The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-10-04
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
IDAHO TERRITORY,
BOISE Cry. Sent. 9. 1873.


mittee on Privileges and Elections:
DEAR SIR-I learn from the public
journals that the Senate Committee on
Privileges and Elections of which
you are the distinguished chairman,
will meet in the City Of New York, on
the 1st of October, proximo, to take
into consideration the question of so
amending the Federal Constitution as
to provide, in the future, for a more
simple, safe and just method of choos-
ing by the people one of their number
as Chief Magistrate of the Republic.
and that you have invited the opin-
ions of your fellow -countrymen on the
subject. | have therefore deemed it
not improper to call your attention,
and that of your honorable committee,
to one phase on the subject that deep
ly concerns that portion of the cit
liens of the United States residing in
the organized Territories-thercof
[ certainly am not mistaken, when
| express the belief that it is the pol
| icy of the Government Of the United
States to foster and encourage every
movement that tends to invite emf
grafton to the undeveloped Territories
of the nation. Neither do l believe
that / am mistaken in the belief that
the steady tendency of the Govern
ment is in the direction Of equal and
exact justice to all its citizens, and
that none shall be denied equal par
ticipation in all the privileges and
| benefits of the Government.
| think [ but give expression to the
common experience of all well inform
ed men, when / assert that the cit
liens of the United States, who re-
side in the Territories, will compare
favorably with those who reside in the
respective States in all the require
ments of good citizenship. 1t is we'll
known that, for the most part, the en-.
igration to the Territories is composed
Of young men of refinement and edu-
cation, who have left their old homes
in the various States for the purpose
Of giving full scope to their energies
and ambitions, to the end that they
might carve out for themselves for
tune and fame. These young men,
many of them former soldiers, are
pre- -eminently loyal, orderly and law
abiding. 1t would seem that polit-
ical disabilities ought not to follow
such men in their commendable enter
prises, if by any reasonable means it
could be avoided. II the Government
can not give rewards to the brave pio-
neers who build up new States s,and add
other stars to the flag of the republic,
it certainly should not inflict penal
ties ef political disfranchisemcnt
Under the existing provisions Of the
Constitution, the man who emigrates
to Territory, loses his political priv
iiege 10 great extent, and becomes a
disfranchised subject. He is not rep
resented in the Electoral College,
neither in the National Legislature,
except by Delegate in the Lower
House, who is Knocked with the sorry
privilege of a seat, where he may rest,
but where he can have no vote, and
therefore can do but little, if any,
good for his disfranchised constit-
uents,. while at the same time, the less
enterprising man, who stays at home
and rests quietly under the wine and
fig tree" Of his father, is clothed with
all the high prerogatives and fran
chises of an American citizen-votcs
for President and Vice President, and
is represented in both branches of
Congress.
/ 1t can not be denied that the citizen
of the United States, who resides in
Territory, is as vitally interested in all
general Congressional Legislation as
is the citizen of the United States who
resides in State. All the great ques-
tlons OF revenues, taxation. tariffs,
commerce, manufactures. and all that
pertains to war or peace, foreign or
domestic concerns, as fully interest
the one as the other, while the legisla-
ton that pertains to the public lands,
the mineral resources, the Indians,
and the great trans-continental high
ways, certainly concerns the man who
is locally and personally affected, as
greatly as it does the man who resides
where there are no public lands, no
minerals, no Indians; and where the
internal improvements are systematic
| ed, and regulated by State Legisla-
lures. And [ feel sure that it will at
once be conceded that the citizen who
resides in the Territory can not be less
interested in the choice of President
than is the citizen who resides in the
State. For in the Territory the Pres
ident exercises vast power and au-
thorIty unknown in State-for in the
former he appoints the Governor, the
Judges, and all the Executive and Ju-
dicial officers, while in the latter the
people elect.
If, then, it is admitted that the cit
izen of the United States residing in
Territory is the equal of the citizen
residing in State, and if it be true
I that no citizen of the United States
; while living within the Territorial
, jurisdiction of the National Govern
ment, and free from political disabil-
tiles, should be deprived of any polit.
: ical privilege or franchise that is en-.
joyed by other citizens, where the same
can be safely and consistently confer.
: red upon them. | submit whether
justice and equity does not demand
that the citizen of the United States
who may reside in an organized Terri
tory thereof, shall be secured in the
right to vote for President and Vice
6 President Of the United States, ano
to be represented in the House of Rep
5 resentatiyes by one full member or
precisely the same terms as the right
is secured to the citizens in the States:
When the present Constitution was
adopted there were no organized Ter.
ritories, and consequently no provis
sion was made for their proper repre-
? sentation, and the present electora
plan applying only to States the peo
pie Of the Territories have uncom
plainingly submitted. But now wher
the enlightened judgment of the peo
> pie of the country seems to demand
1 another system, more Democratic ant
: more consistent with the progressiv,
/ spirit of the age, the people of tn,
territories feel that the time has com,
for them to ask what feel sure you
enlightened judgment will concede