Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-01-02
DAkOTA'S DEFENCE.
senator Vests Vain Attempt to Score
II Point, and CampbcIl's Reply.

senator Vests Vain Attempt to Score
aPoint, and CampbeIrs Reply.
st. Paul Pioneer Press: Dakota does
not lack defenders in the senate. Mr..
Harrison is an able advocate; and when
MIR. Vest wandered into the unaccus,
toned paths of history and claimed that
the acts of south Dakota were unpre-
cedented, he was quickly overwhelmed
by mass of evidence from the other
side. But no evidence thus far made
Is superior in inoisiveness and argument
to that OF the Hon. Hugh j. Campbell,
contained IN public letter addressed
to Nh. Vest. Mr.. Campbell, as the most
conspicuous leader of the statehood
movement, the man who has done prob
ably more than any other to help it on
and who has protited personally nothing
thereby, has been target for demo.
cratic abuse. He defends himself in a
document which is about as weighty as
any of its length that we remember to
Joinder to Mr.. Vests charge OF revolu-
tionary principles when he remarks
that his first lesson in the OBJ
lGCb ANU CuHIdClcE Vi ESNOlullOu WAS
learned as soldier, under the fearless
and loyal Lyon, on the soil of Mr.. Vests
own state. With this passing personal
compliment, Mr.. Cempbell again briefly
states the legal aspect of the case. AS
every man knows, and as no honest man
pretends to deny, the people of Dakota
cherish no dlsloyal thought. They ex-
pressly affirmed, in the very declaration
of their rights which they drew mp, that
their allegiance to the indlvlslble union
ls unqualified, and that none OF their
acts should be of lawful effect until ap-
proved by the Voice of congress. But
they do not, Therefore, resign their rights
as citizens; rights which are supported
by the opinions of democratic presl-
dents and congresses. supreme courts,
and even democratic senators" Mr..
Campbell points that Chief Justice
/ Taney, whose word no loyal democrat
can disallow, laid down the doctrine
that the people of territory have
a constitutional right to form a state
government and to claim admission
when they have complied with all the
conditions attached thereto. Congress
| after congress- has recognized this right
| by the admission of states which had
not waited for full congressional sane.
| tion before arranging the preliminaries
of statehood. The people of Dakota
have been denied, time after time, on
frivolous pretexts, the right of self-goy.
ernment, as dear to them and as 1nalien-
able as it is among the people of the sew
eral states. Now they have so grown in
numbers, wealth, and in all the essen
tials requisite to independence, that
pastisan ingenuity can no longer frame
an excuse that will cover wrong 80
fragrant. The next appeal will be to the
people of the United States, who will not
| declare that half million of people,
| in great territory with great future
before it, shall be held in political bond
age..forever lest two more republican SEN
ators be added to the list. With neat
hit IN disclosing the fact that Mr. Vest
while quoting a supreme court decision
to uphold his position, neglected to OBJ
| serve that 1t was the opinion of dis.
sentlng justice, and not that of the court
itself, Mr.. Campbell closes his little hol.
| iday gift to the senator from Missouri
| It is all that was needed. There is nc
call for wordy argument. where the
! whole question is one of simple and un'
questioned constitutional right. Dako,
ta's defense is in, and she can rest hel
case. The next appeal, if that shall be
necessary, will be addressed to the high
est court known to the republic, the peo
pie themselves. We apprehend that Mr.
Vest will cut even smaller figure there
| than he does in the senate.