Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/71

Rh to be under any active and protecting branch of the central government, have a right, if on American soil, to frame a government, and enact such laws and regulations as may be necessary for their own safety, protection, and happiness, always with the condition precedent, that they shall, at the earliest moment when the central government shall extend an effective organization, and laws over them, give it their unqualified support and obedience.

And the life of the spontaneous commonwealth thus called into existence is a creditable witness to the American instinct for orderly government.

When Congress met in December, 1859, the provisional territory of Jefferson was in operation, while its delegates were in Washington pressing the need for governmental action. One of the agents, B. D. Williams, was elected on October 3, 1859; the other, George M. Willing, claimed to be the regular choice at this election, and though apparently not recognized at Washington, reiterated the arguments of Williams and the territorial memorials. Both houses of Congress gave some heed to the facts thus presented. They received from President Buchanan on February 20. 1860, a message transmitting the petition from the Pike's Peak country, and bills to meet the demand were at least introduced into each house. The Senate upon April 3 received a report from the Committee on Territories introducing Senate Bill No. 366, for the erection of Colorado territory; while Grow of Pennsylvania reported to the House on May 10 a bill to erect in the same region a territory of Idaho. The name of Jefferson disappeared from the project in the spring of i860, its place being taken by sundry other names for the same mountain area. Several weeks in the spring were given in part to debates over this Colorado-Idaho scheme as well as to the older