USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume I > Part 65
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A call was issued July 7th for a republican union territorial convention, of which the following is a copy :
The voters of Dakota who desire the unconditional maintenance of the Union, and the supremacy of the Constitution, and the complete suppression of the existing rebellion, with the causes thereof, by vigorous war and all apt and efficient means : also all persons that are opposed to the location by the speculators of Sioux half-breed serip on our best lan Is, to the prejudice of bona fide settlers, are invited to send delegates to a territorial conventiin Vol. J -24
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to be held at Vermillion, on Wednesday, July 27, 1864, at 12 o'clock A. M., for the purpose of nominating candidates to be supported for delegate to Congress, territorial treasurer and auditor, and also to transact any other business that may properly come before the con- vention. The basis of representation will be as follows:
Union County, 8 delegates ; Clay County, 9; Yankton County, S; Bon Homme County, 3: Charles Mix County and Buffalo, 3; Todd and Gregory, 3; Company A, Dakota Cavalry, 1 ; Company B, Dakota Cavalry, I.
The members of the territorial committee for each county will call the county con- ventions where there are no county committees. The committee would recommend that the different conventions be held the 23d day of July at 2 o'clock P. M.
W. W. BROOKINGS, Yankton. MAHLON GORE, Union.
L. H. LITCHFIELD, Bon ]lomme.
JOHN J. THOMPSON, Charles Mix.
L. BOTHUM, Clay. Republican Union Territorial Committee.
TERRITORIAL CONVENTION, REPUBLICAN AND UNION PARTY
Pursuant to public notice, the republican and union territorial convention met at Vermillion on Wednesday, July 27, 1864. W. W. Brookings called the convention to order, after which a temporary organization was effected by the election of G. C. Moody, chairman; A. W. Puett, secretary.
The convention then proceeded to a permanent organization, and on the first ballot for president, A. W. Puett received twenty-four votes, and J. M. Allen, register of the United States land office, eight votes. Mr. Puett took the chair, and Mahlon Gore, of Union, was elected secretary, and B. A. Hill, same county, assistant secretary. On motion of W. W. Brookings, a Committee on Credentials was appointed, consisting of W. W. Brookings, John Mechlin, Michael Chatissee, Ole Bottolfson, Judson LaMoure and J. S. Kenyon. On motion the chair then appointed J. R. Hanson, D. Chaussee and G. C. Cole a Committee on Resolutions. The convention then adjourned ten minutes to give the committees time to make up their reports, and on being called to order, the Committee on Credentials re- ported the following named persons entitled to seats :
Union County-M. M. Rich, N. G. Curtis, Judson LaMoure, S. Goucher, D. Chaussee, Wm. Matthews, A. R. Phelps, Mahlon Gore. Clay County-C. N. Taylor, G. A. Jacobson, Ole Bottolfson, J. M. Allen, H. Compton, Wm. Shriner, Peter Nelson, A. W. Puett. Yankton County -- J. R. Hanson, W. W. Brookings, G. N. Propper, J. M. Stone, W. Reed, C. F. Picotte, G. C. Moody. Ole Sampson. Bon Homme County-J. S. Kenyon, D. P. Bradford, G. C. Cole. Charles Mix County-C. E. Hedges, J. J. Thompson, John Mechlin. Todd County-J. A. Pot- ter, J. Dillon, Wm. Keegan. Company B, Dakota Cavalry-T. Elwood Clark.
Mr. Clark then addressed the convention on the subject of citizen soldiers being represented in the convention and while advocating the right he deemed it his duty under the circumstances in this case, to decline to sit as a delegate.
The report of the committee was adopted.
The Committee on Resolutions submitted the following report :
Resolved, That it is the highest duty of every American citizen to maintain against all their enemies, the integrity of the Union and the paramount authority of the Constitution and laws of the United States, and that laying aside all differences and political opinions, we pledge ourselves as Union men, animated by a common sentiment and aiming at a common object, to do everything in our power to aid the Government in quelling, by force of arms, the Rebellion now raging against its authority, and in bringing to the punishment due to their crimes, the rebels and traitors arrayed against it.
