110 



COLORADO. 



ment of both the State and the nation wisely and 

 well ; and in evidence thereof, we hereby pledge our- 

 selves to do our utmost both to advance its principles 

 and elect its nominees. 



21. That in Governor Routt the Convention recog- 

 nizes an executive who has faithfully, honestly, and 

 well discharged the duties imposed on him, and has 

 thus gained for himself what this Convention cheer- 

 fully accords to him, the confidence and the respect 

 of the people of this State. 



The nominations were as follows: for Con- 

 gress, James B. Belford; for Governor, F. W. 

 Pitkin; for Lieutenant-Governor, H. A. W. 

 Tabor ; for Secretary of State, M. H. Meldram ; 

 for Treasurer, U. S. Culver ; for Auditor, E. K. 

 Stimson ; for Attorney-General, C. W. Wright. 



The Greenback State Convention assembled 

 at Denver on August 14th ; delegates were pres- 

 ent from fourteen counties. It nominated 

 K. G. Buckingham for Governor, P. A. Sim- 

 mons for Lieutenant-Governor, J. E. Washburn 

 for Secretary of State, W. D. Arnett for Trea- 

 surer, G. W. King for Auditor, Alpheus Wright 

 for Attorney-General, and Child s for Con- 

 gress. 



The platform arraigned the Democrats for their 

 advocacy and support of African slavery, teaching 

 the wild and cruel phantasy that man could hold 

 property in man, and the Republican party for legis- 

 lation in the interest of the money power ; demanded 

 the issue by the Government of absolute paper mon- 

 ey as a full legal tender for all debts, public and 

 private, in sufficient volume for the entire needs of 

 trade, and in payment of the whole of the interest- 

 bearing debt, and to be paid directly to the people 

 without the intervention of banks or agents; the 

 immediate repeal or the resumption act and all laws 

 authorizing the national banks ; an enactment by 

 Congress prohibiting any further issue of bonds, 

 and a constitutional amendment making such issue 

 impossible, and an income tax on all incomes above 

 $1,000. 



The election in October was the second one 

 held for the choice of State officers. Besides 

 these officers, a member of Congress and mem- 

 bers of the State Legislature were also chosen. 

 Unusual interest was awakened in the Congres- 

 sional election, as the same individuals were 

 candidates as at the previous election, and a 

 contest had been raised by the Democrat as 

 to the right of the Republican to the seat. 

 Tins dispute came up in the session of Congress 

 commencing in December, 1877. The con- 

 testants were James B. Belford and Thomas M. 

 Patterson. The question was referred to the 

 Committee on Elections, a majority of whom 

 reported in favor of giving the seat to Mr. Pat- 

 terson, three reported in favor of Mr. Belford, 

 and one in favor of declaring a vacancy. The 

 points of the case were as follows : On March 

 3, 1875, Congress passed an act to enable the 

 people of the Territory of Colorado to form a 

 State Constitution. This act contained the fol- 

 lowing section : 



That until the next general census said State shall 

 be entitled to one Representative in the House of 

 Representatives of the United States, which Repre- 

 sentative, together with the Governor, and State and 

 other officers provided for in said Constitution, shall 

 be elected on a day subsequent to the adoption of 



the Constitution, and to be fixed by said Constitu- 

 tional Convention ; and till such State officers are 

 elected and qualified under the provisions of the 

 Constitution, the Territorial officers shall continue to 

 discharge the duties of their respective offices. 



In the month of August, 1876, Colorado was 

 admitted into the Union as a State* Upon the 

 third day of October of that year a Represen- 

 tative to the Forty-fourth Congress was elect- 

 ed, and at the same time votes were cast for a 

 Representative for the Forty-fifth Congress. 

 Mr. Belford at that time received a majority of 

 votes thus cast. On the 7th day of November 

 of the same year an election was held in the 

 State for the Forty-fifth Congress, at which 

 Mr. Patterson received a majority of votes. 

 Mr. Belford claimed the seat by virtue of the 

 vote cast in October. Mr. Patterson claimed it 

 by virtue of the election in November. The 

 report of the Committee alleged that Novem- 

 ber 7, 1876, was the day fixed by law for the 

 election of a Representative in the Forty-fifth 

 Congress from Colorado. This was under the 

 act of Congress passed February 2, 1872. The 

 report of three members alleged that Oc- 

 tober 3, 1876, was the day. This was under 

 the enabling act and the State Constitution. 

 The report of one member in favor of declaring 

 a vacancy was made on the ground that by 

 law no day was fixed on which a member of 

 Congress could have been elected in Colorado. 

 After a debate in the House of Representatives 

 a resolution was adopted on December 13, 

 1877, giving the seat to Thomas M. Patterson 

 by a vote of yeas 116, nays 110. This election 

 of member of Congress was also regarded as 

 important, as, in case the election of President 

 in 1880 should devolve upon the House of Rep- 

 resentatives, the vote of the single member 

 from Colorado would have equal weight with 

 that of the thirty-three from New York. The 

 result of the State election was : Belford, 14,- 

 294; Patterson, 12,003; Childs, 2,329. Bel- 

 ford's plurality, 2,289. 



It would be the duty of the new Legislature 

 to elect a member of the United States Senate in 

 the place of Senator Chaff ee, whose term would 

 close on March 4, 1879. The total number of 

 members to be chosen was sixty-three; twelve 

 Senators held over, of whom eight were Repub- 

 licans and four Democrats. To have a ma- 

 jority in the Legislature, it was necessary for 

 the Republicans to elect thirty of the new 

 members. In like manner, for the Democrats 

 to have a majority, it was necessary for them 

 to elect thirty -four of the new members. The 

 Democrats elected three Senators and ten mem- 

 bers of the House, and the Nationals one, leav- 

 ing the Republicans in a large majority. For 

 Regents of the University there were 26,380 

 Republican votes, 25,462 Democratic votes, 

 and 2,886 National votes. The votes for other 

 State officers are canvassed at the subsequent 

 session of the Legislature. This commences on 

 the first Wednesday of January, 1879, and is 

 limited to forty days. The more important 



