, 1889-11-07
Moore received the following telegram ;
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 1885,.


Governor Miles &. Moore, Olympia:
think | must await the arrival of the
certificate you have forwarded. l ought
not to express any opinion as to the
proper time for the choosing of senators,
but your attention Is called to section ~
of the enabling act, and to the proceed
ings In South Dakota.
BENJAMrN HARRISON.
This was not the especial answer Gov
ernors Moore and Ferry were looking
for. They expected word that President
Harrison had satisfied himself of the
authenticity of the certificate to the
constitution which was signed only by
Secretary White, and that he would
Issue his proclamation. Governor Moore
has maintained from tho beginning that
his letter to the president transmitting
the official copy of the constitution
and ten pamphlet copies OF IL
was in itself a certificate, and the authen'
ticity of the document having been es-
tablished thereby, the proclamation
should be forthcoming. He has not
been alone on his opinion; many able
lawyers agree with him. Justices Dun
bar and Hoyt of the supreme court sus-
tain his views. II was in accordance
Herewith that before retiring Monday
night Tho governor sent this telegram,
which must have reached the President
this forenoon:
OLYMPIA, Wash, Nov. 8.
To President HARRISON: Does not my
letter OF October %, 1883, substantially
comply with section of the enabling
act2 See especially paragraphs and Q.
Able attorneys are of the opinion that IL
does. MILES @. MOORE,
Governor.
IL was on this question that Moore and
Ferry we're anxious to hear from the
president. AS it was, the presidents
telegram while it was not proclamn-
tion, and did not contain promise OF
one at an early date, cheered the assem-
bled legislature. 1t partially lifted the
veil OF uncertainty that has hung over
the situation since yesterday, and was
an official guide to some course oil pro-
cedure. 1t told the legislature almost in
so many words that it could meet and
elect United States senators, and II they
wanted precedent for such action there
was the case of South Dakota. This has
been Governor Moore's opinion. Gov
ernor Ferry has held that a proclama-
tion was necessary to make the election
of senators constitutional.
The members oc the house held a
meeting in Columbia hall this evening
to take action the matter. When the
meeting was called to order there were
thirty. five in the hall and fifteen more
arrived before 1t was over. Colonel
Feighan of Spokane Falls was elected
president, and Hughes of King secretary
Geoghcgan's motion for the appoint
ment of a committee to act with the sem
ate committee was objected to by Brown
of Spokane, but prevailed by vote OF
thirty three to twenty.
A motion that it was the sense of the
meeting that the house meet and organ
ize ut noon tomorrow, and that the
committee just appointed be instructed
to notify the senate committee of that
fact, provoked considerable discussion.
Geoghegan opposed it because IL was
committing Inc house. Several others
raised objections to ii, but it was passed.
The senate met after adjournment of
the house and voted to meet at noon to-
morrow.
Governor Moore was invited to pre-
side, it being the opinion of the senators
that he had as much right to preside as
the senate has to meet