Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-02-01
PREsiDINI"S MESSAGE.
Message OF the President of she United
States, Returning TO the Senate Bill
Entitled An Act to Admit the state of
Colorado into the Union"
To The Senate of tie United States

To The Senate Of tie United States
I return o the Senate, in which House it orr
ginated bill entitled 60 an t. admit the State
of Colorado into the Union" to which ] cannot,
consistently with my sense of duty give my APP
prOYal. With the exception Of an additional sec
ton, containing new provisions, it is substantially
the same as the bill of similar title passed by
Congress during the last session, submitted to tue
President for his approval, returned with the OBJ
jectiOns contained in a message bearing date the
18th of May last, and yet awaiting tie reconsld-
Grafton of the Senate.
A ST. cond bill having in view the same purpose,
has now passed both Houses OF Congress and
been presented for my signature. Having again
carefully considered the sub eCt, have been I'M
able to perceive any reason for changing the Opin-
ions which have already been communicated to
Congress. l find, on the contrary, that there are
many objections to the proposed legislation, OF
which was not at that time aware, and that,
while several of those which I then assigned have
in the interval gained in strength yet others have
been created by the altered character OF the meas
ure submitted.
The Constitution under which this State Gov
eminent is proposed to be formed, very properly
contains provision that all laws in force at the
time of it's adoption and the admission OF the
State into the Union shall continue if the Con-
stitution had not been adopted. Among those
laws is one absolutely prohibiting negroes and
mula ttoes from voting. At the recent session OF
the Territorial Legislature bill for the repeal OF
this law, introduced into the council, was almost
unanimously rejected and the very time when
Congress was engaged III enactlnS the Dill now
under consideration, the Legislature passed an
act excluding negroes and mulattoes from the
right to sit Jurors. Tins bill was vetoed by the
Cover or Of the Territory, who held that by the
laws of the United states negroes and mulattoes
are citizens and subject to the duties well as
entitled to the rights of citizenship. The bill,
however, was passed, the objections OF the Gov
ernor to the contrary, notwithstanding, and is
now law OF the Territory. Yet i'll the bill now
before me- by which it is proposed to admit the
Territory as State, 1T Is provided that there
shall be no denial Of the elective franchise any
other right, to any person, by reason of race or
color excepting Indians not taxed The incon-
gruiLy thus exhibited between the legislation OF
Congress- and that of the Territory taken in con-
nection with tie protest against the admission
of the State nereinaf ter referred 20, would seem
clearly to indicate the impolicy and injustice OF
| the proposed enactment
| 1t might indeed be subject of grave inquiry
and doubtless will result in such inquiry this bill
| becomes a law, whether it does not attempt to ex
ercise power not conferred upon Congress by the
Federal Constitution. That instrument simply de-
clares that Congress may admit new States into
| the Union. 1t nowhere says that Congress may
| make new States tor the purpose of admitting
! them into the Union, or for any other purpose
and yet this bill is clear attempts make the
institutions as any in which the people themselves
| could engage.
In view Of this action of Congress, the House
of Representatives of the Territory has earnestly
| protested against being forced into the Union
without first having tbs question submitted to the
people, Nothing could be more reasonable thar