Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-01-27
STRIVING FOR STATEHOOD.
Dakota's Delegation At Washington
Obtain an Interview with
the President.
The Territory's Claims for Statehood
Presented ut Length BY Sen:
atOr Edgerton.
Washington special.

the Dakota deiegation IN washington a rev
days ago, and listened to their arguments in
f.,or - 5;v;s;o,, o,a oau,;ss;,, 20 e,atah,oa
o y"
under the provisions OF the Harrison bill.
Tbs deleoot;op wa. -comnosad ~ Senators
80, -
harrison, EdSeron Il MOODY, Represent
alive Eanouse. Gov. Mellette, Delegate Gif.
-, ~. ,r -. S-.,.,
Aoru, ana oohn II, DfaKe' Mr' SieNeiaho
gave them over an hour of his time. and the
whole subiect, in every possible phase of its
hearing. was talked oser. and he left a very
ea,a"a ;.s.."aa;s A.. - 20 ~
~ ~ sn ~ -;
sues.s. oehu,or Lugeroon was ue pim-
pal spokesman. and his arguments gave q
most comprehensive and clear statement OF
the cause he and his colleagues represent.
He said.
We are grateful Mr. President. for an OBJ
portunity. IN the first place. of assuring YOU
that onr neonie arc not reyolutionists; that
everything done bv us, has been lone in the
most orderly manner and IN accordance with
established ingredients. and in the next place.
for An nnnortunity to law before Won the rea,
sons which have induced our people TO take
the steps thew have The Territorial Lepisla-
ture. IN 1856. passed a law. approved by the
Governor. providing for a constitutional con-
verfion fo, that marion ~ the Territorv south
~ fhe 4ath naralfeI This convenfion met ~
Sioux Falls and nrenared 4 eonstitrtion. which
was ratified nv the ncople nv n majority of
over 500 votes. While that convention was
In eession nrenarinp tho constitution. several
ouestions srose and we're discnssed showing
the temper Of that hody When the bill OF
rights vas nndcr d;scuss;on thc followino
amendment was proposed. taken from some
older declaration az rights and still retained
IN some NJ the state copst;tut;ons. 9Au nolit-
icai mower is Inherent in the neonle and all
free government il founded on their AUTHORITY
and IL Instituted far their ennal protection and
benefit. and thew have the right at all times to
alter. reform or abolish their form of govern
menf in snch manner as they NAV think
nroner /, After = fniI discussion. the eonyen-
lion voted down the amendment and adonted
the foIfnwino snhstitute. IAN n~olitical mower
L. inherent in the naonle aud an free eovarn.
mani ia fornded OK tkeir authority and i. il
instit,ted for their ennal nrotection and bene-
nj and thew have ,he RIGHT in lawful and con
styt,t;anaI ;,ntho,,s 10 si,or ~ raform thc;r
form Of government in such manner as they
NAV think nroner and the state Of Dakota r.
an ipsenarahIe mart ~ the American Union
and The constitution of the United States il the
supreme law of the land Aud again. after
tha constitution and scheaule had heen re-
por.ed N avoid the noss;bilitv of misconstrue-
fion and tba move clearly To defnc the mr.
moses IT the cnnvent;on The followino section
Vas sdded. asec 20 Nntb;no in tbSs const;-
tnt;on or scho5nie sbau no Construed 10 an
thor;ya ihn 7 eg;alo tnra 10 vso any NJ ito nouera
nxc.nt 40 10 nr,an;1at;," 70 e,eei Irn;tad states
Snne tars 10 nrnniJa anS noss means and
l slA aat.t a ANA rr vts ina tr n ND naIIan
10 .d,n;ss;a, anJ ~ ssa,nLia ava roaaso,nhlo
and ta aJionrr sron, tine 10 time. no;ther ~
,nthor;~s any of1icer ~ tbs execnt;ve mr. nd.
n,;nistrat;ya 5o,artna,ta ~ .xerc;sa any
nowar ~ his ofire exnent s,ch M NAV he nre,
i;m;naru and ;nc;dent ~ the Irn;nn mr. In an.
thnri1e any off;cer ~ the ind;ciarv denartment
10 axorc,. any ~ Tho ,jrt;aa ~ lis oA;ca until
tho state of Dskot. shaii have been orsanized
and regularly admitted into the Union eycept
snoh' ,nan ha anthor;,na br ,ha Cnnnros. ~
the Tinted states 5 n viii take Mr. President
n yerv astnte Ia wyer IN DETECT ANYTHING revoln,
| tiona ~ IN tho nroccedings 81 fiat convention
Bnt Il has been said tbat there was no an
tbority for ealing tho constitutional conven-
| tion. IN other words that Inc law enacted Inv
| ,be ieris,atu,e ia witbont antboritv and con,
saouen,iy yo,d r will nnt axan,;na the o,,es-
| ZION as ~ vhatber the organic net passeh bv
Cnncrass ;nvest;no the Teo;slatIra With mower
to siegislate upon ali rightful subjects of legis-
| ~ tin,, y ,nt n,nhih;ted Nv Hat 81 uova The
| Territorial I ay;slatpre tI,a nower In nrovide
ly law for a constiiut;onal convention mr. moi
| That II not necessary for onr nresent burmese.
| When ~statutes are silent. nrecedepts make the
law Whiie the cnnst;t, t;on os tha limited
States nrnyides that Cnneress shall have the
no,ycr fo ADMIT new States II nowhere nro.
| vyiaes in direct terms or Nv imriication What
stems shall be taken in the matter of bringing
! a new state to the attention of Congress. or
| how or Inv whom the first stems shall be mi
| tiatel The nyacedents have varied Tn many
cases Congress- has initiated the nrnceeding nv
nrnyiding for a UNCONSTITUTIONAL convention. In
,rther cases and not 4 few the convention has
ssemhled by the authority OF the TERRITORY
| This was the case In Tennessee and President
| Washington and many ~ the fonnders of the
| Government recognized the right of TENNESSEE
to pursue the course She lid. In addition to
the somewhat noted precedent of Tennessee.
M;chiuan had M enabl;ne act Int President
Jackson transmitted her constitution 10 Con
gress with a specisl message on the subject as
Washington had done before in the case of
Tannessee. California had no enabling act
or even the authority of n local legislature
The convention which formed the constitution
under which Florida was admitted into the
| Union was convened by virtue of an act of her
Territorial Teoislat,re in Tho same manner Wa
did. We would likewise respectfully call at
| tention to the admission of iowa. Oregon. Ne
yada' Arkansas and Wisconsin We conf
IDENTITY claim that orr cou,se was justified by
abundant precedents. Some have claimed
| lint Dakota was purs,inp nm unusual and rev
olntionay course i'm ~eleciing her officers. /
| think the parties who make this charge have
| not fully read history in connection with the
| Admission of other states In nearly every
case. 40 far as | am informed, the state, prior to
ita admission. has elected it's State officers. In
| Minnesota. with whose history | am most ia
miliar. when the constitution was submitted to
a vote of the peonle in October. 1857. n full
| State and Legislative ticket was elected The
| Ieeislature assembled in December 1877 and
| elected two Senator's Three members of Con
preas had been elected at the fall election. and
| fhe Senatnrs and three Coneressmen fins
| elected came at once 10 Washington and re-
| NAMED here until the following day. when the
| state was admitted and the two Senator'S and
| two members az Congress- were sworn in. I
think tho precedents mon this question are
nearly all one way
II has been said bv some few that that the
people of Dakota do not desire division on the
farty .sixth parallal I invita- vour otteut;on to
| the evidence upon The question. The Legisla-