The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-16
TROUBLES IN DAKOTA.
The Convention and Legislature la Session.
TIoklish State of AnAIrs.


HuRoN, OAK. Dec, l5,-The advocatai
to Dakota's claim 10 Statehood have taken
the city by storm to-day. They have been
arriving by the score on the evening
train for the past thTee days, and the city
has at this writing more strangers within
her boundaries than at any previous tima
In her history, At nine o'clock this
morning the Constitutional Convention
was called to order by It's President,
Judge Egerton, and al two this afternoon
in response to an official call iasusd over
the signatures OF "GevetuorN Mellelts,
"Lieutenant Governor" Franks and
"speakel" Eddy, the South Dakota
Legislature" will come together ia
It's first session. OF all the promI,
nent leaders Of the movement, including
such men as John A, Owen, the champion
OF prohibition; A, HAines, ]. X. p. MO.
OolIum, W, W. Bookings, T. II. Commit,
Frank Alexander, State Audltor-eleCt H.
H. Sheets, ]. A. Ward and q, +, Bsebs,
not one is absent, The leaders are reti.
cent regarding the programme that has
been mapped Quito the consideration Of
the convention and Legislature, but say
that action will be taken that will impress
upon the President, Congress, and the
people Of the country, that they are de.
manding what shall not much longer DO
withheld from them.
The first question which is to he dis,
cussed by the Legislature 10 the advisable.
ity Of recommending the Constitutional
Convention to abolish the clause in the
constitution which practically forbids the
State officers from setting the wheels ol
the State government In motion. This
amendment alone blocks the wheels OF In.
dependent action and the Statehood ad.
vocstss say that It's abolition would com,
pei the President To resort to military or
judicial interference to declare tho State
government illegal, To this they would
make no armed resistance, but at the
same time they believe that It would have
the effect Of making the issue Of national
Importance.
Governor Millette is quoted as favorlng
the submission Of the repsal amendment
to the people, and the subsequent giving
oi notice that the territorial government
will cease and the State government be.
gin. Many members Of the Legislature,
however, are inclined toward cOuserva.
tisn, and 1t Ia doubtful whether a major.
ity will be found willing to sanction OK.
trame proceedings. The possibility ia
that the matter will be allowed to rsst In
ita present shape until the Cloge OF tho
present session Of Congress- in tho
expectation that appropriate legisla.
tive action will bo taken. Tho
Hill bill for the division OF the Ter.
ritory is now on the House calendar,
with favorable recommendation from
the Committee on Territories. This bill
provides for the division OF Dakota into
two Territories, divided practically on
the Forty.sixth parallel. It does not pro.
vide for the admission Of either OF them,
but It provides that the officers OF the
present Territory who live north OF the
dividing line shall hold the corresponding
offices In North Dakota, and that tho oili.
GERS living south OF the dividing line shall
hold corresponding offices in South DAko-
ta.b 1t happens that all the Territorial oil.
GERS do live north OF tho dividing line, 30
that tho bill, II passed., would make two
Territories ont Of Dakota, ono Of which
would have full set ol officers, while the
other would have nope whatever until the
election OF new SGT,
1t is said that tho element which does
not favor the abolition Of the restraining
clause ara Of the opinion that when this
bill has been passed by the House they
can treat all the territorial officers as oil.
Hcers oil North Dakota, and at once set tho
Southern organized State government In
motion. kilograms which ara being re.
ceived hero from Washington will ba
awaited with no little interest at the Ma.
tinnal canitRl.