The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-06-08
THE COLORADO BILL.
TEE PRESIDENTS YETO.


Colorado into the Uni0n,n with my OBJ
lection to its becoming law at this
time.
First. From the best Information
which / have been able 10 obtain,
do not consider the establishment Of
State government at present necessary
for the welfare of the peopIr of Colora-
do. Under the existing Territorial
government all the rights, privileges,
| and interests of the citizensare protec-
ted and secured. The qualified voters
choose their own Legislators and their
own local officers, and are represented
in Congress by delegateof theirown
selection. They make ami execute
their own municipal laws, stbiect only
| to revision Of Congress, an authority
not likely TO be exercised, unless in
extreme or extraordinary cases. The
population is small, some estimating It
so low as twenty-five thousand, while
advocates OF the bill reckon the num-
| ber at from thirty-fye thousand to for
/ tythousandsouls. ThepeopRare prin-
cipally recent settlers, many Of whom
are understood to be ready or reno
val to other mining districs beyond
the limits Of the Territory, f circum-
stances shall render them more invi-
ting. Such population ctnnot but
find relief from excessive tXatiOn if
the Territorial system which devolves
the expense OF the executive, legisa
tive and judicial departments upon
the United States, Is for the present
continued. They cnn0t but find the
security Of person ami property increas-
ed by their reliance upon the national
executive power for the maintenance
of law and order against the disturb
/ ances necessarily Incident 10 all newly
organized communities.
Second. 1t is not satisfactorily IS
tablished that a majority Of the citi-
zens of Colorado desire or are prepared
for an exchange Of a Territorial for Il
State government.
In September, 1864, under theauthor-
ity Of Congress, an election was law
fully appointed and held for the pur-
. pose OF ascertaining the views of the
people upon that particular question.
/ Six thousand one hundred and ninety
| two votes were cast, and of this num-
ber majority of three thousand one
hundred and fifty-two was given a.
/ gainst the proposed change. in Sep
ta'nber, 1850, without any legalauth0r-
I ity, the question was AGAIN presented
| to the people of the Territory, with
| the view of obtaining a recOnSIdera-
| ton of the result Of the election held
/ in compliance with the act of Congress
| approved March y, 1864. At this sec
/ ond election iVethOusand nine hundred
/ and five vote~ We're p0Iied, and a ma
/ iority of one hundred and fifty five was
! given in favOrOf State organization. 1t
! d0esnO seem to me entirely safe TO re-
ceive this last mentioned result. 50 If
regularly obtained as sufficient To- out
weigh the one which had been legally
obtained in the first election. Regular
ity and conformity to law are essential
to the preservation Of order and stable
government, and should, as far as prac-
/ ticable. ALWAYS be observed in the for
nation of new States.
Third. The admission Of Colorado,
at this time. a. State into the Federal
/ Union, appears TO me to be incoinpati-
Die with the public interests Of the
country. While it is desired that Ter
ritorieS sufficiently matured should be
organized as States, yet the spirit Of
the Constitution seems to require that
there should be an approximation to-
wardsequaIity among theseveral States
comprising the Union. No State can
have more than two Senators in Con-
gress: the largest State has a popnIa-
ton of four millions, several Of the
States have apopulation exceeding two
millions, and many Others have It Pop
ulation exceeding one million.
\ population Of l27, 200 is the ratio
of apportionmentof representatives a.
mong the several States. If this bill
should become a law, the people Of
Colorado. thirty thousand in number,
would have III the House of Hepresen-
tatives one member, while New York,
with population of four millions has
but thirty-One. Colorado would have
i'm 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, butt is believed that
| none have happened where the inequal-
ity was 50 great. When such Unequal
ity has been allowed, Congress is sup
posed to have permitted itOnthegrOund
of some high public necessity, and un-
der circumstances which promised that
it would rapidly disappear through the
growth and development Of the newly
admitted State. Thus, inregard to the
| several States in what was formerly
called the Northwest Territory" ly
ing east of the Mississippi, their rapid
advancement in population rendered
it certain that States admitted with on
ly one or two Representatives i'll Con