Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-07

The condition Of things now existing in
Montana illustrates or proves the uncon-
stitutionality of the act Of Congress under
which an attempt is to be made to seat the
persons claiming to have been elected to
the Senate and House Of Representatives of
the United States from the four northwest
ern Territories, now spoken Of as if they
were States. The elections for members
of the Legislature in Montana are to be
contested. The two parties, the Demo-
cratic and the Republican, cannot agree as
TO what men We're lawfully elected TO the
lower house Of the General Assembly of
that Territory. II Is now supposed-cer-
tainly it is possible-that there will be two
rival lower houses. President HARRI-
BON will be called upon by the so
called Legislature of the Republicans
20 put down insurrectiOn and rebellion
in Montana. and will do so, thereby de-
fraudng the Democratic House out of its
rights. and causing the new State so-called
TO owe its existence to force. Montana
Will be made Republican State by the
army Of tire United States under the COM
mand Of the President of the United
States.
All these proceedings will be clearly in
violation of that section of the Federal
Constitution which provides that new
States may be admitted into the Union
by he Congress- Here will be Territory
converted into State by fraud and force.
First the Democrats elected to the lower
House from Silver Bow county are
fraudulently deprived of their ere
dentials. The courts interpose in the
interest of justice. and seek to seat
the Democratic members. The clerk of
the county certifies TO their election. But
the Republican Secretary OF State in a
bogus or imperfect OF inchoate State takes
il upon himself to certify to the election
Of the Republican candidates The cOnse-
quence will be that the Democratic House
of Delegates will disappear; the Governor
Of the Territory of Montana will certify
10 the President of the United States that
all the requirements of the enabling act
have been complied with, and the wrong
and outrage will then be completed by Mr..
HARRISON, who, as President of the United
States. will issue his proclamation an
nouncing the result of the elections in
Montana; and, wonderful transformation,
the issuing of this proclamation will. under
the enabling act, convert Territory into
State without any further action on tho
part of Congress, the only body having
power under the Constitution TO declare
that new States have been admitted into
the Union, or 10 decide whether they have
been admitted or not. The enabling act
makes short work Of the serious and sol
emn business Of creating new States. Ii
provides in many words that if the
constitutions and governments of said pro-
proposed States are republican in form,
and all the provisions Of this act have been
complied with in the formation thereof. il
shall be the duty OF the President Of the
United States to issue his proclamation
mot admitting the State--that would have
been too patent violation OF the Consti-
tuition. butt announcing the result Of the
election IN each, and thereupop the pro-
posed States shall be deemed adj
mitted by Congress into the Union"
Deemed admitted by Congress- is good.
il Is q falsehood These words ere
employed as means OF concealing
Q clear violation OF the Federal Constitu-
ton. Who has power 20 decide whether
the constitutions and governments of the
Territories are republican in form? Con-
gress and Congress only. Who has power
TO decide Whether all the requirements Of
the enabling act have been complied withS
Congress and Congress only. Who has
power 10 decide whether majority Of the