Political Quotes

“throughout this year, my home State will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its path to Statehood, on October 31, 1864. Next week, while I will be home visiting my family and constituents, the Battle Born State will celebrate the day that Congress passed and President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation paving the way for Nevada to become the 36th State. At that time Congress was in a rush to welcome Nevada into the Union. It was during the Civil War; it was raging. The only other State admitted to the Union during the war was West Virginia, which seceded from Virginia to remain part of the Union in 1863. Congress didn't want to wait until the next session to admit another new State--a new State that could swing the Presidential election in Lincoln's favor and provide crucial votes for the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. Nevadans had already rejected one proposed State constitution, so there was no time to waste. On March 21, 1864, in the waning hours of the 38th Congress, a law was passed allowing Nevada to enter the Union whenever voters finally passed and President Lincoln approved a State constitution. It wasn't during the normal course of business, but this wasn't the normal course with the Civil War going on. Typically Congress would get the final word on admission of a new State to the Union. But these, as I have indicated, were certainly not normal times.…”