Resolved, That we approve the determination of the Government of the United States not to compromise with rebels, nor to offer any terms of peace except such as may be based upon an unconditional surrender of their hostility and a return to their first allegiance to the Constitution and laws of the United States, and we call upon the Government to maintain their position, and to prosecute the war with the utmost possible vigor to the complete sup- pression of the Rebellion, in full reliance upon the self-sacrificing patriotism, the heroic valor and the undying devotion of the American people to their country and its free institutions.
Resolved, That as slavery was the cause and now constitutes the strength of the Rebellion, and as it must be always and everywhere hostile to the principles of republican government, justice and the national safety demand its utter and complete extirpation fron
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the soil of the republic, and while we uphold and maintain the acts and proclamations by which the Government, in its own defense, has aimed a death blow at this gigantic evil, we are in favor of, furthermore, such an amendment to the Constitution, to be made by the people in conformity with its provisions, as shall terminate and forever prohibit the existence of slavery within the limits of the jurisdiction of the United States.
Resolved, That we approve and applaud the practical wisdom. the unselfish patriotism, and the unswerving fidelity to the Constitution and the principles of American liberty, with which Abraham Lincoln has discharged, under circumstances of unparalleled difficulty, the great duties and responsibilities of the presidential office; that we approve and endorse, as demanded by the urgency, and essential to the preservation of the nation, and as within the provisions of the Constitution, the measures and acts which he has adopted to defend the nation against its open and secret foes; that we approve especially the proclamation of emancipation and the employment as Union soldiers of men heretofore held in slavery, and that we have full confidence in his determination to carry these and all other constitutional measures, essential to the elevation of the country, into full and complete effect.
Resolved, That we deem it essential to the general welfare that harmony shall prevail in the national councils, and we regard as worthy of public confidence and official trust those only who cordially endorse the principles proclaimed in these resolutions, and which shoukl characterize the administration of our Government.
Resolved, That the Government owes to all men employed in its armies, without regard to distinction of color, the full protection of the laws of war, and that any violation of these laws or the usages of civilized nations in time of war, by the rebels now in arms, should be made the subject of prompt and full redress.
Resolved, That foreign emigration, which in the past has added so much to the wealth, development of resources and increase of power of this nation-the asylum of the oppressed of all nations-should be fostered and encouraged by a just policy.
Resolved, That we are in favor of the construction, speedily, of a railroad to the Pacific coast.
Resolved, That the national faith, pledged to the redemption of the public debt. must be kept inviolate; and for this purpose we recommend economy and rigid responsibility in the public expenditures, and a vigorous and just system of taxation, and that it is the duty of every loyal state to sustain the credit and promote the use of national currency.
That we approve the position taken by the Government, that the people of the United States can never regard with indifference the attempt of any European power to overthrow by force or to supplant by fraud, the institutions of any republican government on the Western Continent, and that they will view with extreme jealousy, as menacing to the peace and independence of their own country, the efforts of any such power to obtain new foot- holds for monarchical governments, sustained by a foreign military force, in near proximity to the United States.
That having come to Dakota to seek a home for ourselves and families, we deem it the first duty of every loyal citizen to do all in his power toward laying the foundation of a state that shall reflect honor upon the general government to which we owe unfaltering allegiance, and to whose protecting care we are indebted for our prosperity and security.
Resolved. That as a matter of economy to the Government, and as affording also the only effectual means of security to our frontier settlements, we are in favor of the establish- ment of a line of military posts extending from Minnesota to the Platte River, which posts should be placed between the hostile Indians and our frontier population, and not beyond the unfriendly Indians as is at present the case; and as this matter is one of vital importance to our people, we will use every means in our power to accomplish it.
Resolved, That while we watch, with the deepest solicitude and interest, the efforts of our Government to save our Union from destruction, and while we would object to any lavish and unnecessary expenditure of the public treasure, we should not entirely lose sight of our local interests, or hesitate to ask of our parent Government, aid in certain important matters; therefore we are in favor of, and the nominee of this convention is pledged, if elected, to use his most vigorous efforts to secure such an amendment to the Pacific railroad bill as will give this territory the benefit of a branch of said road, and also to secure an appropriation to open a mail route from Dakota to ldaho.
Resolved. That we are in favor of the settlement of local questions, in the territory, by a majority of the legal voters in the manner prescribed by law.
