Letter from John Milton Bernhisel, 14 December 1849
Washington City
Dear Brother,
I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt
of your letters ^dated^ at Bordentown & New York, as well as three
letters from your friend Mr Carter to member of Congress.
The petition for a territorial government to which the signa-
tures are affixed will not be presented to Congress, but
the memorial accompanying the Constitution which asks
for our admission as a state, or for such other form of
government as Congress may grant us—I had a long
and pleasant interview with jude Douglass the other
evening, and his advice was to apply for admission
as a state or for a territorial government, and leave
the alternative with Congress which to give us, he said
this would show our readiness to defray the expenses
of a state government, and our willingness to accept
a territorial government, that this course would be manly
and honorable—From the intercourse I have had
with members of Congress, I am pretty well satisfied
that we shall not get anything more than a territorial
government, in this event I shall do all I can to have
President Young appointed governor, and such other
officers as will be acceptable to the people—Ten
days have now been spent by the House in unavail-
ing attempts to elect a Speaker—The excitement and
confusion in the House yesterday & the day before
were at times very great. The prospect of electing
