Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-03-05

defined more than q quarter of u CEN
tnry ago, before its civilized inhabitants
numbered 5000. Had it been divided
into territories, no one would advocate,
Tor an instant the idea Of forcing both
sections of the territory into the union
as one state. Ia there n serious in
tention of unlting Idaho with Montana
or Washington or Wyoming with Uteh
asd forcing the two into the union rs Sne
stateT The proposition to force the
people of Dakota into one state against
their expressed will, or to deny them
their rights is simply the exercise of
arbitrary power, and can almost be com.
pared witt: sheer brute force. 1t is re-
pugnant to the spirit, as well as the let
ter OF our law and government. We are
told, in the maj ,rity report of this SOM
mittee during the f~orty-ninth congress-,
thst each and every portion of the bal
nee of the United States, has as much
right to say what boundaries and area
the new states shall have. 1t ia o pertin-
ent inquiry as to what methods the
gentlemen propose to take for ascertain.
ing the wishes of the country upon this.
subject One thing is quite manifest
the wishes OF the people of the proposed
state are to be disregarded If possible.
What would Jefferson say to this? What
would Douglas say? What does the.
ordinance of 1877 sey? What does the
Louisiana treaty say? What did Michi-
gan say, when congress undertook TO
mark her boundaries? And what did
Iowa and California do regarding the
boundaries of their respective states ?
Iowa voted to stay out of the union
rather than adopt the boundaries marked
out for her by congress, and congress
conceded what she wished. Ali the
ans wers have been one way, and tbat is,
the will Of the people of the territory
and proposed state, expressed within
the principles and policy of the govern
ment, the constitution and treaties, is
supreme. To thwart it, is %usurpstion;
to insist upon it is tyranny. To adopt
this principle would be the end of our
state government"
Such is the strength of our case as it
appears to disinterested and fair men,
In congress.
There is some ground for believing
shat Mr.. Cox and the fair and just demo.
cratic members OF the house, who are
disgusted by the i~njustic and obvious
dishonesty of the Springer bill, may
succeed in passing the Baker bill through
the house.
4. they do, and this bill, or any bill
giving us division, is made lsw, the
people OF Dakota will be satisfied.
Bot, in any event, the proposed con-
vention will be necessary.
III division passes it will be necessary
to enable the people to consult as to the
proper steps to take under their new
government.
III it does not pass it will be necessary
to enable them to consult as to the steps
necessary to then take.
For this fight must be tept up till we
win, as We shall.
To aid MIR. Cox end our friends in
their work for Dakota, tho committee
urge upon friends of division to at once
hold meetings in the various towns and
cities. and send to Mr.. Cox petitions
signed by ss many citizens as possible.
setting forth the sentiments OF the peo-
pie.
Ii nothing is done by congress the
issue is upon us.
1t simply means that you will have
to decide for yourselves, within the
next three months, IN the formation of
party lines, IN the nominations for
members OF the Legislature, for dele.
gates to the national conventions, and
for congressional delegate, the auea-
tion, whether you will lie still under
the dead weight of intolerable taxation,
ruinous interest, and burdens of varl
Gus kinds, which are eating out your
life and substance, and literally eating
up the farmer, for an indefinite
number OF years to come, or wheth-
or, in the spirit of true Americans Tree
men, you will unhinching take the
manly, lawful and peaeeable steps
which the people of ether territories, in
like circumstances aH yourselves, have
hitherto taken successfully, and which
will lead, directly and immediately, to
local enforcement, Responsible to
the people, chosen by the people, and
acting for the people.
This will tie for you to decide IN the
next few months n way or the other.
You must either do it or let II aiohe and
take the consequences.
The people il they would be helped,
must move in q body and help them
selves.
Therefore, to give an opportunity to
the people, as such, to express their will
on this important matter, it has been
suggested that the people be called to-
gether in o large delegate convention
this coming spring, at some convenient
time and place.
And also, that at the same time and
place, leading members of the four great
interests among us, be requested to call
Hterests, to meet separately and on the
Io- enIt1-tp~ Shn rapaSa nao r,,z&,o, a.
consider and act upon any recommends
tions which that conventions may make.
1t is therefore contemplated that on
the day following the general conyen-
tion. there will be assembled conventions
of. the four following named bodies, TO
be called by members of each.
LIST. The farmers and business men.
I'd. The press.
Sd. The clergy
4th. The legal profession.
Upon the first named order falls most
directly and heavily the ruinous rates Of
interest, and the uniust exactionB i'm
posed by corrupt legislation. Their
representatives, in that convention, will
consider how this movement may BIS
guided, so as to best remedy these evils.
The press is the voice of the people,
through which alone public sentiment
can be uttered with power. When
united and In earnest, they are omnip-
otent. They will review the proceed
.ings OF the general convention. and, il
these are stamped with their approval.
that will make the movement universal
and impossible to defeat.
The clergy have in their charge those
high moral and intellectual interests,
which alone make q commonwealth
great, and which . only live and
flourish under and by the free workings