The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-12-16

-uIe retrospective appllcaIlOnJ anu eAcIuue
1 State which, acting upon the past practice
of the government, has already formed its
elected its Legislature and other
officers, and is now prepared to enter the
Union.
The rule ought to be adopted, whether we
consider its bearing on the people Of the
Territories or upon the people of the exist
ing States: Many Of the Serious dissensions
which have prevailed in Congress and
throughout the country, would have been
avoided, had this rule been established at an
earlier period Of the government.
Immediately upon the formation OF a new
territory, people from different Stutes and
from foreign cuuntries rush into il, for the |
Iaudable purpose of improving their cond. |
,ion. Their first duty to themselves is to
open and cultivate farms, to construct roads,
10 establish schools, to erect places of re.
ligious worship, and to devote their energies
generally to reclaim the wilderness and to
lay the foundation of fourishing and pros.
porous commonwealth. If, in this incpient
condition, with population of few thou,
sand, they should prema,ureIy enter the
Union, they are oppressed by the burden Of
State taxation, aud the means necessary for
the improvement Of the territory, and the ad-
vancement Of their own interests, are thus
diverted to very different purposes.
The federal government has even been
liberal parent u the territories, and q gener.
ous contributor to the useful enterprises Of
the early settlers. 1t has paid the expenses
Of their governments and legislative assem.
blies out Of their common treasury, and thus
hon Irnn nha Ind
these circumstances nothing can be better
calculated to retard their materiul progress
than to divert them from their useful en-.
ployments by prematureIy exciting angry
political contests among themselves, for the
benefit Of aspiring leaders. 1t is surely no
hardship for embryo governors, senators
and members of Congress to wait until the
number OF inhabitants shall equal those of u
single Congressional district. They surely
ought not to be permitted to rush into the
Union with population less than one half
of several of the large counties in the in.
terror Of SONS Of the States. This was the
condition Of Kansas when it mode applica-
ton to be admitted under the Topeka con ii.
tutiun. Besides, it requires some time to
render the mass of population collected in
q
unite them on anything like fix d policy.
Establish the rula, and all will look forward
to it and govern themselves accordingly.
But ju, lice to lie peoplo of the several
States requires that this rule should be es
tablished by Congress. Each State is enti.
tied to two senators and ut least one repre-.
sentative in Congress. Should tho people
of the States fail to elect u Vice President
the power devolves upon the Ssna.e 10 Sc
lect this officer from the two highest cuiidi
dates on the list. In case of the death o
the President, the Vice President thus elect
ed by the Senate becomes President Of ,h
United States. On all questions Of Iegisln
ton, the senators from the smallest State
of the Union have an equal vote with those
from the largest. The same may he said il
regard to the ratification Of treaties, and U
Executive appointments. All this has work
ed admirably in practice, whilst II conform
in principle with the character of govern
: ment instituted by sovereign States. pre-
sumo no American citizen would desire tn
slightest change in the arrangement. Still
is it not unjust and unequal to the exlstin!
States to invest some turty or fifty THOUSAND
people collected in Territory with the a,
t tributes Of sovereignty, and place them o
. an equal footing with, Virginia and Ne'
| York in the Senate Of the United State
For these reasons earnestly recommen
the passage of a general act which shall pre-
vide that, upon the application OF Terrific
, rial Legislature. declaring their belief thu
u the Territory contains a number of inhabi
: ants which, if in State, would entitle ,hei
. > to elect member of Congress, it shall
! the duty OF the President to cause a censU
! of the Inhabitants to be taken, and il foun
!; sufficient, then by the terms of this oct
y y authorize them to proceed ''in their ow
way" TO frame state constitution prepar,
tory to admission into the Union. also n
: commend that an appropriation may be mac
! to enuble the President 10 tuke q census
- the people OF Kansas.
- The present condition OF the Territory
: Utah, when contIasted with what 1t was or
year ago, is subject for congratulation.
= was then in u state of open rebellion, an
. . cost what it might, the character of the 60
II ernment required that this rebellion shou
y be suppressed and the Mormons COMPEL,
70 to yield obedience to the constitution and Il
y laws. ln order to accomplish this object
/ | informed you in my last annual messag
10 I appointed u new Governor instead OF Dri
;, ham Young, and other federal officers to ia
~ the place OF those who, consulting their pc
g sonal safety, had found it necessary 10 wit
draw from The Territory. To protect the
d civil officers, and to aid them, as posse co,
v itotas, in the execution of the laws in ca
's of need, | ordered detachment of the ara
70 to accompany them to Utah. The necessi
IL for adopting these measures is now demo
p strated. .n ~........ ..1
y On the 18th September, 1857, Gov. You
of issued his proclamation, in the style of an j
q dependent sovereign, announcing his purPo
~ ~ to resist by force of arms the entry Oft
ba United States troops into our own Terrific
no ~ of Utah. By this he required all the fore
m ho in the Territory to "hold themselves in rea
mess TO march ut moments notice to reE
~ any and all such invasion,' and establish
4, martial law from its date throughout the II
ho ritory. These proved to be no idle threa
~ Forts Bridger and Supply were vacated a
NJ burnt down by the Mormons, TO deprive q
~ =. troops Of q shelter, after long and ia
,t guing march. Orders were issued by Dam
ii H. Wells. styling himself "Lieutenant Gs
q eral Nauvoo Legion" to stampede the a
m imals OF the United States troops On tn
march, to sci fire to their trains, to burn
;, grass and the whole country before them q
be on their fanks, TO keep them from sleePi
~ BY night surprises, and to blockade the 70
sa by falling trees and destroying the lords
i. rivers, &C., &c.
es These orders we're promptly and eftectu
IL Iv oheved On the Ath of October lS!