Resolved, That we are opposed to all monopolies and private speculation, whereby the settlement of our territory is in the least retarded or the rights of its citizens abridged.
Resolved, That the right of suffrage is among our dearest and most sacred rights; that it should never he tampered with or trampled upon, and we do hereby condemn and utterly repudiate all improper interference with the elective franchise from whatever source it may emanate.
Resolved, That we welcome to our territory all those who have come among us to find homes for themselves and families, regardless of the lands from whence they came, and we pledge ourselves to extend to them the same rights and privileges that we are permitted to enjoy, and also to do all in our power to induce further immigration to our territory
Resolved, That through the education of the masses of the people our free institutions are to be preserved, and therefore we pledge ourselves to do all in our power to establish
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such a system of free schools and colleges as shall insure the free and liberal education of the rising generation in this territory.
Resolved, That the political party represented by this convention is the republican and union party of this territory, and the only political party in this territory that has sustained the administration of Abraham Lincoln for the last four years and during the terrible ordeal through which our country has been passing.
Resolved, That having adopted and proclaimed our platform and political creed, and placed in nomination our standard bearers for the coming campaign, we pledge ourselves to use all laudable efforts to secure their election on the second Tuesday of October next.
The report on resolutions was adopted.
Nominations being then in order, J. R. Hanson presented the name of W. A. Burleighi for the nomination as delegate to Congress, which was seconded, and no other name being presented, Mr. Burleigh was nominated by acclamation. I. T. Gore, of Union County, was nominated for territorial treasurer, and Charles LaBreche for territorial auditor.
On motion of George N. Propper, the president of the convention was instructed to notify Mr. Burleigh, by letter, of his nomination, whereupon the following notification was sent to the nominee:
Republican and Union Convention of Dakota Territory. In Session at Vermillion, July 27, 1863.
Hon. W. A. Burleigh.
Sir : It affords me great pleasure to inform you that the convention has unanimously nominated you for delegate to Congress, and hope you will do us the honor to accept. Your answer, by letter, would be regarded as a favor.
Yours very truly, A. W. PUETT, President of the Convention.
MR. BURLEIGHI'S REPLY
Vermillion, Dakota Territory, July 27, 1864.
Hon. A. W. Puett, President Republican and Union Convention.
Sir: I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the present date, informing me of the action of the convention over which you have the honor to preside, in nominating me as the candidate of the republican and union party to represent this territory in Congress. I accept the nomination and tender to the convention, through you, my thanks for the honor conferred.
Respectfully and truly yours, W. A. BURLEIGH.
On motion of Mr. Brookings, the delegates from the different counties were requested to select the names of proper persons from their counties for the territorial committee for the ensuing year, whereupon the following were selected :
Charles Mix County-Joseph V. Hamilton. Todd County-Joel A. Potter. Bon Homme County-H. C. Wood. Yankton County-J. R. Hanson. Clay County-Ole Bottolfson. Union County-R. S. Kenyon.
J. R. Hanson was appointed chairman of the committee.
On motion of Mr. Moody, it was decided that the proceedings of the convention be published in the Dakotian.
On motion of Mr. Brookings the convention adjourned.
MAHLON GORE, Secretary.
A. W. PUETT, Chairman.
Following the convention a ratification meeting was held at Vermillion the same day, at which addresses were made by Colonel Moody, Doctor Burleigh, Gen. G. D. Hill, Hon. Enos Stutsman and Geo. M. Pinney. In the course of his remarks, Doctor Burleigh, the nominee for Congress, referring to the platform adopted, said that he would "stand upon it until he could stand no longer, then to sit upon it, and should death cut him down destroying all his hopes and anticipa- tions, he desired that his winding sheet might be the platform of the republican and union party of Dakota."
Mr. Geo. M. Pinney said he appeared to ratify the nominations of the the Bal- timore convention ; his sentiments were with the supporters of the Union: he stood with a large number of men who were yet free and uncommitted concerning the action of this convention ; that he was not prepared to pledge support to the nominees of this convention. Mr. Pinney was the United States marshal. and while he had not avowed himself, was looked upon as friendly to Judge Bliss. Mr. Lincoln had been renominated at Baltimore, and this ratification gave him an opportunity to declare himself on national issues.
