The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-29


with the Territories and the admission Of new
ton of Senator Sargent to give the right Of
suffrage 70 all inhabitants OF the proposed Ter
ritory without regard to sex, race or color.
This led to discussion Of the whole question
of woman's rights. The friends Of that cause
will rejoice to learn that it was championed by
Senators like Carpenter, Morton, Ferry and
Anthony. The arguments they adduced are
familiar, and need scarcely be reviewed now,
for the debate did not assume serious shape,
and the amendment of Mr.. Sargent was de-
feated by a vote of twenty-seven to nineteen.
There is this TO b. said, however-that q cause
which can command nineteen votes in the
Senate has strength enough to give its adj
herents hopes OF ultimate triumph The
value of the debate arose from the fact that
the Senate shows disposition to legislate on
Territorial questions and i'll reference to the
admission OF new States. 1t is interesting to
consider how far, at the present time, this
disposition may lead us.
The vote in the House of Representatives on
the admission OF New Mexico was one OF the
most conclusive that have been passed during
the session. There were one hundred and
sixty yeas and fifty-tour nays Among those
who favored the measure we note men like
Dawes, Nesmth, Ortiz. and opposed to it such
members as E. r. Hoar, Tremain and Ellis III.
Roberts, so that the vote cannot be called
partisan or sectional The discussion was
thorough, those taking part being Mr.. Elkins,
the Delegate from New Mexico; Mr.. Mckee, of
Mississippi; Mr.. Potter, of New York; Mr..
Kasson, ofIowa; Mr.. Fort, of Illinois; Mr. May
nard and others. In this debate it was said
that New Mexico nov claimed population Of
one hundred and thirty-fve thousand-a
population larger than that of fifteen other
States at the time of their admission to the
Union--and that more votes had been given in
the last canvass than had been cast for any one
of forty members Of the present Congress.
Among the States which came into the Union
with less population than New Mexico now con-
tains were Ohio Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and
Iowa. Mr. Kasson made the point that when
part of the Mexican Republic New Mexico
had representation in its Congress, with all
the rights of State sovereignty, and that an
nexation should not work disfranchisement.
1t was shown also that in 1916, when General
Kearny at tie head of an American army,
occupied Santa Fe, he stated, in the name
of the government that '.it was the wish and
intention of the United States to provide a
free government with the least possible delay,
similar to those in the United States 1t
was alleged that Europeans had settled in this
Territory hundred years before the landing
of the Pilgrims, that its capital was the oldest
town in the United States except ST. Angus
tine, and that in domain it was three times as
large as Ohio--larger than New England and
New York The impressions these statements
made upon the House are indicated by the vote,
ard we presume they led to the action of the
House Committee on Territories, in favor of
the admission of Colorado as Q State, which
was reported yesterday. The friends of the
admission of Colorado, inspired by the success
of New Mexico, now mean to press their case
TO vote on Monday. So that the whole ques-
ton of these Territories, and, perhaps, Of
others like Montana and Washington, will
come up before Congress before discussion.
We believe in dealing with our Territories
in liberal spirit, and the whole question
should be discussed. not SO much as affecting
the domination of one party or the Other but
as q question OF the gravest public concern
If the welfare of these Territories is to be
served by their admission into the Union as
States let them be admitted. But we have
seen no argument showing this to be so. On
the other hand, our form Of government
admonishes us to watch jealousy lest the
principles of self-government are violated by
the granting OF sovereignty to populations
that are untitled for its burdens. 1t is not
simply the Acknowledgement of New Mexico
that must be considered in question like this,
but the disfranchisement of New York and
Pennsylvania and New England AS an able
contemporary shows, the process of adding to
the Union has gone on until now the Senate
shows the singular spectacle of sixteen men,
bers representing majority of the people and
6fty-eight members representing the minor
ity.' Thus eight States, New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana,
Massachusetts, and Kentucky, with popula-
ton Of nearly twenty millions, have sixteen
Senators; while twenty -nine other States. with
population of not quite nineteen Millions
have ffty-eight Senators. When we note in
this list State like Nevada, which, as the
World shows, has not more than one-half of
the population of our Seventeenth ward, with
two Senator'S we see at once the injustice to
New York and to other States of Nevada's
presence in the Union, and the added inius-
tice Of the admission of New Mexico
It would be much better for the interests of
the Union if this whole question of Senatorial
representation were to be carefully revised
There were reasons in the beginning of the
confederation why Rhode Island and Delaware
should have as much power as Virginia and
New York These reasons went back To the