Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-11-15
that the vote 10 New Mexico and OKLA
homa is sufficient to authorize us to be
An,l1rrEn INTO THE Union.

that the vote 10 New Mexico and Okla
homa is sufficient to authorize us to be
ADMITTED INTO THE UNION.
Already they have declared that the
people of New Mexico have shown
their capacity for statehood and for
sslf government. Already they have
declared that we have shown our rights
to this humanity which we seek. We
esk to pass beyond the pale Of minority.
Just as your yeung man does when he
aasses from twenty to twenty one years
of age,-he reaches the place where he
can vote, where he can hold Office,
where he can participate in the councils
OF the nation, and we ask to be admit
ted as an individual into that sister
hood OF states where as a community
of people we will have voice amongst
the other states, to ask for our rights,
to ask for our appropriations, to ask
whatever'we may as American citizens.
"Fellow citizens, you have met to-
night to celebrate the victory which has
not only made it possible, but in my
Judgment has made it certain, that you
will be soen raised to the full dignity
of American citizenship. Az l say,
you have before you the delegate whom
you have selected to do the work. He
will 60 with confidence before the CON-
mittees of congress. and, my fellow citi-
zens, he will not wait until his term of
Office commences. but he will 60 to
Washington .now-at the meeting Of
congress on the fifth OF next month
lie will go before the committee Of the
house of representatives appointed to
look after the affairs of the Territories.
He will present to them the vote Of
this Territory. Hewill present to them
the platform on which he was elected
he will say to the committees. Here
are the principles which we maintain
and advocate-here is what we be
lieve in; this is what my people hay,
sent me here to represent before you
We ask of you whether or not we
ARE COMPETENT AND CAPABLE,
whether we are not worthy of enjoyint
every privilege you enjoyY Mr.. Pere'
will say 'f1r more than fifty years w
have been waiting to be admitted t,
statehood; for more than tifty years ou
fpeople have obeysd the laws; our peopt
have stood by the government; have
served as soldiers; have defended th'
Union, and they have never faltereI
when called upon Hs will say t,
them we possess sufficient people t,
make a state; we possess sufficien
wealth to make state; we possess SUI
ficient intelligence to govern a state.
Hs will say to them-sWe have you
guaranty IN the constitution of th
United States aud in the Declaratio
of Independence, wherein every man
declared to be free and equal to ever
lother, and under the constitute
%he-einit is provided that we shoul
enjoy equal privileges He will sa
to them that the supreme court of til
United States has said that a Terrltor
wasionly created for temporary purpo:
es; only to get the people in order to b
admitted to statehood: that Territor
never was contemplated by the const
tuition He will say to them that th
constitution gives us the right of ac
mission to statehoods that the treaty Q
Guadalupe Hidalgo. by which Ne,
Mexico was attached to the Unite
1 States, guaranteed that right, and
will say to them, further, that by law
of humanity, by the principles of righ
and justice, we are entitled to this grea
boon; and | tell you he will get repol
in favor of our admission. not only i
the house of representatives, but IN th
senate of the United States. That bi
will pass, President Mckinley wi
sign it, and Pedro Perea will never
sworn in as delegate. l don't knol
whether he desires to be sworn in q