The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-06-04
Protection and Freedom in Arizona.
SPEECH OF HON. JAMES NJ. ASHLEY.
OF ONO,
IL THE HoUsE or REPRESENTATIVES,,
Ma s. lS6g

|
government for the Territory of Arizona.
Mr.. ASHLEY. Mr.. Speaker, when thi
bill came up. two or three weeks since, fo
the consideration of the House. stated il
my place that did not desire to have i
put upon its passage then. if any membe
desired to discuss it. No gentleman rising
at that time, demanded thu previous qucs
tion on the third reading. | did so at the
suggestion of gentleman at my side, a bet
ter parliamentarian than | profess to be
And whenI declined to yield to my coleagu,
on the committee, (Mr. Wheelcr) il was il
consequence of misunderstanding. wa,
told that if ! yielded, as the morning hour
would expire in three minutes, would loaC
control of the bill, therefore declined t,
yield. not from desire to cut off my col
league for understood then, us do now
that ordering the main question on the thirC
reading left debate open, but prohibited
amendments, which desired to do. ! thinl
this explanation due to the House and tC
my colleague on the committee.
Mr.. Speaker, the strange spectacle is pre-
sented to-day. in tins House. of people
who have no protection from this Govern
ment asking il through their Representa-
tive, and, If the motion to postpone pre-
walls, of its being practically refused, hy
the very men who, of all others, are pledg
ed to the protection of the citizens who
emigrate to the Territories of the United
States. For the first time, believe, in the
history of our legislation have the people
of Territory asked that portion of such
Territory which, from physical disabilities
they were not able to protect should be
taken off, and organized into a separate gov
ernment do not intend to take up the
time of the House in discussing our duty
to resident citizens who have gone there
Shame and disgrace attach to a nation that
is incapable, or that neglects or refuses to
protect its citizens. Citizens from my own
State. and of my own acquaintance, have
gone into this Territory with the positive
assurances of the late Administration that
they would be protected. who have not only
sacrificed all their wealth invested there.
but many of them have lost their lives.
For the first time in the history of our
Government have the white settlers in the
Territory been driven from their homes,
leaving their property, to the amount of
millions, at the mercy and control of saw
age Indians. knew but little of that Ter
rtory, except as | gathered it from friends
who had gone there, and from gentlemen
who had called on me to urge the necessity
Of establishing n territorial government
there. Not on my motion. sir, was a bill
first introduced here for the organization of
this Territory. On the oath of December
last, the Delegate who represents that peo-
pie, who is supposed to know their wants
quite as well as gentlemen residing thou
sands of miles away, introduced bill for
that purpose. 1t was drawn up in the usual
1
sections. But | preferred 70 have n short
bill something like the old bills orpauiyiup
Governments under Jelferson's administra,
ton. such as the bill organizing Ohio.
therefore reported this bill which has but
three sections and contains the ,Jeffersoni.
an proviso without which | could NOT con.
sent to the organization of this Territory,
| therefore declined to Weld to NV colleague
(Mr. Cox to move to strike il oiit. for if il
is organized by this Congress it must be
free
did not report this bill without having
satisfied myseif that the neople of this Ter,
ritory had sufficient population to entite
them to territorial government. | will
state, for the information OF the House,
some facts in connection with the history
OF the population OF other Territories at the
time of their organization. The Territory
OF Indiana was organized on the 7th of
May, $500, with white population of A.
5l1. The Territory of Mississippi was or
ganized on the 10th day of May, 1900, with
white population of 5,lI0. The Territory
of Michigan was organized on the llth Of
January, 1905. with population of 4,9lS.
The Territory of Illinois was organized on
the llth of February, 1909, having been
Il 10 nfJ Jnli n,,1
it had population of II SOL. The Terri
tory of Minnesota was organized on the 81
day of March, l849, with population of
603S. The Territory of Washington was
organized on the Cd Of March, 1853, having
been detached from the Territory of Ore
gon. There is no statistical information
giving the exact number of inhabitants of
that Territory at the time of its organiza-
ton; but | have consulted the Delegate
from the Territory of Washing ton, who was
then and is now a resident of that Terri
tory, who thinks that its population could
Mt have exceeded 1000 or $500. At all
events after = torritor;ol orc,o,,i,ot;o 4"
nearly ten yn,rs ite nonmIotin' - t,,o GOV, "
sus n Isg6 ,,oS o,I,, r &c 81 '''0 0'"-
The Temitorios II Kansas aud Nobros,,,
as rentAman aro o,yoro 49, No.
tbe 3Otb of Mov Is5A nho,, tIasa ~,l,~ou ot
resident White inb,h;tant 'iie'o ;n otbo Tua "o
tbom bv orthoritv of iow Tbnsn 9'ne u,ba Ur
were tbcro We're ;ntrnJer" IN oontrn~ont;nr t %ilU
Of a law excluding every White n man % 'FrlU frny"
the Territory who w,s Not cnnnontod l ,r m,;ti'
the Indian apencies. The Territory of Ne
vada WAS er4anizeI on the ID OF %nf March
1861 when # had nonulation IF 6a5T IT.
was detached from the Territorv nf Tt,b
over which there was ot that t;mo a terri'
tor;al rovernmont of farm ,nareIv over thn
noonIe of Nrizona who nsl; for MS torri.