Maryland free press., 1866-05-24
Veto of the Bill Admitting Colorado as
. State. II .a,i i

|
The following is the message transmitte,
to the Senate on Tuesday, by the Prcsi
4 dent: ~ ,vu, .t .i"1r. -
TO the Senate Of tie Unira States: -
\ | return to the Senate, in which it origi
mated. the bill which has passed both house
of Congress, entitled IAN act for the adj
mission of the State of Colorado into the
Union,' with my objections to its Eeeom.
ilg law, at this time. Il ..om
4. First From the best information which
| have been able to obtain, I do not con.
slider the establishment of State govern
ment at present necessary for the welfare
of the people of Colorado. Under the cx-
isting territorial government all the rights
privileges, aud interests of the citizens are
protected and secured The qualified 'vo-
ters choose their own Legislators and their
own local officers, and are represented in
Congress by q delegate Of their own selec-
ton. They make and execute their own
municipal laws, subject only to the revis-
ion of Congress-an authority not likely
to be exercised, unless in extreme and ex-
treme and extraordinary cases. The pop
ulation is small, some estimating it so low
as twenty-five thousand, while advocates
of the bill reckon the number at from thir-
ty-fve thousand to forty thousand souls
The people are principally recent settlers,
many of whom are understood to be ready
for removable other mining districts be-
yohd the limits of the territory, if circum-
stances shall render them more inviting. =
Such population cannot but find relief
from excessive taxation if the territorial
system, which devolves the expense of the
Legislative, executive and judicial depart
ments upon the United States, is for the
present continued. They cannot but find
the security of person and property in
creased by their reliance upon the nation
al executive for the maintenance Of law
and order against the disturbances neces-
sarily incident to oil newly organized c M
munities. rH D ''.." ".'.'
Second. 1T is not satisfactorily estab-
lished that a majority of the citizens of
Colorado desire or are prepared for an ex-
change of Territorial for State govern
ment. In September, 1864, under, the
authority of Congress, an election was law
fully appointed and held for the purpose of
ascertaining the views Of the people upon
that particular question. Six thousand one
hundred and ninety-two votes were cast,
and of this number a majority of 81 % was
given against the prop sd change
In September. 1865, without any legal aa-
thority, 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 the. act of Congress, approved March
81, 1864. At this second election 5.905
votes were polled, and a majority. of l55
was given in favor Of State organization.
1t does not seem to me entirely safe to, re-
ccive this last mentioned result, so rregu-
larly obtained, as sufficient to outweigh the
one which had been legally obtained in the
first election. Regularity and conformity
to law are essential to the preservation 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 State into the Federal
Union. appears to. me to be incompatible
with the public interests of the country.
While it is desired that Territories sufi-
ciently matured Should be organized as
States, yet the spirit of the constitution
seems to require that there should be an
approximation towards the equality among
the several States comprising the Union.
No State can have more than two Senators
in Congress; the largest State has popu-
lation of four millions, several of the
States have population exceeding two
millions, and many others have popula'
ton exceeding one million. i4aa.;
A population of 127 900 is the ratio o.
apportionment of Representatives among
tho several States If this bill should be-
come law, the people of Colorado, thirty
thousand in number would have in the
House of Representatives. one member
while New York, with population of foul
millions, 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 Sen
ate two votes, while New York has NJ
more. ,-,-.. =. ...'.
Inequalities of this character have al
ready occurred, but it is believed that nom
have happened where the inequality ha
been allowed. Congress is supposed to hav
II 4 r. L..