Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-04-19
DAVIS ON DAKOTA.
The Minnesota Senator Delivers the
Greatest Speech Yet Made
Upon That Topic.

Senator Davis, OF Minnesota, made a
great speech in iavor Of tho admission oil
Dakota as a state, and the senator's on
the floor, especially the Republicans, gath
cred around Mr. Davis and gave him close
attention. Upon several mw points Senator
Edmunds showed great interest ia the ad-
dress. and lelped the senator from Minnesota
with several suggestions. The speech is con-
sidered by members Of the senate as one OF
the best ever delivered on the floor, and con-
gratulatioas flowed in upon the senator
from Minnesota in great numbers at the
close of bis speed It was known to be his
maiden effort in any extended way and
therefore was listened TO by the people in
the galleries and upon the floor with some
curiosity In his reply TO Senator Butter OF
South Carolina he so wrought up that gen
tleman that he was hardly able to collect
himself Mr.. Davis said:
Dakota became territory on the I'd day
of March, 1861. when states which have OPP
posed her admission were seeding from the
Union. Those states reassumed their inter
rupted relations with little delay, but for
years this great Northern commonwealth,
for purely party purposes, has been denied
an equivalent Justice. Her people now re-
appear, demanding rights which reason can
not gainsay, or nretext eyade, with decent
10 which they are en-
titled by treaty stipulations between this ma
ton and foreign power; by compact DC
tween the original states. entered into be-
fore the constitution was adopted, and
which by many statutes has been since con-
trmed. applied and extended as guaranty
of statehood over regions of the West, OF the
Southwest and on the Pacific coast From
these domains states nave come into being
nd cd N ~
milton and performance of both
the treaty and the compact This
commonwealth makes claim upon
equities more imperative even than these
legal rights In 1903 Napoleon Bonaparte
WAS first consul of France aud Thomas Jet-
ferson was president of the United States
Each of these men was the child of de-
mocracy. and they were the most president
statesmen of that time Each had foreseen
the world grasping policy OF England, and
had foretoid its persistent processes, which
have ever since and are now in course OF
fulfilment The hollow truce which followed
the treaty of Amiens was about to be broken
by wars which eventually crushed France
and applied the torch to the public buildings
and archives of the capital OF the United
States In contemplation OF this struggle
these chief magistrates of the only republics
then existing negotiated a treaty by which
the United States acquired fIom France
more territory than the people of the COL
onies had wrested from Great Britain by the
war of the Revolution This domain is now
Louisiana. Arkansas, Iowa, all OF Minnesota
west of the Mississippi river, Kansas,
Nebraska the Indian Territory, part OF
Wyoming and Dakota
Mr.. Davis said, replying to the senator
from South Carolina that the two United
States senators coming here represented but
IL 900 voters In Southern Dakota. He
pnfnfRl the fact that in
tain counties lying southeast and southwest
of the Potomac river q great party had been
wiped out and moved away like a summer
COTTAGE Senator Davis then proceeded TO
read the election returns from several
Southern districts, showing the number oil
votes which congressman from southern
districts represented Among Others he
showed that the representative from the
First Arkansas district had received 6,O92
votes, with no opposition. In the Fifth dis
trict the representative received 2 AGA votes,
with no opposition In Georgia, in the
First district, the representative had re-
ceived / ,704 against II opposition; in the
Second district the representative had re-
celved 2.4ll votes. no opposition
in the Third district the representa-.
tive had received 1,704, with no opposi-
ton; in the Fourth district there were DOS
votes cast against $50 in opposion; in the
Fifth district, 1900, with no opposition; IN
Vic clAlh hlSlilIbs II 80 NJ OplpHiSAVhs ~
the Eighth district, 2,2S7 against. 90 scat.
tering; in the Ninth district, 2 400, with l
opposition. In the State of Louisiana Mr..
Blanchard had received ], IA votes, with nc
opposition; in the Second district the repre-
sentative had received ), 74O, with no oppo-
stion; in the Seventh district the representa-
tive has received sos, with q scattering.
