The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1866-05-23
Message from the President.
VETO OF THE BILL ADMITTING COL
ORADO AS A STATE.
70 the Senate of the United States:

To the Senate of the United States.
return to the Senate, in which it origina-
ted, the bill which has passed both Houses
of Congress, entitled An act for the admis-
sion of the State of Colorado into the Union"
with my objections to its becoming 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-
pile of Colorado. Under the existing Terri
torial 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 Of
fcers, and are represented in Congress by
delegate of their own selection. They make
and execute their own municipal laws, sub
ject only to revision of Congress-an author
ity not likely to be exercised, unless in ex-
treme or extraordinary cases. The popula-
ton is small, some estimating it SO low as
twenty-five thousand, while advocates of the
bill reckon the number at from thirty five
thousand to forty thousand souls. The Pc
pie are principally recent settlers, many of
whom are understood to be ready for remov-
al to other mining districts beyond the limits
of the Territory, if circumstances shall rem
der them more inviting. Such a population
cannot but find relief from excessive taxa
tion if the Territorial system, which devolves
the expense of the executive, Legislative, and
judicial departments upon the United States
is for the present continued. They cannot
but find the security ofpersons and property
increased by their reliance upon the national
executive power for the maintenance Of law
and order against the disturbances necessari-
ly incident to all newly organized commu
mites
Second. 1t 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 ascertaining the
views of the people upon that particular
question. Six thousand one hundred and
ninety-two votes were cast, and Of this num-
her majority of 8, ,152 was given against the
proposed change. In September, 1865, with
out any legal authority, the question was
again presented to the people of the Terrific
ry with the view of obtaining reconsidera-
ton of the result of the election held in COM
pliance with the act of Congress, approved
March 81, 1854. At this second election
5005 votes were polled, and a majority OF
155 was given in favor of State organization
1t does not seem to me entirely safe to re.
ceive this last mentioned result, so irregular.
ly obtained, as sufficient to outweigh the one
which had been legally obtained in the first
election Regularity and conformity to law
io1 TO he <>fo or1o r
stable government, and should, as far as
practicable, always be observed in the for
nation of new States.
Third. The admission of Colorado, at this
time, as State into the Federal Union, ap
pear to me to be Incompatible with the pub
lie interests of the country. While it is de
sired that Territories sufficiently maturet
should be organized as States, yet the spiri
of the Constitution seems to require tha
there should be an approximation toward
equality among the several States comprising
the Union. No State can have more thai
two Senators in Congress; the largest Stat
has population of four millions several o
the States have population exceeding tw'
millions, and many Others have population
exceeding one million.
A population of $4,000 is the ratio of ap
portionment of representatives among tn
several States If this bill should become
| law, the people of Colorado, thirty thousan,
| in number, would have in the House of Rep
resentatives one member, while New York
with population of four millions, has bu
thirty-one Colorado would have in til
electors college three votes, while New Yor
has only thirty three Colorado would hav
In the Senate two votes, while New York hs