Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-05-25
THE COLORADO vEro MESSAGE.


return to the Senate, In which House it
originated, the bill which has passed both
Houses of Congress, entitled AN Aet for
t ie admission of the State of Colorado into
the Union, with my objections to Its be-
coming 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 peo-
pie in Colorado Under the existing terrific
rial government all the rights, privileges and
interests of the citizens are protected and
secured The qualified voters choose their
own legislators and their own local officers,
and are represented In Congress by dele
gate of their own selection. They make and
execute their own municipal laws, subject
only to revision by 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 number at from thirty five thou
sand to forty thousand souls.
The people are principally resent settlers,
many Of whom are understood to be ready
for removal to other mining districts, beyond
the limits of the Territory, If circumstances
shall render them more inviting. Such a
/ population cannot but find relief from exces-
siye taxation. If the Territorial system,
which devolyes the expenses of the Execu-
tive, Legislative, and judicial Departments
upon the United Statas, 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 necessarily incident
TO all newly organized communities
| Second, Ii is not satisfactorily established
that majority Of the citizens of Colorado
desire, or are prepared for an exchange Of a
Territorial for State Government In Sep
tember, 1864, under the authority of Con-
gress, an election was lawfully appointed and
held for the purpose of ascertaing the views
of the people upon this particular question:
6, 1872 votes were cast, and of this number a
majority of 3,l52 was given against the pro-
posed change In September, 1865, without
any legal authority, the question was again
presented to the people of the Territory,
with view of obtaining a reconsideration
of the result of the election held in compli-
ance with the act of Congress, approved
March 2l, 1864. At this second election,
5,905 votes we're polled, and majority OF
l55 was given in favor Of State organiza-
tlon. 1t does not seem to be entirely safe
10 receive this last mentioned result, so ir-
regrlarly obtained, as sufficient to overweight
the one which had been legally obtained in
the first election. Regularity and conformity
o law are essential to the preservation oi
order and stable government, and should
8 as far as practicable, always be observed in
5he formation eff new States.
: Third The admission of Colorado at this
2 time as State into the Federal Union an.
pears to me to be incompatible with the
public interests of the country; and while
t is desirable that Territories, when suffi-
ciently matured. shoAld be organized as
States, yet the spirit of the Constitution
seems TO require that there should be an
approximation towards equality among the
several States comprising the Union. No
State can have less nor more than two
Senators IN Congress. The largest State
has population of four millions, several of
the States have population exceeding two
millions, and many others have a population
exceeding one million.
II this bin should become a law, the peo-
pie of fColorado, thirty thousand in number,
would have in the House of Representatives
one member, while New York, with popu-
ation of four millions has hut thirty-une.
Colorado would have in the Electoral Col
lege 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, but it is believed that none have
happened where the inequality was so great.
When such inequality has been allowed.
Congress is supposed to have permitted il
on the ground of some high public necessity,
and under circumstances which promised
that it would rapidly disappear through the
growth and development Of the newly ad-
rnitted State Thus, in regard to the several
States in what was formerly called the
: Northwest Territory" lying west of the
, Mississippi, their rapid advancement in
population rendered it certain that States
admitted with only one or two representa-
tives in Congress would in a very short pc
riod be entitled to a great increase of repre-.
: sentation. So, when California was admit.
ted on the ground Of commercial and polit-
g ieal exigencies, it was well foreseen that that
State was destined rapidly to become great
{ prosperous and important mining CONNER
s cial community. In the case of Colorado
a am not aware that any national exigency
either of political or commercial nature
requires departure from the law of eduali
ty which has been so generally adhered tc
in our history.
IF information submitted in connection
with this bill is reliable, Colorado. instead
of increasing, has declined in population
At an election for members of a Territorial
Legislature, held in 1861, 10, $50 votes were
cast. At the election before mentioned. ir
1864, the number of votes cast, was 6. 1872
while at the irregular election, held in 1865
which is assumed as the basis for legislative
action at this time, the aggregate of votes
cast was 5, 905.
Sincerely anxious for the welfare and pros
perity of every Territory and State, as vel
} as for the prosperity and welfare of the
whole Union, [ regret this apparent decline
IN porulatiou in Colorado: but it is mani.
fest that it is due to emigration. which !,
going on from th,t Territory into other re-
gions within the United States. which eitbe,
are in fact, or are believed bv the inhabit
+ ants OF Colorado 10 te, richer i'm uinera
wealth and agricultural resources. If how.
ever, Colorado has not really declined in
population. another census or another elec.
tion under the authority Of Congress would
place the question beyond doubt and cause
but little delay in the ultimate admission ii
the Territory as State if desired by the
people.
The tenor of these objections furnishes
the reply which may be expected to an arpu.
ment in favor Of the measure derived from
the Enabling act, which was passed bv Con
gress on the 2lst day of March, 1864, al.