The Territory of Colorado 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. - Wlien Congress met in December, 1859, the provisional territory of Jefferson was in operation, while its delegates were in Wash- ington 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 elec- tion, 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. i860, 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 Terri- tories introducing Senate Bill No. 366, for the erection of Colorado territory ; while Grow of Pennsylvania reported to the House on ]Iay 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 'Rocky Mountain Nczcs. January 4, i860. ^ F. L. Paxson, " The Territory of Jefferson : a Spontaneous Commonwealth ", in University of Colorado Studies, III. 15-18. 'A memorial of January 4. i860, describes this election. House Misc. Doe. 10, 36 Cong., I Sess., Serial 1063, p. 7. The text of his certificate of election is in Rocky Mountain Nen's, August 29. i860.
- Two letters written by Willing to Lewis Cass, Secretary of State, are in
the Department of State, Bureau of Rolls and Library, in a volume of territorial papers marked, Minn., Neb.. Ore., Wyom., Col., D. C, Kan., Mich., Miscellaneous, and are brought to the writer's attention through the courtesy of W. G. Leiand, Esq., of the Carnegie Institution, Department of Historical Research. ^Richardson, Messages and Papers of the Presidents, V. 580; Sen. E.r. Doc. 15, 36 Cong., 1 Sess., Serial 1027; Cong. Globe, 36 Cong., i Sess., p. 841, February 20, i860; p. 871, February 23. ^Ibid., 1502. Ibid., 2047, 2066. 2077. The memorials of Williams had been presented in the House by Green .^dams of Kentucky, on February 15. See under that date ibid., 789: House Journal, Serial 1041. 283.
