The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-01-01
DAKOTA TERRITORIAL NEWS
GOV. MELLETTE,s MESSAGE.

5tN .fEr f - Il" H-.
GOV. MELLETTE'S MESSAGE.
A Strong Argument In Support of South
DaIota's Claim to Statehood-Some of tn.
Most Eloquent Words Ever spoken IN the
Torritory.
Gov. Mellette, in his message to the South
Dakota legislature, begins by justifying the
action of that portion of the territory in It's
action to secure statehood He then refers
to Michigan's course, and says:
Tho citizens of Dakota inherit tho right to
9 lf-governnentt from the Pilgrim fathers and
the Huguenot exiles. The blood Of their ances-
tors shed iu, the Re .plution cries out aeains,
taxation without representation while their own
blood and limbs left on freedoms battlefield en-
titles them freemen. Her sturdy toilers on the
public domain which they have made to bios.
som Is the rose and yield - tho promegrante,
insist that they have some rights and interests
which deserved to be conserved by . common
voice to give true knowled9e, backedby q com
mon vote 90 give power In the decisions of gees
lions affecting the title to their homes. State
hood would also result in . speedy reduction OF
reservations, which would so greatly conduce
alike to the welfare OF both citizens and Indians,
The state OF Dakota demands the possession OF
the lands set apart for her citizen by congress
for the support of thsir schools, for which they
are now taxed almost beyond endurance, while
the lands lie idle and begging for the plow,
NV " u1lOiu Z tSlS w VIZ oltiES Glts
nation. The governor then quotes political,
agricultural and general statistics of the terri
tory. The people of Dakota are a state by the
supreme right of creation. They have carved
the new state out Of the wilds of the prairie in q
half decade OF years. Mt Il touch of the magical
wand of progress. The state is the creature OF
the people,-not OF congress. While congress-
alone can endow with life the peonle alone can
create, else the state were not the government
"ofthep people. for the people ind By the PEG.
pie"
i." 81 rrrr1- pnyTN1.pJrS. M, 1Iyr s.-l -r-
have been fixed according to the long avowed
and practically unanimous wish not only of hel
own cihzens. but also of the citizens OF North
Dakota. This common desire has been mani
tested to congress during the last five years, in
every manner possible to this people. IL has
been repeatedly and unanimously conveyed by
the territorial committees OF both the grol,
political parties, and also by unanimous mcinori-
ala OF the territorial assembled. 1t has been
urged by the territorial delegates in congress, as
well as by delegations of her prominent citt-
zens, repeatedly sent from all sections and rep.
resenting every possible phase of local, political
and popular sentiment, and never has any rep
resentative body pretending to possess authority
(theTeto) from the people. declared against it. 4
history of the statehood movement in the ter
rItnry is tnen given. In view ofthe fact that thu
constitution provides for the continuance of TIT
territorial government, Tie laws enacted there
under, and continues the territorial officers in
the discharge of their duties until admission int
the union, / therefore recommend that ate
fully completing the organization OF boil
houses, memorializing congress. on such interna
questions as may In your judgment seem perth
7 Mt to the interests OF the state, enacting suct
legislation as may facilitate the labors of suc
ceeding sessions which you are authorized t.
hold, aad. after eiecting two representatives o
the state to tho United States senate. Won d,
then adjourn your session subject to such futur
assembling as you may by law direct. / caano
doubt that the simple justics of your cause
when presented by your legally constituted rep
resentatives IN congress, will forthwith secur
the admission OF your state. / have that faiti
in The broad patriotism, sound discretion an,
! ..-1f<l-o o,I FNr Ia rirJ,f v-,rtfa.tnl 49,, 80
president OF the United States, tc believe that b
will be a warm supporter OF your cause.
COMPARED WITH KANSAS.
The people Of Dakota, so long removed frou
party strife and ambition, can not conceive tina
their fellow citizens, to whom ia consigned
brief authority, can be 80 blinded by SELLS
motives as 20 mock our helplessness by the yer
eurfett Of power. Kansas struggled to statehoo
through blood, but her course can never eXcit
tho sympathy of intelligent statesmanship a
has the contempt so persistently shown to th
rights Of the people OF Dakota. The state ha
not only demonstrated herself to be capable q
administering and maintaining government, be
ing throughout her domain q model OF law an
order sustained virtually without courts. tn
admiration OF all well-minded and liberty los
ing peoples. While constitutional liberty is sti
against the steel hand Of the invader, it, is q
delicate as tho petal OF the rose to the touch
injustice from within. Robbed Of Justice, it
Il power: robbed OF power, it is robbed OF lit
Outraged. contempt. death" Is the epitaph in
scribed Oh liberty tablets adown the mausoleul
Of time. A wrang to a state is a wrong to tt
Union. While injustice Injuries her directly, II
gangrone of her wounds is absorbed into ever
Ab:e Of the body polite Of which she is a men
edy is to heal and the only ointment righteo,
justice- She no longer solicits . favor with
the province Of congress to grant or withol
She demands . right granted by law which col
gross cannot legally refuse. II her people a
content with less than justice. why are we Vi
worthy to be free2 II the nation offers less 1t
- ia Ah4 - ----AIA
tional liberty. Dakota Is . state with eve
possible prerequisite fulfilled, q fact which al
knows and will cause congress to know. 81
embodiss the best effort Of the civilization
tbs age. and tho broadcast charity the world cv
produced, heKotten by the rcltgfsn OF Chri,
festsred by the constitution of the United Stat
%penAence. Situated In the bosom Of tho Uni
whose great artery cuts her In twain IS 1t press
on to the sos. embracing her mountains Of gol
III MOST FERTILE SOIL,
which laughs at tho caresses Of her happy hu
bandmen, rejoicing in the most saiubrlous clir
her Wiling hand and loyai esrtAherseif-t t
sisterheod Of states. / have free confidence til
your patriotic devotion and courageous manic
will never permit You to betray the sacred TIL
to your keeping. and that you will devise a
adop: such means and measures" in the futr
~ may be found necessary to fully realize t
expectations OF your constituencies. II tn
rights continue to be ignored. II their distra
chisement is enforced until the hardships ar
ing from dependency shall reduce them to nc
4 erty and starvation, whether to abandon t
beautiful lard of their adoption and the ruins
the magnificent state OF their creation, y Ia
sacred to them by every tie OF patria, and SOC
endearnent and by the graves of their dead, a
return to their former homes which will hf
pAsssd into the hands of strangers, or To ado
9 further measures to maintain their rights, "
be q Queh.ton for freemen to decide. Tho pr,
perinE of this state cannot long endure in
prassnt co"ndision-schopls, churches and ben.
q olent institutions must be abandoned,
9 reduced without the aid Of the proceeds OF
9 lands held in alb vance for this support. l.
/ erty is the touch-stone that inspires tho civ
\ ization OF the age. Tyranny long sustain
I. begets subjects fit for tyrants. The State
Dakota commits her cause to the decision of
American congress, and claims for its consid
alton paramount to the interest OF the rem,
Il people CT the Eastern or even Western cont
. emit, and expects justice. Being again den
her rights. she will carry her cause to
national judiciary, and finally, with firm re
ance upon their verdict, to the people OF
= states in their primary and sovereign capac
. rs monarchs of even the legislative. execut
and judiciary, which are, after all, the creatu
+ Of their Will. By this verdict they will abide.
I