Mr. GRIMES. How far the opinions of Professor Whitney, of Mr. Bowles, ought to influence the judgment of the Senfrom Massachusetts upon aquestion of this kind is for him to determine. think Professor Whit ney, in his letter, ifI did not misunderstand its scope, admits that he is interested in this subject, and seems to doubt whether or not the Senator himself would not think that his interest might preclude his giving a proper consideration to his statement. But i) have always understood that we decided these questions, not upon the fact as to whether there was a certain amount of mineral resources in the mountains of a Territory, but upon the ground that there was human population enough in the Territory to support a State organization; and whatever may be the opinions of either of those distinguished citizens from Massachusetts on a subject of this kind, they would have very little influence with me. The Senator says that he thinks he is bound by the action of the Senate, inasmuch s we have passed an enabling act authorizin these people to form a State constitution.We did. hey made an effort to form a State constitution, but did not succeed. There was the end of that transaction; our enabling act was func tus ojficio; it died the moment the other party refused to recognize the proposition that we laid down; and now we stand entirely uncommitted upon this subject. I understand that the Senator himself, in the latter part of his remarks admitted as much as this when he spoke of the irregularities in their attempt to be admitted into the Union. But the Senator says that his colleague did not object, or did not put anylimitations upon the people of Colorado so as to compel them to send here a constitution that would not preclude colored men from voting. Why, sir, does not the Senator know that we have all made vast progress since 1863? Has not the Senator himself made vast progress since then “I Have we not declared emancipation through out the whole land? Are we to be governed by the same principles that we note upon at that time? Isow, what attitude are we placed in here? I think the Senfrom Massachusetts will vote with me, whenever we shall get an opportunity, to allow colored people to vote under certain circumstances; and yet here he commits himself to the theory, in the face of the Senate and of the country, and he indorse s it by his vote that it is proper for a State to be admitted into the Union with aperpetual exclusion of all the colored people within the jurisdiction of that State from voting. Does it not strike the Senator as being somewhat inconsistent? With what sort of a face can he get up here tomorrowand insist that the people of the state ofVirginia or the people of the State of Tennessee sha allow certain classes of the population in those States to vote when he says that it is competent and proper for the people of the Territory of Coloradopto forever exc ude the colored population of that State from voting? Mr. President, I do not consider myself bound by any past action of congress to give so inconsistent a vote as that; and never, so long as I occupy a seat on this floor, will I consent to do it. Now, with regard to the population in this Territory everybody has the privilege to draw his own deductions from his own information on this subject, for we have not any official information in regard to it. Hitherto, when Territories sought to beadmitted into the Union as States, there was an enumeration of the population. There has been none here. One man draws one conclusion from the facts that are presented to his mind, and another an other. I draw my conclusion from the votes that have been given in the Territory at the regular annual elections from the foundation of the Territory to this moment; and taking that as a basis and I think that it is the most accurate I can find I come to the conclusion that there are not to exceed 15,00opeople in the Territor of Colorado. Now, if you are going beyon this record, if you are gomg to accept the opinions of Tom, Dick, and Harry who may come here from Colorado, I will state what a gentleman told me a very intelligent gentleman now of Montana, but formerly oigmy State, who left Montana in March, and who told me the day before yesterday that he believed there were 6,000of the citizens of Coloradopthen on their way to Montana and to Idaho.