, 1886-05-13
Shf st'eekln Ar9us.
THURSDAY, NAY l3. ls,6.
Delegate VOORHEES, OH Admission
HorsE OF EErEE-LNrArINL-. I

A-A4l'i 1 'St fftIsbf'E - nave
thus far abstaiurd from thrustiug
myself nto the public prints. prefer
rlnS to rely upon my public acts to
r"futo the great mass Of misTopreScn-
tatlon and yitupcratiun to which |
have been subjected since my elec~
ton to Congress. | feel. however.
that the effort which Is being made to
identify the Democratic party of
Washington Territory with a crusade
against the admission of the Terri
rltory into the Union iustiiics luc III
departing from my general rule.
In view of all the facts. the letter
OF March Goth. 1SS6. to Hon. ID. VI.
Voorhees,, signed Alex. Montgomery,
King county member of " ashington
Territory Democratic Central Com
mIttee,, Is a most amazing produc-
tiOn. For no other reason than that
the chances are that Is the organiZa-
ton of the proposed state Will be un-
der the cOErol of q party Of which
he is not a member. he has had the
stupendous haTdihOUd to violently
antagoniZe the erection of a republi-
can form of government for the peo
pie of Washington Territory. In
stigated by purely partisan motives,
he Is willing to commit colossal
crime against free government As
private citizen | would not stop to
challenge his right - thus assault
the innermOst citadel of the peoples
rights, since he then outlines a policy
for himself alone; but when he as
sumes to speak for the Democratic
party, as an official representative
thereof, it then becomes the duty of
every honest man in the Democratic
party to repudiate his authority to
commit them to SO utterly indefcnsi-
ble position.
1t is unfortunate for the accom-
plishment of Mr.. Montgomery's man
ifest purpose that the Democratic
party of Washington Territory does
not occupy any uncertain attitude
upon this great question.
The platform upon which the Dem
ocratic party achieved so signal VIC
tory in November, 1886, contained the
following unequivocal declaration:
''That We ask for the speedy ad-
mission of Washington Territory
with the name of Washington as one
OF the sovereign states of the federal
union, and we favor the incorpora.
tiOn of Northern Idaho within the
limits of the future state"
1t may be interesting to recall, in
connection with this extraordinary
effort on the part of Mr. Montgomery
the fact that he represented King
county as delegate in the Demo
cratic Convention which formulated
this unambiguous pledge to the peo-
pie of Washington Territory. Have
we not the right to assume, in the alb
sence of record of amy protest from
him against it, that he at that time
endorsed the doctrine therein enun
eiated? Having the interests of the
democratic party so earnestly at
heart, as he says he has, would it be
unreasonable to conclude that during
the campaign of 1884 his plume, like
that of Henry of Navarro, was even
to be seen In the forefront of the
fight! Supplemensing his alleged
devotion to his Darty's interests with
the fact. which he makes especially
prominent in his communication,
that during that period he was a
member of the democratic territorial
committee, there would seem 10 be
no escape from the conclusion shat
he must have labored increasingly
and untirinSly to establish the con
vlction that the democratic party was
not dishonest enough to seek success
as the result of false pretenses and
GROSS
doubtedly pledged his loyal allie
glance to every honorable effort 70
crystalize into legislation every sug-
gestion of the Democratic platform.
There can be no doubt of all this,
since he never raised his voice in op-
position to his party's pledge until
the 10Th day of March, 1856. / feel
confident that a candid public will
reach a correct conclusion in connec-
tion with his attitude then and now,
and will give his singular communi-
cation the weight and force it de
serves.
When l was before TIE people of
Washington Territory seeking their
votes as candidate for congress,
pledged them my undivided aid in
securing their relief from a condition
OF federal vassalage, and shall allow
no man or set OF men to cast discredit
upon the integrity and sincerity of
that pledge. L have, since my elec
ton as delegate TO congress, unre
mittingly and faithfully laborcd to
secure the favorable consideration of
that measure which Will bring TO the
people of Washington Territory,
democrats and republicans alike, their
certificate of sovereignty, and l shall
continue these labors until this great
result shall have been attained.
Should this result fail of accom-
plishment during my official life. it
shall lie IN no mans mouth To truth
fully assert that such failure was due
TO any lack of warmth, determination
or zeal IN my effort to bring it about.
know l speak for ''all true Demo
erats of Washishton Territory and OF
the Union" when l insist that, in or
der to be classod In that category.
they must not be detected in traffick-
ing in the credulity of the people l
know [ speak for them when j insist
that they conGnue true only so long
as they cultivate an honest and true
observance of their pledges TO the
people.
yield to no man in my 10y
atty 10 the democratic p rty, and
only emphasize that loyalty by exert.
ing myself, in season and out of sea
son, to realize the cardinal principle
of democracy, viz: a government
OF the people, for the people and by
the people" c. S. VOORHEES,.