The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-02-06
Nj E $ s AG E
or THE
President of the United States.
VETO or THE COLORADO BILL.


VETO or THE COLORADO BILL.
To lie Senate efihe Uaitsd States,
return 10 the Senate, IN which House
il originated, a bill entitled IAN act to ad-
nit The State oi Colorado into the Union" !"
10 which cannot, consistently with my
sense Of duty. give my approval. With
the exception Of an additional section, con-
tanning new provisions. il is substantially
she same as the bill Of similar title passed
by Congress during the last session. sub
mitted 10 the President for his approval.
returned with the objections contained ia
q message bearing date the 10th Of May
last. aud yet awaiting the reconsideration
of the SeLate.
A second bill. having 10 view the same
purpose. has now passed bath Houses oi
Congress. and been presented for my sig
usture. Having again carefully consider
ed the subjeci. have been unable TO per-
cere ans reason tor changing the opinions
which have already been communicated 70
Congress. iind. on The contrary. that
there AIe a.ay objection, 10 the proposed
legislation OF which | was not at that time
aware. and that while several OF those
which then assigned have IN the interval
gained in strength. yet others have been
created by the altered character of the
measures now submitted.
The condition under which this State
government is proposed to be formed very
property contains 4 provision that all laws
in iorce at the time Of its adoption and the
admission of the State into the Union shall
continue as IL the constitution had not been
adopted. Among these laws Is one abso-
lutely prohibiting negroes and mula,toes
irom voting. Al the recent session Of the
Territorial Legislature a bill for the repeal
&c this ia~ introduced intol,he Council. war
almost unanimously rejected and the very
Zine when Congress. was engaged IN enact.
ing the b,ll now under consideration. .ths
Legislature passed an act excluding ne
croes and mulauocs from the right to 81
as Jurors. - This blll..~ss vetoed by The Gov.
crnor of the Territory. who held that by the
Laws of the United States negroes aud ma.
lAttoes are citizens aud subject 10 The du-
ties as we'll as entitled To the rights OF citi.
zenship. The bill. however. was passed
the objections OF the Governor 10 The con.
trary notwithstanding. and is now Q law o
the Territory. Yet. IN the bill now before
me, by which il ,s proposed 70 admit chs
Territory as q State, II Is provided tha
"theIe shall be no denial oil the elective
franchise or any other rights TO any persor
by reason Of race or calor. excepting In.
dians not taxed" The ineongruity thu
exhibited between the legislation OF Con
eress aud that Of the Territory. taken 10
connection with the protest against the ad
mission of the State. hereinafter referred
ta, would seen clearly to indicate the i'm
policy aud injustice Of the proposed enact
meat.
Il nigh, indeed be subject Of grave in
uuiry, and doubtless will result in such in
aairy if this bill becomes . law. whether !
does not attempt TO exercise q power no
conferred upon Congress by the Fedora
constitu ton. That instrument simply de
e'aes that Congress may admit new State
into the Un,un. Ii nowhere says that |, on
rress nav make new States for the purpos
~ admitting them into the Union, or {.
sny other purpose and yet this bill is 8
clear an attempt 10 make the institutions .
aay in which the people themselves eoul
engage.
In view Of this action Of Congress. th
Iiuuse Of Representatives Of the Territor,
bsve earnestly protested against being Tore
"a into the Union without FIRST having tn
question Submitted to the people. Nothin
could be more reasonable than the positle
which they thus ASSUME aud it certainl
cannot be the porpose Of Congress to lore
upon q community, against their will.
government which they do not ,'bel'sv
themselves capable Of sustaining:
The following is copy Of the prstsi
aliuded to. A ol4iciaIly Transmitted ID me