The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-01-04

| T'ly upon WIN very great ucdl Ol con-
! tidcnCc. / have taken some pains to
ascertain the facts from the Delegate in
! the other House, and from Mr.. Ed
munds, of the Land Office, who has
some information on that snbicCt. |
understood there must he now about
| sixty thousand inhabitants in Colorado
some think Il great deal moro than that.
| That is the smallest number find init
mated by those who profess to know
anything about it. 1t is Territory
which is filing up very rapidly. Judge
Edmunds tells me that he has not the
least doubt in the world that before
they finish their arrangements and he
come a State, there will be sufficient
population there for a Representative
in Congress, according to the ratio of
representation fixed by the last census.
That is about the information got. -
When the enabling act for Nebraska
was pending the Senator from Ohio
said, in the CONCLUSION of the debate,
these important words--und recollect,
he was speaking as the organ of the
Committee on Territories, speaking
upon territorial question, in case
and at Il time when his expression of
opinion was entitled to the highest re-
spect and confidence
"T have no doubt this Territory will
have Il population amply sufficient for a
Representative by the time they get Il
state government formed and are ready
to elect their officers"
Which, according to the provisions in
the enabling act, would have been in
October, 1864. Now, by the legislation
, of Congress, under the present census,
f the population required for a member
of the House of Representatives is one
hundred and twenty-sevcn thousand ;
, and Congress was assured, when these
: enabling acts were passed i'll 1861, that
= by the time the people of these Terrific
) ries appeared, respectively, and claimed
, admission under those enabling acts
they would have, each of them, at least
f the ratio or number Of one hundred and
tWcnty-sevcn thousand.
. Mr.. WADE. | hope the Senator will
e allow me one moment in explanation of
that. lie thinks that my predictions as
) to the population of these Territoric,
= were not well foundCd--that ! stated il
| very large. | certainly announced what
the Commissioner Of Public Lands, wht
, was very well acquainted with the sub
icct stated. 1t was the opinion Of every
body with whom converscd, that il
-, was the best light | could get ut the
time. But the amount of population
q that we expected then was interrupted
; and undoubtedly disappointed by tht
terrible Indian war that occurred abou
e that time, driving II great many out O
the Territory, and drawing q grca
;, many into that war. / have no doub
that that had the effect TO prevent thOs'
Il, expectations being fulfilled. That is al
| have to say on that subject. repeat
- what have frequently said, that tn
population of Nebraska now is large
:, than Territories have usually had whe
they have been admitted, though not >
large as | expected it would be at til
l. time that enabling act was passed.
Mr.. BUCKALEW. But, Mr.. Prcsi
g dent, the fore" and effect of this fact
not weakened or removed at all in re
:. 5pcct to the point for which | cited il
-, and that was to show that the COngrc,
= of 1864 was mislcd, if not Intentional
, ly, in effect, deceived with reference {
! the subject Of population in both tn
Territories that are now before Us fl
admission, and that il the truth La
~, then been known, if the facts as the
y, were subsequently, a#cCrtaincd had bee
T., fairly stated and fully understood, ther
is no reason to believe that these ena
bling acts would have been passed. Con
grcss acted undora miscOnception of tn
amount of population in each OF thes
. Territories.
, | say this l. conclusive against an
!. argument founded upon these cnabin
- statutes-thc argument which has bee
pressed upon us with such force froi
- the commencement Of the debate dow
TO this time. At the very time Whc
- the Senator from Ohio, upon authorit
> which miscd him equally with tn
j.. Senate, was liking the minimum of tn
! population of Colorado at sixty thou:
N and, at the very moment when he wa
-. informing us that the Delegate froi
- that Territory in the other branc
~ claimed that it was much larger tina
q that, the actual number Of inhabitan
in that Territory could not possibly HAY
!, been over thirty thousand, one half IL
:, minimum fixed, and upon which l HAY
: a right to say the action of Congress W;
=, prcdicated.
o. And so in regard to the Territory
j. Nebraska. We were assured that
/, would have one hundred and tWent,
H. seven thousand Inhabitants by the tin
in its constitution was formed, and its of
H. GERS elected. Instead Of that being Il
,p fact in October, lSGl, when we We're to-
d. it would take place, here in 1866, and
~ the end Of the year, we are acting upt
~ the question of admitting Ncbrasb
Ia with Il probable population of not mo
Ir- than fifty thousand. 1t is true, stranj
,v and vague statements are madc abo
OF there being some eighty thousand Pc
10, pie in this Territory, with nothing
10 sustain them except an unofficial n
unreliable letter, 10 which | shall her
=, after allude. We have "a ,isiactOry pro
NO. that the population must be in Il
ha uci.hbUrhoCd Of fifty thousand Onl
But Congress WAS to.I moro than tv
ho years ago, that in October 1861, it Wou
~ be up to the ratio of one hundred Il,
- twenty-seven thousand.
| will now briefly state the facts rs