The same condition of things existed in
South Carolina, where the representatives
had been elected by 4 600 to 5000 votes
without opposition. And vet the senator
from South Carolina has seen fit TO critIclse
the fact that but ~ 600 votes had been cast
for delegates 70 the constitutional conven-
ton which had formed this constitution.
HIS CONCLUSIONS
Mr. Davis closed his speech as follows:
Enough, and more than enough. has been
thus adduced ON these questions, ana il
stands established:
First-That the ordinance Of 1887. ex.
tended as il was after the adoption of the
federal constitution over regions not affected
by its provisions and also re-enacted as tC
the territory first affected by it, has been re.
garded as comforting upon the people of d
territory the right to adopt a constitution
and TO apply for admission into the Union
Second-That the stipulations of the treaty
with France have been regarded in several
instances as comforting the same right, and
that the treaty with Spain was so regarded
in the case of Florida.
Third-That many states have formed theiI
constitutions and have been admitted with
out enabling acts, and the objection that
they thus proceed led was not perceived by
Washington, was directly contrary 20 the
opinion OF Jackson, and was distinctly re.
futed by Madison. Macon, Benton, Clay,
Buchanan, John Quincy Adams and by many
other statesmen less eminent
Fourth-That the people of some OF these
states have thus proceeded, after repeated
denials OF their petitions for the passage 81
enabling acts.
Fifth-That in some instances the adoption
of constitution by popular vote has aoi
been required, and that the question OF
boundaries has been adjusted as proposed by
the present bin.
IL follows from all this that there never
was any consistent practice on this subject
What other excuses remain Tor poStponlnp
this long delayed act of justiceg This course
of evasion, quibbling, prUueXt and denial has
run so long that it has ceased to be a mere
error. Never in the history of this govern,
ment has such a commonwealth knocked
and IN vain, ut the doors of the Union; never
has the equity of any people been so shame
fully own-t1odden. On account of griey
ances much the same our ancestors rebelled
On account of grievances less than this
though much the same and committed by
the same party and for the same purpose
the injustice done Kansas shocked the Dopu.
lar conscience and conyerged upon It's per
petrators the condemnation OF the world
On account of oppression much the same
for home government denied, for the impo
sitIon of rulers alien to the soil who govern
like proconsuls, we blame England, condolt
with Ireland, mold meetings. pass resolu
tons and contribute money, with selt-sutfi
cient hypocrisy, while We are full of the
same offense. l shall not, Mr.. President, de
a a
sistent injustice. It. is known of all men.
shall content myself with presenting Dakota
as she Is to-day.
After arguing at some length in favor o
division, Mr.. Davis continued: TIL,
present govern ment is insufficient Ii hal
for years been an anachronisn, The terri.
toral system OF administration is in theory
and ought always to be in practice. merely
temporary and provisional! for the short tim'
during which the process Of forming tn,
state is gone through. The true enabling
act, in principle, Is the act establishing tn,
territory How il it with this common
wealth, grown to full stature and exceeding
beauty, standing scorned suppliant with
out, while sister states contemning her, ar,
national glory, to which she has contributed
so muchg
THE PRESENT GOVERNOR
is a sojourner from New York. His prede
cessor was a sojourner from Illinois, WHIT
was preceded by a sojourner from New
Hampshire, who succeeded a sojourue
from Michigan. The legislature is u council
of Lweuty-four members and house o
representatives Of forty eight members
meets biepnially and its sessions are limited
to sixty days A United States statute pro
hibits legislation by special act upol
many subjects which all experience hai
shown are best treated in that manner
Such a legislative system is utterly made
quabe 20 the rapidly growing needs of such
people. Any government IN which rublic o
private justice is delayed or made un
certain stands condemned by that sngl,
fact The entire jurisdiction, origina
and appellate. of the courts of recorC
of Dakota, both federal and territorial, 4
vested in six judges Justice delayed 4
justice denied. These magistrates hold sew
eral terms each year OF the supreme court
and LIZ, thu La