Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-05-22
Message from the President.
Veto OF the Bill Admitting Colorado as
Stale.
To tie Senate ofMe United States

Vi tue SLate OF COLORADO into the union, win
my objections to its becoming law at this
time.
First. From the best information which /
have been able to obtain, 1 do not consider
the establishment OF State government ut
present necessary for the welfare of the peO-
pie OF Colorado. Under the existing terrlto>
rial government. all the rights, privileges, and
interests OF the citizens are projected aud SEA
cured. The qualified votels choose their own
Legislators ami their own local officers, and are
represented in Congress by delegate OF
their own selection. They make and execute
their own municipal laws, subject only to u
revision OF CongleSs-an authority not likely
to be exercised unless in extreme ar extruor-
binary cases The population is small, some
estimating 1t so low twenty-five thousand,
while advocates OF the bill reckon the num-
Der at from thirty five Thousand to forty thou
sand souls. The people are principally re-
cent settlers, many OF whom are understood
to be ready for removal to other mining dis
tricts beyond the limits Of the territory if
circumstances shall render them more in-
vitlng Such population cannot but fluid
relief from excessive taxation If the terrific
rial system, which devUIves the expense of
the executive, legislative, aud judicial de-
partments upon the United States, is for the
present continued. They canu"t but fuI 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 necessarily incident
to all newIy>Organized communities
Second. 1t Is not satisfactorily esta liShed
that ma Urity of the citizens of G dorado
desire or are prepared for All exchange of IL
Territorial for Stare government. In Sep
TENDER, 1861, under tho authority of Con-
gress, an election was lawfully appointed and
held for the purpose of ascrrtaniTg the views
Ol the people upon that particular question.
Six thousand one hundred and ulnety-two
votes were cast, and Of this number INA juri-
ty OF 3,l32 was given against the proposed
change. In September, 1865, without any
legal authority. the question was again pre-
scented to the people OF the Territory with the
view OF Obtaining reconsideration oil the re-
suit of the election held in compliance with
the act OF Congress approved March II, 1861
At this second election, 5,9U5 votes were
pOlied, AID maj 'rity OF l55 was given i'll
favor OF Stnte organization. 1t does not seem
to me entirely safe to receive this lu>t-mcm>
toned result. so irregularly obtained, as suffi-
Gent to outweigh the one which had been Ie-
galiy Obtained in the first election. Reg
ularity aud conformity to law are essential to
the preservation OF order and stable govern.
mcnt, and should as Ia: as practicable, al
ways be observed in the formation Of new
States.
Third. The admission of Colorado at this
time as Il State INTO the Federal Union ap-
pears to me to be Incompatible with the pub
lie interests of the country. While 1t is de-
sired that territories sufficiently maturcd
should be organized Il, States, Yet the spirit
of the Constitution seems to require that there
han hn
among the several States comprising the
Union. No State can have more than two
Senators in Congress !; the largest State has Il
population of four miiiUn-, several of the
States have population exceeding two mil.
lions, and many others have u population ex-
cecding Que million.
population OF one hundred and twenty
seven thousand is t. ratio of appVrtionmcnt
OF representatives, among the several States
If this bill should become IL law. the ueopIc
OF Colorado, thrtp hou=and in number. would
have in the House of Representatives one
member, while New York, with a population
OF four millions, has but thirty one Colo
RADIO would have i'll the electoral college three
votes, while New York his only thirty three,
Colorado would have in the Senate two votes,
while New York has no more.
Inequalities Of this character have already
occurred. but it is believed that none have
happened where the inequality was So great
When such inequality has been allowed, Con
gress is supposed to have permitted it on the
GROUND Of sUme high public necessity, and
under circumstances VIII CHI promised that it
would rapidly disappear through the growth
and development OF the newly admitted State.
Thus, in regard to the several States in what
was formerly called the " Northwest Terrific.
ry." lying east Of the Mississippi, their rapid
advancement in population rendered it Ger
tain that States admitted with O:ly one or
two representatives in Congress would in a
very short period be entitled to Il great in
crease of representation. So, when CalIior-
MIA was admitted, on the ground Of CONNER
cial and political exIgencies, it was we'll fore
seen that that State was destined rapidly TO
become great prosperous mining and com.
mcrclal community. In the case OF Colorado,
l am not aware that aut rational exiYency,
either Of Il political or commercial nature. re-
quireS departure from the law of equality,
which has been SO generally adhered to in
our history.
1finfUrmation submitted in connection with
this bill is reliable, Colorado. inS cad Of in
creasing, has declined in population At au
election for III mbers Of Il Territorial Leris-
lature, held i'll 1861, ten thousand five hum
bred and eighty votes were cast. At the
election before mentioned III 1864, the nuns
Der Of votes cast WAS six thousand one hun
dred and ninety-tw"; while at the irregular
election held in 1865. which is ASSUMED as IL
basis TOR Legislative action at this time. the
aggregate of woes was five thousand nine
hundred and five. Sincerely anxious for the
prosperity and welfare Of every Ierritory and
State, as we'll as for the prosperity and wei.
fare OF the whole Union, | regret this appa-
rent decline Of population in Colorado but
it is manifest that it is due to emigration,
which is going out from that Territory into
other regions within the United States. which
either are in fact, or are believed by the in
habitants of Colorado to be. richer in miner !
wealth. and nrricnltmrul ro.nurcoS IL hn,,.