Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-30
SENATOR VEST0NDAKOTA
A STRONG SPEECH IN OPPOSI-
TION TO ADMISSION.


in Force.
WASHINGTON, jan. 29-ln the Senate
today at , O'Clock Mr.. Vest took the floor
on the Dakota bill, speaking in opposition
to the Harrison bill. He disclaimed any
hostility, personal or political, to the peo-
pie of Dakota, and claimed himself a
Western man, proud OF the Western
country and its magnificent development.
He desired to look at the question in-
volved in the Dakota proposition from
standpoint OF elevated craftsmanship and
not OF partisan bias. In no acrimonious
spirit be retorted on the Republicans that
never had they failed to take advantage
OF party feeling and bias in putting
through their measures. He Mr.. Nest)
was Democrat and was proud OF the fact.
Without regard TO politics, however. on
this question, he weuld he a coward
if he did not stand where he now stood.
He asked why repeated references had
been made in the debate by Rapu ublicaDs
to party feeling? Why had reference been
made to the fact that the people of Dakota
were largely composed Of Union soldiers,
and that that fact might account for their
restiveness in their present political con-
dltion? Mr.. Vest could show, and would,
brave eX-UniOn veterans, who had been
shot and shelled and saDre struck and be
h0nored them for it), who were now re-
siding IN Dakota, were earnestly opposed
to the measure reported from the Senate
Committee on Territories.
PECULIAR PRIVILEGES FOR NO MAN.
But he denied the right OF any man to
peculiar privileges in this country, be-
cause OF having fought under one flag,
because Of having espOused any cause.
because of having done his duty to bis
principles and convictions as be under
stood them. Justice should be done to all
men. Why thrust before the people in all
their financial, social and religious rela-
tions dead issues Of a dead strife, when
our country, as we had so well heard the
other day, was now being honestly ce-
mented together by the glorious memories
of the past and bright anticipations Of the
future?
Mr.. Vest read from a Dakota newspaper
an editorial which said that ''enOugh one
armed and One-legged Union veterans are
in Dakota to whip the whole brigade Of
traitorous skunks like Vest and Butler
laughter, and you bet your boots they
can do 1t any day, right here on the open
plains of the free soil of Dakota, and
without resoTtlng to bushwhacking or
kukluXing either. II they don't heieve
1t all they have to do TO test the loyalty Of
Dakota is to fire on SUMTER" Permit
me-" said MIR. Vest, ''to put at rest any
apprehension on the part of the Dakota
editor.
FORT SUMTER SAFE FOR THE FUTURE.
80 far as the inauguration Of another
revolution is concerned, speaking for
myself. 50 far as | am concerned, Fort
Sumter shall rest in placid tranquility
for the balance of my natural life. At
least, the admission of no twenty States
would ever induce me to appeal again 70
the arbitrament Of arms which this
Dakota editor seems So anxious TO in
yoke" Mr.. Vest severely animadverted
upon the course pursued by South Da-
kota in this matter Of it's proposed ad-
mission as state. He sent 30 the desk
and had the clerk read several editorial
articles from Dakota newspapers insist
ing that there was no law TO forbid the
people from governing themselves. One
such article inquiries: "Shall SCARED
veterans, VINO put down the rebellion,
now submit TO rebels? We say thou
sand times no. You have once conquered
the rebels with guns in their hands YOU
VIII again conquer the rebels in Congress
having votes in their hands,
Mr.. Vest insisted that Congress- was the
only power that could saV wnen States
should come into the Union. If the ordi-
nance Of lIS, which provided that new
States should De admitted when a popu-
latiOn of $1,000 should be reached was
the only authority on the question, the
debate would close at once. Mr.. Vest
denied that that ordinance was now IN
force, and read frOm decisions OF TIE
United states supreme Court 70 show
that tnat ordinance ceased To exist on tue
adoption of the Federal constitution IN
1879. Any other view would forever put
an end to any discretion in Congress as TO
the admission of new States.
CONGRESS THE TRUSTEE or ALL THE
STATES.
MIR. Vest took the broad ground that no
ordinance or treaty whatever cOuld
hamper or bind Congress IN a matter of
50 fundamental character as this. fit
could. then one Congress- could forever
bind future Congresses. We could tear
% pieces any ordinance or treaty that
should pretend 10 pat such shackles 90
t3e Congress oi the United states. Con-
Zress was trustee Of all the people Os an
che states. IL was for Congress alWavs
20 say whether II was best to increase the
number OF states, aud whether the cir
cumslRuces by which we 8cra sur
rounded warranted SUCH increase. Allud-
ing TO The partisan reieicL Oi thc other
side, Sir. Vest SAID he michl perliueutiy
inquire what political party was 10 pe BEN
enied 10y this t,esuriau operation by wnica
DakatH was CuJ ln two tor political rpa-
sons. WoUId { not add TO The Republican
f1icchard perhaps give a prepoudCrancp 10
those forces iu Toe national cUu,estt me
great GIie stioa once was. said MI Vest,
low rapidly 10 get new states into tine
Union. Everybody then wanted 90 push
tle frontier ava, from tcoir own borders
because the frontier meant the scullIug
knife ANA tOmahNWk. but what was our