Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-28
cs@psELL TO SPRINGER.

caAP2ELL 10 SPRINGER.
The Illinois Statesman ~ Given al
series or Queries to which he Will
Hardly Attempt q Reply.
Hon. Hugh j.. Campbell. of Yankton.
glves the press the following copy of an
open letter prepared by him, and address
sed TO Congressman VIM. nj. Springer.
OF Illinois. The letter is characteristic
of Judge Campbell, and will have q good
feet wherever READ:
Yankton, Feb. 20, lSS8-Hon. VIM. NJ.
Springer, representative from Illinois
Sir: l see IN the st. Paul Globe, of
February 10, q reported interview with
you in which you are represented as say
ing, on the Dakota question, that "the
fact is thetsouth Dakota is trying to
secede and north Dakota is trying to
keep her in the union, into which they
were bound liz 1861 by q republican presl-
dent, at q time when the southern por-
ton of the entire country Was trying to
secede. The majority in tue north was
agaiEst secession then, and the majority
IN north Dakota is against secession now.
II takes two TO make q contract, and
ought to take two to annul it, and both
should remain in it until both sides
should agree to dissolve it." ,
The st. Paul Globe, the leading demo
cratic organ OF the west, ls friendly to
you and to the great party which you
represent, and i assume that it has not
imisrepresented you. Otherwise [ should
lhave1been inclined TO regard this re-
.puted interview as a somewhat malicious
misrepresentation of the views of SO
distinguished n able a representative
of The western democracy as yourself,
Y Him ole, We are told, even democratic
Illinois. is NOT unfriendly to the lnterests
OF the great west, of which she is so
proud a part. naturally So, for western
interests are her interests. Therefore,
when her iavorite son upon whom che
+presumptivsiy conferred the mantle Of
the great Douglas takes the position as
sumed IN your interview, hostile Gs is TO
every interest of the west, we would
have discredited the truthfnlnees of the
report had it not been youehed fer by
your party friends.
Our incredibly gave wsy TO unfeign-
ed ainazement as we read your remark
able pronunoiamento.
MT. Doug.as. your distinguished pre-
decessor, ass the leader OF the Illinois
democracy, was abriiliant and daring
statesman, who often astoniahed the
people by the fertility and originality OF
bis resources and the audsclty of his
measures. Bat Stephen A. Douglas, in
his most audaoious mood, meyer sstonish-
ed the people by q doctrine SO entirely
original and novel ns that sancancea bs
you in this interview.
Yon say shat south Dakota is trying
to eecede" because she wishes to have
3 fair sized state, with 100000 people
and ample resources, carved out of the
immense domain of the territory Of
which she nov forms a part. This is a
new md startling proposition. What
other Eteteeman ever announced the dis
aovery that the division of q territory,
IN the los nation of u new state, was
"secession?"
Blu it Is true. Mr.. Spslngsr7 When
Illinois was divided from the great ter
ritory OF Illinois 70 form the state Ut Hill
nois, was that secession p What will
your Illinois friends say to that doctrine
kr. Springer?
When Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wis
cousin, Lows, Arkansas. Missouri, Minnie.
sofa, Kansas aud Nebraska wert each OF
them divided from thu immense terri
tories OF which thay formed part, did
they sach and all OF them commit the
crime of secession z"
But in this remarkable interview you
say further that sit takes two TO make Q
contract, and ougbtso take two to snnul
ls, and both should remain in IL until
both sides should agree TO dissolve it,"
Pardon our presumption in asking yoI
9 question. for we know that il is pre-
sumption in your eyes for inhsbitants
of o territory TO question the wisdom Of
one occupying so high q station as thai
OF membes of congress-: When and by
what tribunal was the organic ect Great
ing asterritory declared to be contract
between the different parts of the terri
toryf
When Illinois was g territory, was
there q contract between that part which
il now she state OF Illinois, snd the re-
naming parts, which became the terri
tories of Wisconsin, and Michigan, tia
fIliinols should remain forever O part o
them until .'boih sides agreed to die
solve' the union between them? Or, wa
Illinois q different .ort Of territory tror
DakotaP
Or, lie the difference one between th,
stat ,smen of that day and this?
Ia it that the Springeral and Butter
npd Vests Of this day are wiser ant
lrsatsr than the Olays and Bentons ane
Jacksons and Douglases OF the day o
the Illinois territory?
IT the requsst OF Dakota, that she bs
divided, 10 now "eecession J" If the or
eAnic act creating Dakota is . soon
tract" and that creating illinois, wa
not q Contract" how do yon aceouM
for it tina no statesman till our day eve
discovered or announced 60 grave ans
important q change in the principles o
territorial government
IT il were any other than the grea
leader Of the democracy Of Illinois, AM
the chairman OF the committee on terri
tories, and one of the chosen leaders o
the democracy in congress-, who had sal,
this, most people would have styled 1t
tpardon the word nonsense.
No one would have believed that suel
craftsmanship could lead the grea
democratic party, for the obvious reason
shat tilt did it would lead il speedily &
the devil. No party in the world coul,
} surylve such leadership twelve months
Notwithstanding the authority CT you
high position and the pains you hayy
taken TO impress MS with thst fact, th
hrm faith of the people of DAKOTA
that such strong and fair democrats 8
the Hon. s, g.. Cox and the representa-
tive western democrats, south and north
will emphatically disown such leader
ship when the Dakota queBtion come
before them, and will refuse to be psrtie
to the attempted fraud and folly Of tn
Springer bill. Yours respectfully,