The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-17
BY TELEGRAPH.
MIDNIGHT REPORT.
FROM WASHINGTON.
President Johnson's Veto or the Colo
RADIO Bill.

'f@N'Ai-''AS-'t -A"s
The following is the Presidents mes sage
vetoing the Colorado Admission Bill
To the Senate Of the UInted Stafec:
return TO the Senate, in which House it
originated, 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 objections 10 its becoming a
law at this time. First, from the best inior-
nation which have been able to obtain,
do not consider the establishment Of State
Government at present necessary for the well
fare of the people In Colorado. Under the
existing Territorial Government all the rights
and 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 Con-
gress by a delegate at their own selection, to
make and execute their own municipal laws,
subject only to revision by Congress on au
thority not likely to be exercised, unless in
extreme or extraordinary cases. The popu-
lation is small, some estimating 1t as low as
%, 600. while the advocates OF the bill reckon
the number at from 10000 to 10000. The
people are principally recent settlers, many
of whom are miners, understood 10 be ready
for removal to other mining districts beyond
the limits of the Territory if circumstances
shall render them more inviting. Such
pOpuiatlOU cannot Uut Huu Itllcl from eAceS-
slve taxation. If the Territorial system
which devolves the expenses of the Execu-
tive Legislature and judicial departments up
on the United States is, for the present, con-
tinued, they cannot but find the
security of person and property
increased by their reliance upon the National
Executive power for the maintenance of law
| and order against the disturbances necessarily
incident to all newly organized communities.
| I'd. 1t is satisfactorily established that a
majority of the citizens of Colorado desire, or
| are prepared for an exchange of a Territorial
| for State Government
| In September, 1854, under the authority OF
| Congress, an election was lawfully appointed
| and held for the purpose of ascertanlng the
views of the people upon this particular ques-
ton. 6,l92 votes were cast, and Of this num-
| Der majority of 3, l52 was given against the
| proposed change.
| In 1865, without any legal authority, the
| question was again presented to the people of
| the Territory, with the view of obtaining a
| reconsideration of the result of the election
| held in compliance with an act of Congress,
approved March 21st, 1864. At this second
election 5,905 votes were poled, and small
majority of l55 was given in favor Of a State
| organization.
| 1t does not seem to me altogether safe to
| permit the last mentioned result SO irregularly
| obtained, to outweigh the one which had been
| legally obtained in the first election. This
regularity and conformity to law are essential
to the preservation of order and stable gov
ernment, and should. as far as practicable,
| always be observed in the formation of new
/ States.
| Sd. The admission Of Colorado at
this time, as q Stale into tie
| Union, appears to me to be in
| compatible with the public interests
of the country, while it is desirable that Ter
rtories when sufficiently matured should be
organized as States, yet the spirit of the con.
| sideration seems to require that there should
be an approximation toward equality among
| the several States comprising the Union. No
! State can have less than two Senators IN Con-
gress. The largest State has population Of
| four million. Several other States have q
| population Of two million, and many others
j have population exceeding one million. If
this bill should become a. law the people Of
Colorado, thirty thousand in number, would
have in the House Of Representatives one
member while New York, with population
of four million, has but thirty one. Colorado
would have in the electoral college three
votes, while New York has only thirty-three.
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 Unequal
ity has been allowed Congress is supposed to
have permitted it on the ground Of some high
public necessity and under circumstances
| which promised that it would rapidly disap-
! pear through the growth and developments oi
newly admitted States. Thus in regard to
several States in what was formerly called
| the northwestern Territory, laying south
of Mississippi, their rapid advance
in population rendered it certain
that States admitted with only one OF. two
Representatives in Congress would in very
short period be entitled TO great increase oi
representation, SO when California was ad.
! mitted on the ground Of commercial and po-
htical exigencies it was we'll forseen that that
State was destined rapidly TO become great,
prosperous and important mining and com
mercial community. In the case Of Colorado
am not aware that any national exigency,
either OF political or commercial nature, re.
quires departure from the law Of equality
which has been SO generally adhered 70 in oul
history. If the information submitted io con
nection with this bill is reliable, Colorado
instead Of increasing, has declined in popu
lation. At IN election for members Of {
Territorial Legislature, holden 10 1851, 10,
68l votes were cast. At an election befor,
mentioned, in 1884, Che nuMbeR vast, 1872
| while at the regular election, held ID 1895
which 10 assumed for i basib of legislative
4 aftion, q thats 6mes M AgEreCnte 4hmbs
} q ~ votcs was 8, - SiaaDo1t aax
n f0Ne F. ~ vo24nk - f1f11t " inv6er