Year: 1866

II


any legal authority, the question was agar
/ presented to the people of the Territory


with view of obtaining q reconsideration
of the result of the election held in compli


ance with the act Of Congress, approved


March q, 1884. At this second election
5000 votes were polled and small major.
| ity Of l55 was given in favor Of State or
ganizaticn. 1t does not seem to me entire


ly safe to PERMIT this last mentioned result


irrege arly obtained, to outweigh the ore


which had been legally obtained in the first


election. Regularity and conformity to law


are essential to the preservation Of order
and stable government and should as far as
practicable always observed in the for
nation of new States.


Third. The admission of Colorado at this
time as State into the Union appears to


me to be incompatible with the public in


terests of the country. While it is desirable


that Territories when sufficiently matured


should be organized as States, yet the spirit


of the Constitution seems to require that


there should he an approximation towards


equality among the several States eOmpos-


ing the Union, and that no State can have


less or more than two Senators in Congress.


The largest State has a population of four


millions. Several other States have pop


ulation exceeding two millions, and many


others have a population exceeding one
million. If this bill should become a law
the people of Colorado, thirty thousand in
number, would have in the House Of Repre-
sentatives one member, while New York,
with population of four millions, has but
81. Colorado would have in the cleo
toral college SO votes, while New York
has only three. Colorado would have in the
Senate two voters while New York had no
more.


Inequalities Of this character have al
ready occurred, but it is believed none have
happened where the inequality was 90 great.
When such inequality has been allowed,
Congress is supposed to have permitted it
on the grounds Of some high public neces-
sity and under circumstances which prom
ised that itwould rapidly disappear through
the growth and development of the newly
admitted State. Thus in regard to the sew
eral States in what was formerly called the
Northwestern Territory lying east Of the
Mississippi. Their rapid advance in popu-
lation rendered it certain that States admit
ted with only one or two representatives in
Congress would in very short period be
entitled to great increase in representa-
ton. So when California was admitted on
the ground of commercial and political ext
gencies, it was well foreseen that that State
was destined rapidly to become a great,
prosperous and important mining and com
mercial community.


In the case of Colorado, am not aware
that any national exigeney, either of po-
litical or commercial nature, requires de-
parture from the law of equality which has
been so generally adhered to in our history.
If the information submitted in connection
with this bill is reliable Colorado, instead
of increasing has declined in population.
At an election for members Of Territorial
legislature held in 1861, 1O,5S0 votes were
cast; at the election as before mentioned, in
1864, the number was 6,l92; while at the
the regular election held in 1865, which is
assumed for basis of legislative action at
this time, the aggregate number of the votes
was 5,905. Sincerely anxious for the well
fare and prosperity of every Territory and
State as well as for the prosperity and vel
fare Of the whole Union, 1 regret this ap-
parent decline of population in Colorado,
but it is manifest that it is due to the emil
grafton which is going on from that Terri
tory into other regions within the United
States, which either are in fact, or are be-
lieved by the inhabitants of Colorado TO be
rich in mineral wealth and agricultural re-
sources. If, however, Colorado has not
really declined in population, another cen
sus or another election under the authority
of Congress would place the question beyond
doubt and cause but little delay in the ulti
mate reception of the Territory es a State,
if desired by the people.


The tenor of these objections furnishes
the reply which may be expected to an
argument in favor of the measure, derived
from the enabling act which was passed by
Congress on the 21st day of March, 81.
Although Congress then supposed that the
condition of the Territory was such as to
warrant its admission as a State, the re-
suit of two years experience shows that
every reason which existed for the institu-
tion Of q Territorial instead of q State
government in Colorado at its first organiza-
tion still continues in force. The condition
of the Union at the present moment is cal
culsted to inspire caution in regard to the
admission of new States. Eleven of the
old States have been for some time and still
remain unrepresented in Congress. 1t is
common interest of all the States, as well
those represented as those unrepTesented,
that the integrity and harmony of the
Union should be restored as completely as
possible, so that all those who are expected
to bear the burdens Of the Federal Govern
ment shall be consulted concerning the
admission Of new States, and that in the
meantime no State shall be prematurely
and unnecessarily admitted to a partiei-
patton in the political power which the
Federal Government wields-not for the
benefit of any individual State or section,
but for the common safety welfare and
happiness Of the whole country.


[Signed,l ANDREW JOHNSON.
e. Washinpton D. C. Nav Is 1856