Year: 1873

If your committee should recon-
mend and the country should accent
the purely Democratic plan of elect
ing a President by direct vote of the
people, without the Intervention Of
the clumsy and unsafe machinery Of
the Electoral College, then can not
conceive Of single reason why every
qualified voter in the United States
may not, on the day of election, go to
the voting place, where by law he is
entitled to vote, and cast his ballot for
the man of his choice for Chief Mag
istrate of the Republic, whether such
voter reside in State or in an organ
lied Territory. In all the Territories
there are in perfect order the same lc-
gal arrangements for casting, receiving,
counting, certifying, and transmitting
votes, as exist in the States. And the
experience of every man who has had
the means Of knowing will bear wit
ness that elections in the Territories
have been conducted as fairly and as
purely as has been done in the best
regulated States.


Or in case the Electoral system
should be preserved. but so modified
as to provide for electors to be select
ed by the several Congressional Dis
tricts as established by law, instead Of
as now by the States at large, 1 am
unable to perceive any objection that
can plausibly be urged against allow
ing each organized Territory one Elec-
toral vote, being the same as allowed
each Congressional District. 1t may
be said that some of the Territories
may not have the population required
by law for a Congressional District.
Ii the argument has any force it will
apply equally pertinent to those States
like Oregon, Nevada. Nebraska and
Delaware, which fall largely short of
the requisite number, and below many
of the Territories. But 1 imagine the
proper rule to apply to the Territories
is the one applied to the above named
| States-that number can not always
be taken as an infexible rule, but cir
cumstances, the interest, the business
| and the necessities of community.
| There are but few if any Congression-
al Districts in the United States that
have such various, multitudinous and
| important business interests inviting
| National legislation, and locally affect
ing the rights of the people, as have
the Territories. l can not conceive of
single subject of general legislation
that affects Congressional District
that may not affect the people of the
Territories, while l certainly could
mention very many that hardly affect
the former. These vast and compli-
Gated interests of the people of the
Territories Congress conceded by pro-
viding by law for Governor, Su-
preme and District courts. Marshal,
District Attorney, and many other i'm
portant officials, as well as local leg
islature


Does there then not arise in the
mind of every intelligent man many
reasons why these rights should be
granted to the citizens of the United
States in the organized Territories?
Can any substantial reason be urged
why they should not2 szs sM54
Hoping that these inalienable rights
Of people, who cheerfully and brave
ly bear the burdens of a pioneer life,
who promptly pay all taxes assessed
against them by the Government, who
faithfully and Loyalty obey all the Ma
tional statutes, and who are always
ready to respond to every call for the
National defense, may receive proper
consideration at the hands Of your
learned committee,


1 subscribe myself


Your obedient servant.


r. w. BENNETT.
Governor of Idaho.