The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-06-08
THE COLORADO 0UEsTION.

the acting Governor Of Colorado, giving as
the aggregate vote in 1864 in that Territory,
on the question Of organizing State gov.
eminent, something over nine thousand,
(9,225,) and using it TO disprove the state
nent Of The PRESIDENT in his message that
the aggregate vote was 6,l92, and major
10y Of 1852 against the adoption Of the pro-
posed State constitution.
In 1864, when the election returns on the
question Of organizing that Territory into
State were received in Denver, and IL was
found that the vote was overwhelmingly in
opposition to the measure, NEARLY three to
one,) the party managers, including the then
Territorial Governor and Secretary, determ-
ined, II possible, to overcome the large ma
jority against the constitution-lst by de-
stroying the election returns from Coneyas
and Gorilla counties; I'd, by manufacturing
false returns. To accomplish the first, SOL
der was sent to those counties to obtain the
returns from the clerks, and either manage
to lose them on his way back or delay his
return until the time had passed for receiv-
ing them. The messenger contrived to lose
them, and was rewarded for his success by
the Governor, who soon after gave him
commission in one Of the Colorado regiments.
This scheme to destroy the returns failed
through the vigilance Of Judge BRADFoRD,
present delegate, and the United States
marshal Of that Territory, who, suspicious
that mischief was intended, Immediately
procured duplicate copies Of the returns,
and the latter took them himself TO Denver
and delivered them to the legal canvassers;
and they were counted. To accomplish the
latter, a certain gentleman was employed to
manufacture returns in favor Of the State
movement. They were got up to order,
purporting to be the vote of the soldiers
scattered through Missouri and Of citizens in
remote sections of the Territory; yet, what
was very remarkable, they were all written
on the same kind Of paper (foolscap, no
doubt and in peculiar handwriting.
The canvassers met to count and report
the result Of the election; they were the
Territorial Governor and the Chief Justice.
The latter soon discovered that fraudulent
means had been resorted to to defeat the ex-
pressed viii of the people. 1t was so palpa-
BILE fraud, so easily discovered, that he at
once Indignantly proposed to reject them.
The former protested, but after considerable
"hesitation and shutting" finally yielded,
and they were thrown out, and both united
in reporting the vote, as follows:
For Constitution ............ 1870
Against Constitution. ..............4,672
Aggregate vote .............".....6,IO2
Majority against Constitution ......3,l52
as reported in The Presidents veto message,
and which cannot successfully be contra
dieted.
vote the papers laid before them were about
as follows:
For Constitution ..................... 200
Against Consultation ...................4,OO 900
Majority for Constitution ........... 200
Unexpectedly the United States marshal
arrived while the board was in session, and
delivered the returns Of the vote of Coneyas
and Castillo counties which the soldier was
supposed to have destroyed, of nearly 700
against the constitution, which overcome the
200 majority, and made the returns show:
For Constitution. ....................42O 200
Against Constitution. .................4,7O 700
Majority against Constitution ........ 900
Had it been anticipated in time that the
Marshal would arrive with the actual vote
of the two counties, additional returns would
have been manufactured sufficient to have
still shown majority in favor Of State gov
eminent OF the 1900 votes for constitu-
ton, 2,7O0 were thrown out by the canvass
ers because satisfied they were fraudulent,
reducing the vote in favor Of constitution to
1920, which was doubtless the actual vote of
the people in favor, to4,672 against the prop
osition 70 organize q State government
Yet at this late day our neighbor pro-
nounees the above statement Of the vote as
false, and the Governor, one Of the canvassers
Of the said vote, now in this city as one of
the Senators elect" from Colorado, does
not contradict, but uses the statement Of
the Chronicle TO deceive the country, through
the Senate and House Of Representatives, as
to the actual facts in the case. He may gain
n temporary triumph by this act, which will
not be the first time great principle and
truti>have been sacrificed for the same pur-
pose, but the evidence will sustain the cor
reetness OF THE PREsIDEEr's statement; and
il the proof is wanted it can easily be OBJ
tained-a little time is all that is required.
Letters recently received from gentlemen in
Colorado, friends and foes Of the State move
ment, express the conviction that if the ques-
ton of organizing State was submitted to
q fair vote of the people Of Colorado the ma
jority against the Constitution would now be
nearly $500, Indicating change of opinion,
il nothing more.
The Chronicle also refers to the vote given
last fall as 7,457; that vote was likewise par
italy canyassed, and over one thousand
thrown out as fraudulent, and that III one
ward in Denver, the only place where the
vote was contested. Other frauds are re.
ported, but no action has yet been taken upon
them. Not over 5000 Of these votes at the
utmost we're fair and legal, as every one then
in Holorado knows unless IL Is fair and legal