The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-29 00:00:00

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Veto of th,

,olorado )3111-IrPregattO,
Johnson.
1
The President's Veto Message of the Colorado
Bill is as follows :
" To the Senate of the United States—
" I return to the Senate, in which house it origi-
nated, the bill which has passed both Houses of
Congress, entitled ' An act for the admission of the
State of Colorado into the Union,' with my objec-
tions to its becoming a law at this time.
"First. From the best information which I have
been able to obtain, I do not consider the establish-
ment of a State Government at present necess:ary
for the welfare of the people of Colorado. Under
the existing territorial government all the rights,
privileges and interests of the citizens are protected
and secured. The qualified voters choose their
own legislatures and their own local officers, and
are represented in Congress by a delegate of their
own selection.
" They make and execute their own municipal laws,
subject only to revision by Congress, an authority
not likely to be exercised unless in extreme or extra-
ordinary cases. The population is small, some esti-
mating it so low as twenty-five thousand, while the
advocates of the bill reckon the number at from
thirty-five thousand to forty thousand. The people
are principally recent settlers, many of whom are
understood to be ready for removal to other mining
districts, beyond the limits of the territory, if cir-
cumstances shall render them more inviting.
"Such a population cannot but find relief from ex-
cessive taxation if the territorial system, which de-
volves the expenses of the executive, legislative and
judicial departments upon the United States, is for
the present continued. They cannot but find the
security of person and property increased by their
reliance upon the national executive power for the
ori(t)n;eede;;latthrillesycni
maintenance of law and order against the disturb-
ances
otiiiitzdeslndiseisfn.o'
yraesdotabdlisesihreedotrhaatrae
prepared for an exchange of a
territorial for a State
Government. In September, 1831, under the autho-
rity of Congress, an election was lawfully appointed
and held for the purpose of ascert • '
awing the views
of the people.
" Upon this particular question 6,192 votes were
cast, and of this number a majority of 3,152 was
given against the proposed change. In September,
1865, without any legal authority, the question was
again presented to the people of the territory, with
the view of obtaining a re-consideration of the re_
suit of the election held in compliance with the act
At this
of Congress approved March 215t,.1861.
second election 5,905 votes were polled, and a small
tfalicct;oall newly-organised
majority of 155 was given in favour of a State
organisation. It does not seem to me entirely safe
to receive this last mentioned result, so irregularly
obtained, to out-weigh the one which had been
legally obtained in the first election. Regularity
and conformity to law are essential to the preserva-
tion of order and stable government, and should,
as far as practicable, always be observed in the
formation of new States.
" Third. The admission of Colorado at this time as
a State into the Union appears to me to be incom-
patible with the public interests of the country.
While it is desirable that territories, when suffi-
ciently matured, should be organised as States, yet
the spirit of the constitution seems to require that
there should be an approximation towards equality
among the several States comprising the Union.
No State can have less or more than two Senators
in Congress. The largest State has a population of
4,000,000. Several other States have a population
exceeding 2,000,000, and many others have a popu-
lation exceeding 1,000,000. If this bill should be-
come a law, the people of Colorado, 30,000 in num-
ber, would have in the House of Representatives
one member, while New York, with a population of
4,000,000, has but 31. Colorado would have in the
Electoral College three votes, while New York has
only 33. Colorado would have in the Senate two
votes, while New York has no more. Inequalities
of this character have already occurred, but it is
believed none have happened where the inequality
was so great.
" When such inequality has been allowed, Con-
gress is supposed to have committed it on the
ground of some high public necessity, and under
circumstances which promised that it would rapidly
disappear through the growth and development of
the newly-admitted State. Thus, in regard to the
several States in what was formerly
called the
north-west territory,' lying east of the Mississippi,
their rapid advance in population rendered it cer-
tain that States admitted with only one or two re-
presentatives in Congress would, in a very short
period, be entitled to a great increase of represen-
tation. So, when California was admitted on the
ground of commercial and political exigencies, it
was well foreseen that that State was destined
rapidly to become a great, prosperous and impor-
tant mining and commercial community.
" In the case of Colorado I am not aware that
any national exigency, either of a political or com-
mercial nature, requires a departure from the law
of equality which has been so generally adhered to
in our history.
" Information submitted in connection with this
bill is reliable ; Colorado, instead of increasing, has
declined in populasion. At an election for members
of a territorial legislature, held in 1861, ten thou-
sand five hundred and eighty votes were cast. At
the election before mentioned, in 1864, the number
of votes cast was six thousand one hundred and
ninety-two, sit hile at the regular election held in
1865, which is assumed for a basis of legislative ac-
tion at this time, the aggregate number of the votes
was five thousand nine hundred and five.
" Sincerely anxious for the welfare and prosperity
of every Territory and State, as well as for the pros-
perity and welfare of the whole Union, I regret this
apparent decline of population in Colorado—but it
is manifest that it is due to
going on from that territory
into other regions
within the United States, which either are in fact,
or are believed by the inhabitants of Colorado,
to be richer in mineral wealth and agricultural
resources. If, however, Colorado has not really
declined in population, another census or another
election under the authority of Congress would
place the question beyond doubt and cause but little
delay in the ultimate admission of the territory as a
The tenour of these
state if desired by the people.
which
ex-
pected to an argument in favour of the measure
derived from the enabling act, which was passed by
Congress on the 21st day of March, 1864. Although
Congress then supposed the condition of the terri-
tory was such as to warrant its admission as a state,
'
the result of two years experience shows that every
reason whi3h existed for
the institution
Government in Colorado
terri-
torial instead of a State of a
organisation still continues in
at its first, org force. The
condition of the Union at the present moment is cal-
culated to inspire caution in regard to the admis-
sion of new States. Eleven of the old States have -
been for some time, and still remain, unrepresented
in Congress. It is a common in • t
crest of all the
States, as well those represented as those unrepre-
sented, that the integrity
and harmony.of the Union
should be restored as completely as possible, so
that all those who are expected to bear the burdens
of the Federal Government shall be consulted con-
cerning the admission of new States, and that in
the meantime no new State shall be prematurely
and unnecessarily admitted to a participation in the
Political power which the Federal Government
wields, not for the benefit of any individual States
or section, but for the common safety, welfare, and
happiness of the whole country.
ANDIiEw Jous;soN.
15 1866."
" Waz,hington, p. C.,

UNREPRESENTED TOWNS IN YORKSIIIRE.—The
unrepresented towns of Yorkshire are exerting themselves
to secure the utmost advantage obtainable from the Govern-
ment Reform Bill: Batley and
H eckrnondwike seek to be
grouped with Dowsbury, and
the district around it, having altogether a population of
about 60,000, should now have independent representation
iri Parliameat. The. li,iberals of Dewsbury are taking for
grantediready obtainedthat
a l townlargo
numberwi l i enfranchised, and have
ae of signatures to a requisi-
tion to Mr. E. A. Leatham to become a candidate.