North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-05-30
Veto CT the Colorado Bill by the Presi-
dent.
To the Senate ofthe Unied Stafes:

To the Senate Of the Unae Stdfes:
return to the Senate, in which House
it originated, the bill which has passed
both Houses of Congress, EMIT ed,
"An act for the admission of the State of
Colorado into the Union" with my Office
tions to its becoming a law at this time.
First, From the best 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
territorial government: all the rights, priv
ileoes and Interests of the citiz ms are pro-
tected and secured. The qualified voters
choose their own legislatures and their
own local officers, and are represented in
Congress by delegate of their own Sc
lection.
They make and execute their own mu-
nicipal laws. subject only TO revision by
Congress, an authority not likely to be
exercised uness in extreme or extraordi-
nary cases. The population is small,
some estimating it so low as twenty-five
thousand, while the advocates of the bill
reckon The number at from thirty-five
thousand to forty thousand The people
are principally recent settlers, many of
whom are understood to be ready for re-
moval to other mining districts, beyond
the limits of the territory, if circum>tan-
ces shall render them more inviting.
Such population cannot but find relief
from exc, ssive taxation if the territorial
! system, which devolves the expenses of
the executive, legislative and judicial de-
partments 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 ma
tional executive power for the mante-
nance of law AM order against the dis
turbance necessarily incident to all newly
! organized communities.
Second. 1t is not satisfactorily estab-
! lished that a maturity Of tie citizens of
Colorado desire or are prepared for an ex-
change of "a territorial for State govern
ment. In September, 1884, under the au
thority Of Congress, an election was law
fully appointed aud held for the purpose
of asceraning the views Of the people.
Upon this particular question 6,l92
votes were cast, and of this number ma
! jority of g. ,l52 was given against the pro-
| posed change. In September, 1865, with
out any legal authority, the question was
again presented TO the people of the terri
tory, with the view Of obtaining a recon-
siGeration of the result of the election held
in compliance with the act of Congress
approved March 2lst, 1864. At this
election, 5,905 votes were polled, and a
small majority of l55 was given in favor
of State organization 1t does not seem
to me entirely safe 10 receive this last
mentioned Iesult, so irrcgularIy obtained
to out weigh the one which had been le-
galy obtained in the first election. Reg
uarity and conformity to law are essential
TO the preservation of order and stable gov
ernment, ard should, as far as practicable,
always be observed in the formation of
new states.
Third The admission of Colorado at
this time as a State into the Union. APP
pears to me to be Incompatible with the
public interests of the country. While it
is des rable that territories when sufficient
" atnrer should be organized as States,
yet the spirit of the Constitution seems to
require hat there should be an approxima-
tion towards equality among the several
states comprising the Uuion. No State
can have less or more than two Senators
in Congress. The largest State has pop
ula,iun of four mi!ious Several other
States have population exceeding two
millions, and many others have pcpula-
ton exceeding one million. lfthis should
become law the people Of Colorado,
thirty thousand in mum er, would have in
the House of Representatives one member
while New York, with population of fonr
millions, has but thrty-one. Colorado
would have in the Electoral College three
votes, while NV York has only thirty
three Colorado would have IN the Sen
ate two votes, while New York has no
more. inequalities Of this character have
already occurred but it is believed none
have happened where the inequality was
so great.
When such inequality has been allowed
Congress is supposed to have committed
It on the ground ofsome high public nee
essity and under circumstances which
promised thai 1t woutd rapidly disappear
through the growth and developemeut o.
the newly-admitted State. Thus, in re-
gard to the several States in what was for
merly called the ''no rthwpst territory
: lying east of the Mississippi their rapid ad-
, vance IN population rendered it certain
that States admitted with only one or two
representatives in Congress would, in {
short period, be entitled to great in
crease Of representation. So, when Cali
= fornia was admitted on the ground of com
r mercial and political exigencies, it was
well foreSeen that that State was destined
rapidly to become great, prospectus enc
important mining and commercial COM
. munity.
. In the case of Colorado I am not aware
! that any national exigency, either of po-
, / litical or commercial nature rpoIIiras do