Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-07-13

the LAND QUESTION
Hon. S. S. COX Delivers q
Fourth ofJuly Grafton at
Huron, s. D..
The Burden of His Speech
the All Important
Land Problem.
Isuyortan Facts and Figures Reia-
alive TO the Resources OF the
Northwest Teryitory-An
ecdote and Incidents.
sneech OF Samuel s. COY.

sp by AL immense crowd OF people. Hundreds
NJ people visited The city by special trains
ns-aaa all directions 10 listen to the New York
orator.
NJ Cox began his address by referring TO
cent in decisive battles OF the world, Ia which
Saratoga bore a part. There was more en-.
~durlng importance, said the speaker, In inves-
tt1atlng the chain Of causes which led up to
TAGS battles ana which helped the world 10
tnsrk great changes In the trend Of progress.
The Fourth Of July WAS IA pivotal period In a
larger sense. Our fathers then struck, not
for their liberties but for their independence.
They never lost the former.
fsse speAker then consi Tered the ~inadeQuacy
.o1 tho articles Of confederation which led To
Z a c1nstitut ional era OF 1883. He discussed
I'm detail the grand events connected with
.ghgth Observation-Disclosures xnd Europe
AMI bed that the ascending series Of acts
,wIssch eliminated In our constitution and in
the EEench revolution, barring its excuses,
,wss The end which crowned the work ana
guAde tue year 1889 annus mtraDilts.
1he speaker referred 10 the debt which
Aurerica owed 10 France, and instituted a
com Htrisop between the TWO revolutions con-
c41dlng that portion Of bis subject by saying:
These great centennial events are worthy
al ceie bration, joiEt and several. Ii matters
UtiIr 70 he people Of either country thar
l3fdp ye.c A,ugs aud GutoCiauc cnpcro.s look
.sx keEg upon such demonstrations 1t matters
tsftfIe 10 France, and nothing to us, now that
aErs:.ee has MODERATED her policies and con-
fov4DeG her poiity with our own, that she had
40 pass through toe Red sea before she
reached tne promised land"
Thereupon, the speaker discussed what was
0he burden Of his speech land contcnding
taAt the old congress had no more important
question connected with independence and
.IutCn than land.
although IT may be said that the plough
Ind the land is a familiar figure In Fourth OF
July Celebralions, these are OF no avail II lib.
~erty be lacking. Their free use is the bes,
Foundation Of freedom, and how to secure
this was The problem to be solved by the
Amerieac congress In the period ante.datlne
81 wen as'slbsequent to the constitution.
"Those VITO were early associated with the
%ETETsstion OF the lands OF the northwest ter
rttoEy were impressed by the importance and
difficulty OF their management IN the Interest
Sf frugal. speedy and fair settlement. IL yol
study The early history Of the western terri
c0des, you will DC profoundly impressed by
%he wisdom and self restraint that marked
Che hrst advancement OF our settlements be
ynnd the Appalachian chain toward the Mis-
aSissippi aud the Pacific"
he then referred to the cessions by tn,
states OF Virginia, Massachusetts, North Car
cdlna ana New York connected with III,
a thwestern lands 10 the fede. al govern
gaeut, quoting Chief Justice Chase as holdin,
that the title OF these lands, by virtue Of tn
conquest, was In the federal union.
Dilating upon the acts OF the early con
gress, the ordinance OF 1887 and the prepare
ttoas for the proper disposition OF the land
drawn by Jefferson, he anne to the Louisian
purchase, In which was situated the four ney
states lust about 10 be admitted 10 the union
ENne speaker then made a resume Of tn,
purchase Of Louisiana, fits necessity and tn
foresight OF Jefferson; and held that the wis
dom OF this purchase showed that Jefferson
" s-aS first among American statesmen In hi
p y1sit2 OF cur future beyon1 the OHIO and TIT
Mississippi.
EHE WISDOM OF THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE
"The wisdom OF the purchase led to
reconciliation with Spain, for that Jealous
COVER was Ia actual possession OF Louisiana
waeR tn treaty was signed, although IL had
. heMCGssaNy transferred by Spain to France
Soa.e OF our contemporary writer's have
Enatgaed what Washington would now think
s;I the progress OF the greater west. Although
he had an idea OF the vastGc2s or our imperial
gGture: and although he travelled TO the Ohlc
valley and projected water connections be
tween the Atlantic and the Ohio rlyer-tht
development Of the westcrnmost west, could
.Eye see Il Today, would confound bis ken, gave
additional tremor to his compass, and as
Nuud his most ext avagant fancy.
lie was, in many ways, frst In war, hrs'
En pegce. first ~ the hearts OF his country
amen: but his foresight as 10 our domain was
AtmiteQ Dy the ONO ElNcI, ~ VI AHc moSb y
Thc TERRITORY east Cf the Mississippi. 1T II
'vholnas Jefferson who vas first, and Will for
ever remain first. az the statesman AMI arti
sirer Of that policy which compreherded tn
EgXnfs between the Mississippi and the Paclhc
3IIts vision was not blinded by the beauty an(
xtchuess Of the Virginia and Ohio valleys. |
reveled IN the filth and wealth OF ages I'm
ncYn, beyond the widest dreams OF n
.3larters Of the Atlantic coast. Besides, N
xoa1e i practical provision as well as econo
rnk. provision as TO the details Of our land
and their settlement. His plan compre
hended their division By townships, section
and quarter sections, and their sale 10 IN
settler.
t'The Great West was to him more than
land Of homes and farms aud states. 1t wa
n charm, like an inspiration
Paradise and groves
EIyeian Fortunate Fields like those Of ole
Sought IN TIE Atlantic main
NATURAL RIGHTS OF MAN.
Gas the Institutions which Jefferson as
sisted 70 unfold were The result OF experience
and as that experience was inspired by the
natural rights Of mankind, he foresaw II
clear dream aud solemn vision the social ant
political conditions Of his own time, am
hazed out a path for It's future greatness
apd advancement. Although his ideas IN
the declaration were abstract, they had th'
- ~USlities OF incentive, expansion aud adapt
Eabtlttr Tor every future urgency anu eMer
9Sncy OF the republic.
.DUn CIVIL WAR AMI THE MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY.
1.-THE question whether the Mississippi
, EAould aow from It's remotest sources In the
mountains throueh an allen country, was In
colyed IN our civil war. II was thought by
the south 81 the beginning OF that war, tina,
aat her than lose the Mississippi and It's out.
let. the nortlwcst would clesve 10 the south
and pnt company with the east. What 8
nelusIont And what a contest was that FOL
She Mississippi. Thanks 10 Farraout and his
Spo den suips and non men--it was a contes,
whose ordeal settled forever the integrity
<zf the valley and a. a cons quence-of The
~ luton. That contest was closed forever by
Che de an OF The confederacs.
~'Nr Lincoln said, In Au usf, l>C3, that
sthe IA der az Waters again runs unve1ed 10
- be sea. Thanks to the great northwest
Tee. not Wholly 10 them. New England, the
ai.vston-. And New Jersey have helped tc
aew nur W " right ami left-to the gulf
ID pun less, there are many veterans here
s&r gt.is NOE u d-v h'"h the main source
- tht> rev, or CIV ' = rses-who did their
Caatsio &c part ~ n.asi.g good the words Vi