Amos T. Akerman to M. K. Armstrong, 22 November 1870

November 22, 1870. Hon. M. K. Armstrong, Yankton, Dakota Terr. Sir: I have received yours of the 15th instant. It is not the usage of this Department to give opinions on legal questions except upon the call of the President, or the Head of some other Department; and when an opinion is given at the call of another Department, it considered the property of that Department, and not of this. I will, however, take the liberty of saying, by way of exception to the ordinary rule, that a formal opinion upon the question which you present has been prepared and transmitted to the Department of State, from which the call for it came. I suppose this opinion will be duly made known to the officials of Dakota Territory.—I will only add that in that opinion the validity of no part of the election in October, 1870, was considered, except the election of members of the legislature. Very respectfully, A. T. Akerman, Attorney General