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The purpose of giving the full text of the resolutions adopted is, principally, to show the paramount questions then engaging the attention of the people of the United States, and also to exhibit the advancement of public sentiment in favor of the abolition of slavery, which was now generally advocated by the friends of the Union. Union men began to regard slavery as the stronghold of the rebel- lious states. Such a proposition would have met with little open counte- nance in a republican union convention two years earlier, the position of the union leaders, as publicly declared, being not to disturb slavery where it existed under the sanction of state laws, but unalterably opposed to its extension. Now the public mind had become awakened to the recognition of slavery as the primary cause of the fraternal strife, and the mainstay of the rebellion; and this change in sentiment found expression through resolutions adopted by state conventions during this national campaign, and through thousands of public meetings.
THE ANTIS
The anti-Jayne-and-Burleigh wing of the republicans did not propose to be misrepresented, or not represented, at the National Union Convention to be held in Baltimore, in June ; and inasmuch as the Burleigh wing had elected delegates to that most important gathering (in the estimation of federal office-holders), during the legislative session in January preceding, the new organization now entered the field, under the title of the Union Party of Dakota Territory, in May, 1864, led by Chief Justice Bliss, Secretary Hutchinson, J. F. J. Dewitt, U. S. Attorney Gleason, Byron M. Smith, Geo. P. Waldron, U. S. Provost Mar- shal and others, republicans, and issued the following call :
UNION CONVENTION
A territorial union convention will be held in Yankton on the 23d day of May, inst., to elect a delegate to the national union convention to be held at Baltimore on the 7th of June next, and for other purposes. All citizens who are in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war, and of sustaining the administration in its efforts to restore the Union, and who are opposed to the frauds and the illegal tampering with the ballot box that have disgraced our young territory, are requested to meet in their respective assembly districts. on the 21st inst., and elect delegates to said convention. Each county or district is entitled to as many delegates as it has members of the council and House of Representatives.
T. C. WATSON. JOSEPH LEBARGE, JACOB DEUEL, JOHN GOEWEY, A. G. FULLER,
G. W PRATT, P. BL.Iss, JOHN HUTCHINSON, J. HOFFMAN,
Territorial Central Committee.
Pursuant to the above call the chosen delegates from the various districts in the territory, met in convention at the capitol building in Yankton, at 2 o'clock, on Monday, the 23d of May. The convention was organized by the election of Chief Justice Bliss, chairman ; and B. M. Smith, secretary. The roll being called every assembly district in the territory was found to be represented.
The following resolutions were then presented :
Whereas, A presidential election is approaching and the loyal citizens throughout the country are organizing for the purpose of preventing the Government from falling into the hands of sympathizers with rehels ; and,
Whereas, The people of Dakota, who desire the success of the union party, and with it the restoration of our Government to its former greatness and dignity, while they have no voice in the election of a president, should act in harmony with the national union party ; therefore. be it
Resolved, That the present rebellion is putting to the test the experiment of a republican form of government: and that our armies must prevail or our free institutions perish ; and. therefore, while we are struggling for our national existence, we should lose sight of party ties, persons, and all minor questions, and never for a moment entertain thoughts of con- cession to traitors.
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Resolved. That every state now in rebellion should be brought back and made to recognize the supremacy of the national Constitution.
Resolved. That slavery was directly or indirectly the cause of the present rebellion, and therefore to guard against a second occurrence of the crime, it should be blotted out, and the Constitution so amended as not to tolerate it within the boundaries of the United States. Resolved, That the barbarous massacre of our soldiers by the rebels, at the capture of Fort Pillow, and at various other places, calls for the severest retaliation.
Resolved, That we cordially approve of the policy pursued by Abraham Lincoln, as chief magistrate of the nation, deeming his administration thus far, as characterized by wisdom, integrity, and unselfish devotion to our common country.
Resolved, That in our Indian relations, we demand prompt punishment for all Indian aggressions, and at the same time the most scrupulous good faith in our treatment of them, conceding that all men have rights which we are bound to respect.
Resolved, That we are opposed to the disfranchisement of our citizen soldiers, however remote they may be, and any attempt to deprive them of their just rights will meet with our carnest protest.
