Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-05-17
QC&l&grapbit.
VETO NO. 3.
Presidents Message VetOinE the
Colorado Bill.


RADIO admission bill:
To The Senate Of The United States:
] return to the Senate in which House Il
originated, the bill which has passed both
Houses of Congress, entitled "An act foI
the 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
4 1 have been able to obtain, do not consider
the establishment of a State Government at
present necessary for the welfare of the
people in Colorado. Under the existing
Territorial Government all the rights, priv
lleges and interests of the citizens are pro-
tected and secured. The qualified voters
choose their own Legislatures and their
+, own local officers, and are represented in
Congress by a delegate of their own
selection. They make and execute their
! own municipal laws, subject only to
revision by Congress, an authority not
4 likely to be exercised unless IN extreme
or extraordinary cases. The population is
Fsmall, some estimating it so low as 25OOO,
while the advocates of the bill reckon the
number at from $4,000 to 10000. The peo-
| pie are principally recent settlers, many of
whom are understood to be ready for re-
moval to other mining districts beyond the
| VI JhO III
| shall render them more inviting. Such a
population cannot but find relief from ex-
cessive taxation if the Territorial system,
which devolves the expenses OF the Execu-
tive, Legislative and Judicial Departments
lupon the United States, is for the present
continued. They cannot but find the Sc
curlty OF person and property increased by
their reliance upon the National EXecu-
ttiVe power for the maintenance of law and
order against the disturbances necessarily
incident to all newly organized communi-
| ties.
| Second. It's snotsatisfactorilye established
that majority of the citizens of Colorado
desire or are prepared for an exchange of
Territorial for State Government. In Sept,
| 1864, under the authority of Congress, an.
election was lawfully appointed and held
| for the purpose OF ascertainng the views of
the people upon this particular question.
| 6l92 votes were cast, and of this number a
majority of 1852 was given against the pro-
posed change. In Sept, 1865, without any
legal authority, the question was again pre-
sented to the people of the Territory, with
the view OF obtaining a reconsideration of
the result of the election held in compliance
| with the act OF Congress approved March
| 2lst, 1864. AT this second election 5005 votes
were pOlled, and small majority of 1866
was given in favor of State organization.
1t does not seem to me entirely safe to per-
init this last mentioned result, so Irregular
| ly obtained, to outweigh the one which had
been legally obtained'in the first election.
| Regularity and conformity to law are es-
sential to the preservation of order and sta
Bile government, and should, as far as prac-
| ticable, always be observed in the formation
of new States.
Third. The admission OF Colorado at this
time as State into the Union, appears to
me to be incompatible with the public in
terests of the country. While it Is desira-
Bile that Territories, when sufficiently ma
tured, should be organized as States, yet the
spirit of the Constitution seems to require
that there should be an approximation to-
wards equality among the several States
comprising the Union. No State can
have less or more than two Sem
ators in Congress. The largest State
has a population of four Millions
Several other States have a population ex-
ceeding two millions, and many others have
a population exceeding one million. If
this bill should become law the people OF
Colorado, thirty thousand in number,
would have, in the House of Representa-
tives, one member, while New York, with
a population of four millions, has but thir-
ty-one. Colorado would have in the Elec-
toral 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, ,butitis be-
lieved none have happened where the in
equality was so great. When such inequal-
ity has been allowed, Congress is supposed
to have permitted it on the grounds OF some
high public necessity, and under circum-
stances which have promised that it would
rapidly disappear through the growth and
development of a newly admitted State.
Thus in regard to the several States in what
was formerly called the Northwest Terri
tory, lying east of the Mississippi, their
rapid advance in population rendered it
certain that States admitted with only one
or two Representatives in Congress would
in very short period be entitled to a great
increase of representation. So when Cali
fornia was admitted on the ground of COM
mercial and political eXigencies it was
well forseen that that State was destined to
become great, prosperous and important
mining and commercial community. In
the case of Colorado am not aware that
any national eXigency, either of political
or commercial nature, requires departure
from the law of equality which has been SO
generally adhered to in our history. Ifin-
formation submitted in connection with
this bill is reliable, Colorado, instead of in
creasing, has declined in population. At
an election for members of Territorial
Legislature, held in 1861, 10,5S0 votes were
cast. AT the election before mentioned in
1864, the number was 6,l92 while at the
regular election held in 1865, which is as 4
sumed for basis of legislative action at
this time, the aggregate number of thevotes
was 5,905. .Cr r..1gr "a
Sincerely anxious for the welfare and
prosperity of every Territory and State, as
well as for the prosperity and welfare of the
whole Union, regret this apparent decline
of population in Colorado, but it Is manifest |
that it is due to emigration which is going |
on from that Territory into other regions |
within the United States, which either ard
in fact, or are believed by the inhabitants of |
Colorado to be, richer in miDeral wealth |
and agricultural resources. If Colorado |
hasnot really declined in population, ans
other census or another election under the |
authority of Congress would place the |
question beyond doubt and cause but little |
delay in,the ultimate reception of the Ter |
ritory as State, if desired by the people. |
The tenor of these objections furnishes |
the reply which may be expected to an ar
gument in favor of the measure, derived |
from the enabling act which was passed by |
Congress on the 2lst, day of March, 1884,
Although Congress then supposed that the
condition of the Territory was such as to
warrant its admission asa State, the result |
Of two years. experience shows that every
reason which existed for the institution of /
a Territorial instead of State Government
In Colorado, at its first organization, still
continues in force. The condition of the |