Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-17
DAkOTA's ADMISSION.
The Constitutional Convention Bent
on Gaining its Point.

on Gaming Its tOinC-
HURON, OAK Dec. l6.-Tne Coustitu-
tional Convention met yesterday, with
/ President Edgerton in the chair. Judge
Campbell offered resolutions, which were
unanimously adopted. that q conference
committee OF nine delegates be ppointed
| 10 consider the present plan OF action,
and also iHviting the Senate and House OF
| South Dakota to appoint committee Of
! conference for the same purpose, and that
| the President OF this conference and the
| Governor of South Dakota be invited TO
| participate. Judge Campbell was APP
| pointed chairman of this committee. 1t
Is said That all the members of the COM
! mlttee are lawyers, ard that all a9ree
| that repeal Of the restraining clause 10
| both right and feasible. The convention
adjourned until today.
THE LEGISLATURES SESSION.
Both houses of the Legislature met at
noon aud appointed the cor mittees of
conference called for. The joint commit
| tee met in the afternoon, and Messrs.
Campbell, Owen, Myers and Kellam
argued in favor OF repeating the restrain
ing clause of the ordinance, MIR. Gamble
opposing such repeal. Before the Legisla-
ture and a large assemblage Gov. Mel
lette, of the proposed State organization,
ing the hope that the popular houses of
Congress may consent to division and ad-
mission. II Congress would do this, sub
J ct TO approval by a ballot OF the people,
they would welcome this solution. He
urged that no step backward be taken.
He reatfirmed his belief in the right of
the State TO maintain local government.
THE RIGHT OF SELF GOVERNMENT,
Tie houses of Congress cannot be forced
to admit your representatives to their
bodies, Dut your right to self-goverumeDt
exists ii it exists at all independent Of
such admission. While Congress can
alone admit and constitute you state in
the Union, you NAV still be legally con-
stituted political authority without
union and entitled TO the protection OF
| the Federal laws. The creative power
| abldes In the state and not in Congress.
/ He argued that section 80 Of the ordi-
nance and the schedule providing that
no act be performed except such as
Is preliminary to admission into the
| Union, is not a part of The constitution,
and may be annulled by this convention.
but il should not be discarded without
! formal amendment to that effect submit
ted to popular ballot. and that until such
vote all leg slative, executive and judicial
action by the State should be limited to
such as are necessary, preliminary and
incidental to admission.
the convention this morning voted to
repeal the restraining clause in the ordi-
nance schedule.
THE HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT.
At the afternoon session a preamble
and resolutions were ad rpted reciting the
history of the statehood movement, and
providing for the appointment of a COM
mlttee to urge the rights of South DakO-
ia. In case Congress- refuses to take IA
vorable action thereupOn the memorial
committee is to prepare and publish an
address to the people of the United States
setting forth the grievances of the people
of Dakota. A resolution was
adopted that the convention recon-
mends that the State Legislature
make provision for the submission to the
people at an election next November a
proposition that the state go into opera
ton in January, 1888. The convention
adjourned to meet here in June.
Both houses OF the Legislature met this
evening, appointed members of the joint
memorial committee and passed the bill
above mentioned, which was at once ap-
proved by Gov. Mellette. The Legislature
then adjourned.