St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-02
Text Of the Act That Is to
Bring in the Dakotas as
States.
The First Voting to Be Done
on the Second Tuesday
in May.
State Conventions to Meet on
the Coming Fourth Of
July.
The Final Vote to Be Had on
the Second Tuesday OF
October.

An act to provide for the division of
Dakota into two states, and to enable
the people of North Dakota. South
Dakota, Montana and Washington to
form constitutions and state govern
ments. and to be admitted into the
Union on an equal footing with the
original states, and to make donations
of public lands to such states.
Section l. That the inhabitants of all
that part of the area of the United
States now constituting the territories
of Dakota, Montana and Washington,
as at present described, may become
the states Of North Dakota, South Da-
kota, Montana and Washington, re-
spectively, as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 2. The area comprising the ter
ritory of Dakota shall, for the purposes
Of this act, be divided on the line of the
west to the western boundary of said
territory; and the delegates elected as
hereinafter provided to the cOnstitu-
tiOnal convention i'll districts north of
said parallel shall assemble in conyen-
ton at the time prescribed in this act,
at the city of Bismarck; and the dele
gates elected in districts south of said
parallel shall, at the same time, assem-
bic in convention at the city of Sioux
Falls.
Sec. 5. That all persons who are
qualified by the laws of said territories
to vote for representatives TO the legiS-
lature assemblies thereof are hereby
authorized to vote for and choose dele
gates to form conventions in said pro-
posed states; and the qualifications for
delegates to such conventions shall be
such as by the laws of said territories
respectively persons are required to
possess to be eligible to the legislative
assemblies thereof: and the aforesaid
delegates to form said conventions shall
be appointed within the limits OF the
proposed states, in such districts as may
be established as herein provided, in
proportion to the population in each of
said counties and districts. as near as
may be, TO be ascertained at the time of
making said appointments by the per-
sons herein authorized to make the
same, from the best information
obtainable, in each of which dis
tricts three delegates shall be
elected, but no elector shall vote for
more than Two persons for delegates to
such conventions: that said apportion-
mentS shall be made by the governor,
the chief justice and the secretary of
SAID territories; and the governors of
SAID territories shall, by proclamation,
order an election of the delegates in
each of said proposed states to be held
on the Tuesday after the second Mon
day in May, 1889, which proclamation
shall be issued ON the 18th day of
April. 1889; and such election shall be
conducted, returns made, the result as
certained, and the certificates to per-
sons elected to such convention issued
in the same manner as is prescribed by
the laws of the said territories regulat-
ing elections therein for delegates
to congress; and the number of
votes cast for delegates in each pre-
cinct shall also be returned. The num-
Der of delegates to said conventions
respectively shall be seyenty-tive; and
all persons resident in said proposed
territories as herein provided, shall be
entitled to vote upon the election of
delegates, and under such rules and
regulations as said conventions may
prescribe. not in conflict with this act,
upon the ratification OF rejection of the
constitutions.
Sec. d. That the delegates to the con-
yentioGS elected as provided in this act
shall meet at the seat of government of
each of said territories, except the dele
gates elected in South Dakota, who
shall meet at the city of Sioux Falls on
the 4th day of July, 1889, and after
organization shall declare, on behalf
of the people OF said proposed states.
that they adopt the constitution of
the United States; Whereupon the
CT, l,n
by authorized to form constitutions and
state governments for said proposed
states, respectively. The constitutions
shall be republican in form, and make
no distinction in civil or political rights
Oh account of race or color, except as
to Indians not taxed, and not to be
repugnant to the constitution of
the United States and the prin.
elples of the Declaration of 1nde-
pendence. And said conventions shall
provide, by ordinances irrevOcable
without the consent of the United
States and the people of said states:
First-That perfect liberation of re-
ligious sentiment shall be secured, and
that no inhabitant of said states shall
ever be moleSted in person or property
on account of his or her mode of relig-
iouS worship.
Second-frhat the people inhabiting
said proposed states do agree and de-
clare that they forever disciaim all right
and title to the unappropriated public
lands lying within the boundaries there
of. and to all lands lying within said
limits owned or held by any Indian or
Indian tribes: and that until the title
thereto shall have been eXtinguished
by the United States, the same
shall be and remain subject to the
disposition of the United Strtes, and
said Indian lands shall remain under
the absolute jurisdiction and control
of the congress of the United States,
that the lands belonging to citizens
of the United States residing without
the said states shall never be taxed at
a higher rate than the lands belonging
to residents thereof; that no taxes
shall be imposed by the states on lands
or property therein belonging to
OR which may hereafter be pur-
chased by the United States or
reserved for its use. But nothing here
in, or in the ordinances herein provided
for. shall preclude the said states from
taxing as other lands are taxed any
lands owned or held by any Indian who
has severed his tribal relations, and has
obtained from the United States or from
any person q title thereto by patent or
other grant, save and except such lands
as have been or may be granted to any
Indian or Indians under any act of con-
gresS containing a provision eXempting
the lands thus granted from taxation:
buf said ordinances shall nrovida tbof