Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-06-09

sh0 hhtSkhRSCo SS0kStCA III ITO BtUtig vi
Dakota into an unwilling consent 10 be
admitted as q state.
ls is also O fact OF history that the last
Legislature unwisely bound the territor-
.Ial government hand and foot end de-
llrered il over into the hands of the eye.
eatiYe, bestowiug upon him euto-
cratic and despotie powers unexempied
in the history of any territory Or state,
and that these powers have been used
by that executive as despoticaliy ss they
were conferred and without regarl IL
the wishes os interests OF the people.
II ia siso 6 matter of experience that
unless come organized effort shall be
Yentions and elections for members of
the legislature and for delegate, to elect
an Independents, honest and fearless leg.
i~slature who will sternly retake from
the hands of the executive these exces-
siye and unusual bowers OF which the
people have been robbed, and
who will further, unterriied by
executive dictation and unpurchased
by favor or reward, pass the necessary
Measures to enable the people of Da-
kota peacefully and lawfully to exercise
their rights Of self government, to con-
troll their expenditures and to take the
proper steps for their relief from their
present degrading and abject condition
Ut territorial yassalage, no relief will be
had from the next legislature. The
financial and business interests of Ysnk-
ton county, as well as OF the territory,
will suffer the most severely.
IT this be so, then the people of Da-
kota will be absolutely powerless and
without recourse, for the next two years,
The action Of congress towards the
people of Dakota is the most lawIess ard
and high. handed outrage ever committed
by the American government upon its
own citizens.
This is no matter OF mere sentiment.
This territorial government, which he's
no legal right to exist longer, is paralyz-
ing every financial interest of tho terri
tory.
It tramples upon.every constitutional
right and liberty. 10 outraees our self
respect. Every instinct of righteous
self defense rebels against it.
To submit quietly, or to protest only
in words and by petitions. is but tamely
TO invite fresh insults from Springer,
Vest and Butler, and to admit their
claim that they may lawfully govern us
as o territory permanently.
To avoid this great disaster o common
Plan OF Action, and q common leader
ship under one head is necessary.
TO erect a legislature that can and
will give the necessary relief it is also
necessary to nominate and elect - dele
gate who will be pledged to the same
Plan of Action.
I hold, then, these three things, essen.
tial TO the success of any plan for the re-
lief of Dakota:
First-That the delegate convention
OF Watertown mature and present to the
people o general Plan of Action.
S~econd-That the various legislative
conventions unanimously concur in and
and support this Plan of Action.
Third-That the nominees for dele
gate and for Legislature be. each and all
OF them pledged TO and elected on this
Plan of Action.
This Plan of Action should be this:
First-To invite the friends of Two
states, in both north and south Dakota,
to drop all side issues and ell local and
sectional rivalries and to unite for the
common purpose OF securing two states
and q speedy relief from our territorial
sublugation.
Second-To elect o legislature which
will Immediately pass laws convoking as
speedily as possible fwo constitutional
conventions, one for north and one for
youth Dakota.
Also laws taking from the governor oil
the powers that have been SO unwisely
taken from the people and conferred
him.
Also laws prohibiting and making lm-
possible all conflict or collision, between
the territorial government, and the two
new state governments, and pledRing the
territorial government to q hearty CO.
operation with such state governments.
If such a Plan of Action is agreed
upon by the republicans at Watertown,
they can sweep the territory by sixty
Thousand majority, and the states of
north and south Dakota will be admitted
within twelve months from the time the
next territorial Legislature meets.
To guard against all possible misun-
~derstandinR, except willtull misrepre-
%sentation, l add that no measures are
contemplated in the abnve plan, save
those which can be lawfully and peace
ably taken, and which will be strictly in
accordance with the laws and constitu-
ton OF the United States s.
With these views, ii the republicans
of Dakota, shall see proper. OF your re-
quest, to intrust me with their stan-
dard. I will cheerfnlly accept this trust,
with the conviction that they will carry
it to assured victory next November, and
that the result will bea speedy sdmis-
sion OF the states OF North and South
Dakota into the union.
Respectfully yours,
RUGH j. CAMPBELL.
SORE FROM KNEE TO ANKLE.