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Resolved, That while we shall act in concert with the union party throughout the country, we are not unmindful of our duty at home, and we will at all times oppose and condemn the repeated outrages upon the elective franchise-that sacred privilege of an American citizen-so often practiced by corrupt politicians in this territory, and we pledge ourselves to protect the purity of the ballot box against a repetition of the ballot box stuffing and fraudulent voting, which have so disgraced our territory.
Resolved. That we cordially and earnestly invite all classes of our citizens throughout this territory, without regard to past political party preferences, to join with us for the purpose of promoting the sentiments expressed in these resolutions, also for the purpose of more thoroughly organizing the union party of Dakota, and as such, to cooperate with the national union party of our common country.
The resolutions were unanimously adopted, and declared to be the platform of the union party of Dakota Territory.
On motion, Attorney General William E. Gleason was elected delegate to the Baltimore convention, and Judge L. P. Williston as substitute. Judge P. Bliss was elected chairman of the territorial central committee. The convention then, on motion, adjourned in peace and harmony. P. BLISS, Chairman.
B. M. SMITH, Secretary.
The purpose of the union party organization was to place in the field a republi- can candidate for delegate to Congress, in opposition to Candidate Burleigh, the nominee of the republican and union party. This movement discloses the fact that the federal officials of the territory were seriously divided, each faction striv- ing for such recognition by the administration at Washington, as would give them control of the political patronage of the territory and put the seal of approval on their party legitimacy. It was one of those factional differences that were a feature of the political machinery of all the territories, and have become very much in vogue in many of the states.
Doctor Burleigh was by far the strongest personality in either faction and had numerous influential friends at Washington. Chief Justice Bliss was effect- ually supported by Hon. Salmon P. Chase, secretary of the treasury, afterwards chief justice of the United States; Secretary Hutchinson had been appointed on the recommendation of Hon. Win. H. Seward, secretary of state : Attorney Gen- eral Gleason was backed by Sen. Henry Winter Davis, of Maryland, himself a powerful leader of a faction in the national party considered ultra radical.
While the Burleigh faction had the regular republican organization, the recalcitrants and new party men who were federal office holders, owing to their strong political backing, were in little danger of being ousted from their positions through the influence of the regulars. Whenever the Washington authorities re- ferred to Dakota politics, they were accustomed to end the discussion with the comment that "one faction was just as bad as the other." This union party, how- ever, did not progress to the point of holding a nominating convention, their plans having been frustrated completely by the unexpected candidacy of General Todd.
We now come to the final chapter of the proceedings of this factional con- test. Yesterday the members of each faction were bitterly denouncing one an- other as political fiends incarnate; today they are greeting each other as old friends do when meeting after a long separation, with hearty handshakes and other evidences of cordial friendship. The supposedly impossible has come to'
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pass, and the factions have disappeared-they are now united and invincible. This sudden and harmonious blending of these hitherto hostile elements was not occasioned by any proposal for peace from either faction, but was the effect of General Todd's announcement that he would be again a candidate, he having in the meantime been given the seat in Congress occupied by Governor Jayne. Soon after this declaration had been made public, the citizens of the territory were treated to a surprise in the form of the subjoined call for a new republican ter- ritorial mass convention :
TERRITORIAL MASS CONVENTION
Whereas, Differences have arisen among the friends of the administration in the Terri- tory of Dakota; therefore the undersigned members of the central committees of the parties known as "the republican and union party" and the "union party" of said territory, with the view of adjusting these differences and more thoroughly organizing a union party in this territory, do cordially invite all those who are in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war until the roar of rebel artillery is forever silenced and the supremacy of the Con- stitution and Government of the United States is established in every state and territory thereof, and who are in favor of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States blotting out slavery-the cause of the rebellion-to assemble in mass convention at Vermillion on the ioth day of September, 1864, at 12 o'clock M., and unite in an unbroken political column, thereby forming a national union party in the Territory of Dakota. It is sincerely and carnestly hoped that all loyal and patriotic citizens of this territory will heartily unite in supporting those great principles for which our Government is contending, and in burying at once and forever those differences which have been so detrimental to the Union cause in Dakota. J. R. HANSON, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Republican and Union Party of the Territory of Dakota.
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