Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-18
Presidents Message.

10 tHe senate OF the tHtteu DtutcS
return to the Senate, in which it has
originated, the bill which has passed both
Houses of Congress, entitled An act
for the admission of Colorado into the
Union" with my objections to the same
becoming a law From the information
which | have been able to obtain. do
not consider the establishment of State
government at present necessary for the
welfare of the people Of Colorado. Under
the existing central government, the
rights, privileges and interests of citizens
are secured and protected The quail
fed voters choose their own Legislatures,
and their own local officers, and are rep
resented in Congress by delegation of
their own selection. They make and
execute their own municipal laws, sub
iect only to revision by Congress-an
authority not likely to be exercised I'M
less in extreme or extraordinary cases.
The population is small, some estimating
it as low AS $4,000, while the advocates
of the bill give the number at from IS, 900
to 10000. The people are, principally,
recent settlers, many of whom are under
stood to be ready for removal to other
mining districts, beyond the limits of the
territory, If circumstances shall render
them more inviting. Such population
cannot but find relief from excessive tax
alton, if the territorial system which
devolyes the expenses Of the Executive,
Legislative and Judicial departments
upon the United States, is for the present
continued.
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 necessa-
rily incident to all newly organized com
munities.
Secondly 1t is not satisfactorily es-
tabIished that majority Of the citizens
of Colorado desire, and are prepared for,
an exchange Of territorial for a State
government In September, 1864, UNI
der the authority Of Congress, an cleo
ton was lawfully appointed and held for
the purpose Of aseertaining the views OF
the people upon this particular question.
6l92 votes were cast; of this number a
majority Of 37l5 was given against the
proposed change. In September, 1865,
without any legal authority, the question
was again presented to the people Of the
territory, with view Of obtaining a re-
consideration of the result Of the cleo
ton held in compliance with the act Of
Congress, approved March 2lst, 1864.
AT this election, 1905 votes we're polled,
and the small majority Of 1856 was given
in favor of State organization. Ii does
not seem to me entirely safe TO permit
this last maintained result, so irregularly
obtained, 10 outweigh the one which had
been legally obtained. Regularity and
conformity to law are essential TO the
preservation Of order and a State gov
eminent, and should, as far as practical
bic. always be observed in the formation
Of new States.
Third. The admission Of Colorado at
this time as State into the Union, ap-
pears 10 me to be incompatible with the
public interest Of the country. While II
Is desirable that territories when snfii-
GENTLY matured should be organized as
States,Syet the spirit Of the Constitution
seems 10 require that there should be an
approximation towards equality among
the several States composing the Union.
No State can have less OF more than two
Senators in Congress The largest State
has a population Of 100000. Other
States have a population exceeding
!. OOO. 600, aud many others have a popu-
Iation exceeding 100000. II this bill
should become law, the people Of Colo
rsdo. g. 600 in number, would have in
the electoral college three votes, while
New York has only thirty-three. Colo
RADIO would have il the Senate two votes,
while New York has no more. Inequali-
ties Of this character have already occur
red. but il Is believed that none have hap