
in the house OF representatives. being l5i, 81,
that portion of the territory proposed for
| admission would be entitled 70 two congress
sional representatives. No state ever organ
lied from the public domain had at the
time Of adm. ssioon anything like the present
| population of south Dakota"
| Morgan presented resolutions against gov
ainmental interference with religious bodies,
apparently designed &c afford him all oppor-
tunity for vigorous protest against somo
of the provisions OF the anti-poly gamy bill
The resolutions went over and Henderson
then launched out upon a long set speech on
the improvement of the efficiency OF the
army
At the conclusion of Manderson's speech,
Pugh addressed the senate at length in op-
position to suspension of silver coinage
The first business laid before the house
| Monday WAS a communication from the
clerk Transmitting papers on the various
contested election cases Referred to com
| mittee on elections
On motion Of Barksdale a resolution was
| passed authorizing the printing of % 900
copies of the presidents annual message
The speaker thsn called the states for the in
PRODUCTION Of bills and joint resou .iCn4
Among the bills introduced we're the fol
lowing: By Gates of Alabama, to forfeit
the New Orleans, Baton Rouge &, Vicks-
burg land grant, also to amend the rules of
the house so as to limit speeches to thirty
minutes
By TOwnshend OF Illinois, providing for
the issue by the treasury of silver certiti-
Gates in denominations of 81, 81 and s.
each. This is an amendment Of the silver
act Of 1873 under which the so
certificates are now issued Its Oh
ject is to supply the need for
additional small bills as part OF the circu-
lating medium Lore of Delaware, to pro-
vide for the construction of steam cruising
vessel OF war Of twenty knots speed, by
Charles G. Lundb0rg, OF New York, lit ap-
propriatss 81, 600, 900 for the construction of
the vessel Payson Of Illinois, to restrict the
ownership of real estate in the territories to
American citizens Weaver of Iowa, to re-
tire national bank notes and 10 prevent the
iluctuation OF the currency By the substitu-
ton therefor Of treasury notes; also, to
| provide for the issue OF fractional paper
currency; also TO restore TO the soldiers and
sailors who served in the late war equal
rights with the holders of government bonds