The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-30
The Presidents Veto Of the Colora-
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To the Senate. of the United States.

.,,-,-,~-.,..-...,~~do BILL.
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To the Senate, of the United States:
| Ireturn t0,the Senate, in which it opiail
mated, the bill which has passed both Hout
sea OF Congress, ntitled;a ip act for tie adj
mission of Colorado into the Union, with
my objections, From the information
which have been able to obtain, do not
consider the establishment of State gov
ernment at present necessary for the wei
| fare OF the people of Colorado. Under the
existing territorial government, all the
rights, privileges and interests of citizens
are protected and secured. The qualified
voters choose their own local officers, and
are represented in Congress- by delega-
ton of their own selection.
| They make and execute their own ,nu-
nicipal laws, subject only to revision by
Congress on authority not likely
to be exercised unless in extreme or extra
ordinary cases. The population is small.
some estimating it as low as q, GOO VILE
the advocates of the bill reckon the num-
Der at from 35,C00 to 10000. The people
are principally recent settlers, mapy of
whom are understood to be ready for re-
moyal to other mining districts beyond Che
thmlts OF the Territory if circumstances
shall render them more inviting Such a
| population cannot hut find relief from ex
cessive taxation if the territorial system
which involves the expenses of the execu-
tive, legislative and judicial departments
upon the United States for The present nc
continued. T1ey cannot but find t.,e secr-
rlty OF person and property increased ny
Their reliance upon the national executive
power for the maintenance OF law and order
a inst toe distul Dances necessarily Incl
dent to all newly organized communities.
Secondly, il is not satisfactorily Established
| chat a majority OF the citizens Of Colorado
desire and are prepared iof an exchange of
a Territorial for a State government.
In September, 1864, under the authority
| of Congress, an election was lawfully an
pointed and held for TIE purpose Of ascer
tanning the views of The people upon this
particularquestion. ST.: t,lousand one hun
died and niaety-tWo votes were cast. and
OF this number, a majolity Of BIS was Civ
en- against the proposed change. In Sep
TENDER, 1865, without cry legal auf.orify,
the question was AGAIN presented TO the
people OF the ,erritory. with the view o.
obtaining q reconsideration Of the result
Of the election held in compliance with the
act of Congress, approved March q, 1864.
AT this second election, 59O5 votes were
pollcd, and the small majority of 155 was
given III favor of a State organization. IL
does not seem to me entirely safe to permit
this last mentioned result, SO irreeularly
obtained, to outweigh The one which had
| haon la,rn1Ixy ~,
sconformity to law are essential TO the pre-
seGvation- Of order and stable government.
and should, as far as practicable, always
be observed in the formation of new
States
Thirdly. 1Theyadulission Of Colorado ~.
this time as a State into the Union apes n;
to me to be incompatible with TIE publ,
interests OF Ire country. while il is desiIy.I
that Territories, when sufficiently matnret.,
should be organized as States vet the
spirit Of the Constitution seems, to require
that there Should be an approximation
towards equality among the several StateJ
comprising the Union. No STATE can have
less, or more than7twe Senators in Congress.
| The largest State has a population o.
| four millions; several other States laveia
population exceeding two million Ii this
bull should become a law, the people of
Colora 10, thirty thousand inn,tmber, would
have IL the House of Representatives one
nelnb r, while New York, with popula-
lion OF four millions. has but thirty-one.
Colorado world hare in Che electoral col
lcge three votes while New York has only
t&,rty-t1rce. dorado would have in the
Senate two votes, while New York has no
more. t9E!9t3-A a'H4 rIa-s.pJ so
olnequalitieso this character hayealfeaGy
occurred but it is believed none las hap
pened where the inequality was SO ssreaa.
Wien such inequality has been allowed,
Congress is supposed 10 have permitted ii
on the ground Of some high public neeeesi-
ty, end under circumstances which proil..s-
ed that il world rapidly disappear through
the growth and development OF o newly
admitted State. Thus, in regard TO the
several iState1in what was FORMERLY called
the Northeast Territory lying cast Of the
Mississippi, their rapid advancein popu!a-
ton rendered ii certain thai States admit
I'd with only one or Two representatives
4 Congress would IN a very short period
DC entitled to a great Increase in represen-
tation. When California was admitted on
| the ground OF commercial and political OK
igeneies, it was foreseen that that Stale
was destined rapidly to become great,
prosperous and impoI can't commercial COM
nlunity.
y In the case of Colorado, am not aware
that any national exigeney, either OF pos
litieal or commercial natrre, requires de-
parture from the law of equality, whic
has been so generally adhered to in our
history. the Information submitted in
connection with the bill is reliable, Colo
RADIO, instead OF increasing has declined in
population. At an election rforl members
befs for a territorial legislature held in
1861, I0,580 votes We're cast. At the elecr
ton before mentioned in 1864, the number
was 6192, while at the regular election held
in 1875, which is assumed as basis for
legislative action, at this time the number
oil votes We're 59O5. Sincerely anxious for
the welfare and prosperity of every telrito-
ny and State, as well as for the prosperity
and happiness OF the cd Union, | repeat
the apparent decline of population in Col
orado; bit it is manifest it Sowing to TIE
emigration which is going on from that ter-
ritorv into Others within the United States
which are in fact, or believed byth
irants OF Colorado to be, richer in mineral
wealth and agricultural resources. IT,
however, Colorado has not really declined
in population, alo5her census or another
election under the authority of Congress
would place the question beyond time, an
c.use but little delay in the ultimate ~
ception of the territory as Sla5, ifdes.p. !,
by the people.
The tenor Of these objections furnish
the reply, which may be reneated, to an
argument in .avor OF tae measure, derived
from the enabling act which was passettby
Congress on the oath day of March, 1864.
Although Congress then supposed that the
condition of the Territory Yves such as wa
ranted its admission as a State, tie result
of two years experience shows that every
reason which existed for the Institution o"
Territorial instead of Stste government
in Colorado at its first organization still
continues in force. The Constitution OF
the Union, at the present moment, is calcr-
lated to inspire caution in regard to the
admission Of new States. Eleven of the
old States have beeu for some Tina and