Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-02-11
a PLH a FOR DAKOTA.
A Mastery Production Of Judgo Edgs rton
Tho osss as Put by a Citizen Of the
Territory.

who was youesed fos by the Inter Ocean
as of the most distinguished citizens
ofthe territory. The Leader has recent
ly been furnished tie name Of the auth
or, WHO i none other than the ex-Chief
Justice of the territory, A. J. E1gerton
u. S. scnater-eleet, and it viii prove in
teressing Id this connection 20 Tepublish
a mastcrly production that carries an
added weight and increased flavor with
the name Of its Venerable author. The
article read az follows:
ASopES LgTTgG TO SECRETARY BAYSARD.
Hon. Thps. A. Baynard, Secretary of
Stase:-Deat Sir: When it was known
that the president had selected you for
his premier there was a feeling Of thank
fitness all over the county, not 50 much
by reason OF your conceded ability, as
because OF the fact That the people be-
lieyed you we're hontst and moderately
patriotic. They likewise believed that
they held hostages for your good be-
hayior in the proud and historic name
you bear. Especially were we, the in
habltants o the territories. thankful, for
the traditiona al chIvalry ofthe Baynard's
assured us that the weak u~nfortunates
would have in you q champion.
/ am the more embroidered TO make
this appeal from the fact that only two
or thee GENERATIONS ago your fathers and
mine were Struggling side by side against
what they believed to be an illegal as
sumption d power on the part Of the
mother government.
lid you e,ser slnp to think That Da-
kota has to-day more population than
any one ofste colonies when our fathers
fevolted, and that congress and the
president exercise more authority over
tlss territory, than parliament and
George the Third ever attempted to
over the colonies2
h,fhc British parliament Lord Cam
den the great constitutional lawyer, in
defsnse of the hostile attitude Of the
American colonies, said:
MY position is this; I repeat, / viii
maintain it I'd my last hour,
TAXATION AND REPRESENTATION
are insoparable. This position is found
ed on tue laws OF nature, for whatever is
q mans own is absolutely his own; no
man has a right to take it from HIM
without his consent either expressed by
himself or representatives; whosoener
smp,s to do il atte.Ipis an injury;
~.a2eves does it commits a robbery; he
LOWS down and DESTROYS the distine-
ton and representation are coeval with
and essential to the constitution. = = >
There is not d blade of grass growing in
the mest obscure corner of this Kingdom
which Is not, which Sas not ever, repre-
scented eince the constitution began;
thereis not a blade of grass which when
taxed, was not taxed by the consens of
lhe proprietoi,.
Your fatheis and mine applauded shat
doctrine as the correct rule, and pledged
their lives 70 its support.
do hotmean that when The territory /
is.incapable OF seif-goyarnmentby reason
ofsmallness OF population congress luay
notproFids for tlle collection oftdxcs
therein as a matter Of necessity, although
not Contemplated, by the constitution.
Bat w!ea tic territory has sufficient
population TO t,ntitle it to admission, then
theneeessiiy Of taxation without repre-
sentation ceases. aud every act OF coercion
npony oar par. IS lllesral, and consquen-
thy revolutionary.
No ~REiKLLrox IL DA3oIA.
We shall noi rebel, however, but pro-
pose peacefully, while not without pro-
test..to submit to ourtyranny.
THE recelleeions of the late civil war
are fresh in oar memories. Thousands
of the hardy settlers of this territory
were union soldiers, who under lie
benItieeat Laws of congress enacted while
the republicans were in power, have
settled on these prairies. Thousands
bear upon their persons, in the loss of
arps or limbs, evidences oftheir loyalty
to the government.
Probably no state. or territory, in pro-
portion to IFS pbpalaiion, numb ar among
its inhabitants SO mRny unien soldiers as
Dakota. There are now eighty eight &.
a. L. posts in the territory. with an as
gfegate membership of something like
3,00e.
Your friends have for years sounded
the alarm Of impending imperialism;
that power has been centralized in the
general government. Many thoughtiul
men feared this danger. and hoped that
a ehange in die administration might
possibly arrest this tendency.
Sow there is an opportunity for you
aadYoar party 10 proyo-to the country
the sincerity Of your allegations.
There can l1e no greater d.lnger Of i'm
perlailsni than large. rieil, and dependent
rfovineet such provinces. when suli-
eieutip pgpnlous, and when their people
are patri.,ric and intelligent, are ~inconsis-
teut With, an6 if long continued, are
destructive 70 republican institutions.
7aK CAUSE OF IMPERIALISM.
licli ousiaying provinces are, and al
ways haze been the inevitable and most
potent cause OF Imperialism. The re-
publicsns must yield to Imperialism or
the provinces be einancipated.
Such a condition was never contempla-
teddy the fathers OF tie republic.
Notice hog guarded they were in sec.
lions s5f article ] of the constitution as
TO the extent u the district oyer which
Congress might exercise jurisdiction.
Wbaa it became necessary for congress
to provide certain rules for the potec.
t.gn of property and persoa in tie ont
Lying dominioiH OF the United State not
embraced within a state. a liberal. if not
a slFsined. e~onsifuetion was placed upon
seclion 3 Of artie.e 1 to meet the emer-
sency.
80 one. until Tow. ever had the au-
dacsty 10 claim that congress had the lie.
o. power to prevent the admission Of a
state upon the presentation of creden-
tials such as tie proposed state of Da-
knsa has 10 sae@ in respect of erery re-
qsifement under The constitution.
Yen may ask why we arc SO a.xious
Tor admission? ! would answer for Da.
koss:
IfWitia cur. territory, oar population.
orr gpsoducsiscrsss and our taxes we
wsfe not anxious for emancipation from
fills condition OF almost seryile yassalage
r,e s..,.1ld he ~aSxnrflf "a hasanaa , sa,s