The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-04-21
GOV, LEE TO Mckinley.
South Dakota's Governor Asks fos
the Mastering Out Of Our
Gallant Volunteers.

~ Av4OSNSA AA4& wv " ~OA
Gallant Volunteers.
Acting upon the desire of the
good people of South Dakota that
the volunteer regiment now on duty
in the Phil ppines be mustered out
and returned home, Gov. Andrew
E. Lee, under date of April 10th,
addressed the following letter to
President Mckinley:
His Excellency, William McKin-
ley, President of the United States,
Washington, d. c., Sir:
In obedience to what I believe to
be the most universal wish of the
people of my state, I desire to re-
quest the return to the United
States OF the First South Dakota
volunteer infantry nov engaged
under Gen. Otis in a war against
the inhabitants of the island of
Luzon.
This regiment was mustered into
the service of the United States
nearly q year ago when your Ex-
cellency called upon South Dakota
for volunteers to defend the flag of
our common country in a war under.
taken in the interests of humanity
and against the kingdom Of Spain.
The soldiers OF the First South Da.
kota enlisted in the war against
Spain, which was concluded some
time since by the signing of the
Paris treaty Of peace and the task
for which they entered the service
has been completed; the war for
humanity has erded; the battle for
the liberation Of SPANS enthralled
subjects has been successfully con-
cluded. and since that war, the one
for which the soldiers enlisted, my
people feel that the South Dakota
volunteers have filled every obi.
cation which they owe to their
native land to rejoin their families
and friends, and to take up the
peaceful pursuits which they dropp.
ed when the call came to enter upon
a campaign for the promotion OF
the right Of self-government.
W. view their present or future
retention in the service as uncon-
stitutional and q violation Of the
law which called the organization
into being, and we feel quite certain
that your excellercy will not hold
them in the service against their
will, against the law which termin-
ated their service with the close OF
tho war and against the moral sense
OF the people Of our stase without at
least Offering some sound reason
for SO doing.
So far as the information OF the
people Of my state goes, they do not
know that any war or exigency ex.
lists at the present time. The con
gress Of the United States has never
made q declaration of. war against
the inhabitants OF the island Of Lu.
zon. The constitution does not
permit your Excellency or any com.
mission appointed by your Excel.
lency to make q declaration of war.
The fighting which has been done in
the island Of Luzon is regarded as
an enterprise which lacks the con.
sent Of the congress, and III which
the people Of this republic have
been 10 no wise counselled or con.
suited.
The course Of the constituted au.
thorities ;of the United States Is Re.
garded 9 90 effort TO subiugats 81
allen raSe: 10 the authority 81 tie
United States, ! course which ii
repuenant to the fundamental
Hprincipls1 of iris government; asyio.
latton IN declarstion u indepent'
idApd npullHtion hs NsoFy
nppaN "a !
VA atlesi fstsns
sshcS spaenai1 n.
pIicy
Es&sS S $500 S#a% EsE&