Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-05-23
VETO NOS.
The Colorado State Bill-The Presidents
Objections.

Origlnatcu, tnc uih "hiNh h"o l'"
both Houses of Congress, entitled
AN act for the admission of the State
of Colorado into the Union" with my
objections to it becoming a law at TINS
time.
First. From the best information
which | have beenable to obtain, DO
not consider the establishment OF n
State government at present ncces-
sary for the welfare of the people OF
Colorado. Under the existing Terri
torial government all the rights, PRIV
ilcgcs and interests of the citizens are
protected and secured The qualified
voters choose their own legislators
and their local officers, and arc repre-
sented in Congress by delegate of
their own selection. They make and
execute their own municipal laws, sub
icct only to therevision of Congrcss,an
authority not likely to be exercised,
unless in extreme or extraordinary
cases. The population in small, some
estimating it SO low as twenty-five
thousand, while advocates of the bill
reckon the number at from thirty-fvc
thousand to forty tho..an,..-a--~--i-- fpi'~
pcopic arr principally recent settlers,
many of whom are understood to be
ready for removal to other mining
districts beyond the limits of the Ter
ritory, if circumstances shall render
them more inviting. Such a popula.
ton cannot but find relief from excess
I've taxation if the Territorial system,
which devolves the expense of the exc
cutivo, Legislative and judicial depart
ments upon the United States, is for
the present continued. They cannot
but find the security Of person and
properly 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 com
munities.
Second 1t is not satisfactorily es-
tablshed that majority of the citi-
zens of Colorado desire or are prepar-
ed for an exchange Of a Territorial
for a State government. In Septem-
Der, 1864, under the authority of Con-
gress, an election was lawfully ap-
pointed and held for the purpose of as
certaining the views of the people
upon that particular question Six
thousand one hundred and ninety-two
votes were cast, and of this number a
majority of three Thousand one hun
dred and fifty-two was given against
the proposed change In September,
1865, without any legal authority, the
question was again presented to the
people of the Territory, with the view
Of obtaining a reconsideration Of the
result of the election held in eompli-
ance with the act of Congress approx
cd March 81, 1854 At this second
alo~.:~.- a. tiIvusanu nine hundred
and five votes were polled, and ma
jority Of one hundred and fiity-fve
was given in favor Of State organiza-
ton 1t does not seem to me entirely
safe TO receive this last mentioned re-
suit, so irregularly obtained, s'suf
ficient to outweigh the one which
had been legally obtained in the
FIRST election. Regularity and conform
ity TO law arc essential to the preser-
vation of forder and stable government,
and should, as far as practicable al
ways be observed in the formation of
new States.
Third. The admission Of Colorado.
at this time, rs a State into the Fed.
eral Union, appears to me TO be in
compatible with the public interests
of the country While l. is desired
that Territories sufficiently matur-
ed should 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 more
than two Senators in Congress the
largest State has population Of four
millions, several Of the States have n
population exceeding two millions.a and
many others have a population ex-
eeeding one million.
A population Of l27, ,000 is the ratio
of apportionment Of representatives
among the several States. If this bill
should become law, the people of
Colorado, thirty thousand in number.
would have in the House Of Reprcsen-
tatives one member. while New York.
with a population Of four millions. has
hut thirty Colorado would have
in the electoral college three votes.
while New York has only thiriy-three.
Colorado wonld have in the Senate
two votes, while New York has no
moro.
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 it on
the ground Of some high public necess-
ity, and under circumstances which