Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-02-01

never have legal existence, ~is framed as@te
ronC or its execution almost impossible. 1t is in
iced question whether 1t is not ifl itself nnlii
i ty. TO say tue least 1t is OF exceedingly doubtful
prUpI1ety TO confer tie power proposed IN the bill
upon the Governor eject" for al by its Own
telms, the Constitution is not to take fl ct unfl
after the admission of the State ne in the
time has no more authority than any other private
citizen. But even suppOsiu5 .Iin 10 lie clothed
with sufficient authority 10 convene The Legisia
tufe, what Constitutes the state Leglsiatt- to
which Is to be referred Tie question Of submission
| to the con Iliors imposed b. Congress? Is it a
new body to be elected and convened by proc,g-
nation OF the = Goyerno elect; or il it tAa; body
which 1lst nloro tiian year ago iindcr the pro-
visions OF The State Constitution
By referance to the second section q the seized
tile, and to tie eight, el?ti section 0i ti:e fourth
tice OF the State Constitution il Will he seen that
| the term of the members of the House Of !teprg-
aentatlVes atd that IT Que hall o! the members Of
TIC Senate expired the tT.t Monday Of tie pre-
sent mooth ii Is clear thHt if there were 40 IN
trim &c objections to the bill Itself III relation to
the purposes TO be accomplished. ills objection
Wcnih be fatal; as it is apparent that the urovis
ions Of The third se,.ti OF the ISL to admit Color
ado Lave reference la period and stat, nf facts
entli ely different from lie present. and affairs as
they now exist; aid il talrIc, tU effect must ne
ssuriiy lead to confusion.
Even If is were settled ti,at the Old and not 4
new body "cr" I" act, 1t would bc fs.ud iinpracgi
cable t" execute ;he law, because Il considerable
number OF tIo Iacnlbers, J. ain informed, have
ceased to G Residents uf the Territory and in the
sixty days within which tn" Legislature is 10 b.
cOHYCncd a!tj'lIe passage Of The act, there would
tot be sufficient time "a Ill tie vacancies b5 new
electiuus, We're there any authority under which
they could be held.
Itmaynot be improper to a1dthat il these pro-
ceodin3s all regular aud the result TO be OBJ
tanned desirable, simple Justice to the people
Of the Territory would require Il longer period
than sixty days within which to obtain action
the conditions proposed by the third section of the
bill. The are, is we'll known, large portions
Of territory with which there is and be no gen
ira! communication, thore being several counties
which from November t. May can only be reached
by persons travelling on Co. while with other
5IoIis Of the territory occupied by large portion
OF the population there is very little free
dom Of access yaus, if this bill should become
law, il would be inpracticaDe 20 obtain ANY cx-
preston OF public sentiment il reference to its |
provisions, with ..ViCN 10 tnlgh the LGgisia- !
ture, il the old bL,y called together, and Of
course equally i!ll'IaciCaiie procure the cleo
ton OF new boo. Ills defect might have been !
remedicd by an extension cf the time and sub |
mission OF the question to the people, with & fair /
opportunity. to enable them to express their SCH
tlInGnts.
The admission of State mas generally !
been regarded epoch in history, mark !
ing the onward progress of the nation but /
after he most careful and anxious inquiry on the
subject, cannot perceive that the proposed pro- |
caoding is III conformity with the policy which,
from the origin Of the Government, has uniformly
prevailed in the admission Of new States. there
fore return tho bill to the Senate without ny sig
nature.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
NASuIEGToN, Jan. %, 1857.