The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-09-08

Kansas a State.

i Kansas State.
We find the following reported pro-
eeedings Of our mock Legislature, as re-
ported in the Missouri Democrat. It is
valueless. only as it shows the folly of the
actors in those important proce edings.
We wait for further information as to the
result.
DIR. Stringfellow asked for leave to
introduce bill to authorize the election
of delegates to a convention to form a
State Constitution, in order that Kansas
mightapply for admission into the Union.
He said that some might think this step
premature, but he thought it would tend
TO allay the excitement at present exis-
ting, and which would continue to exist,
concerning the admission of Kansas, not
only in the Territory but throughout the
Union. There would be no peace until
this question was settled, and the sooner
it was decided the better. Kansas he con-
tinued, had already larger population
than several States had at the time of
their admission. Kansas was now an
older Territory than California was when
she applied for admission and, with
the exception of that State, Kansas was
increasing its population more rapidly
than any other Territory ever had before.
The number of inhabitants that Terri
tory must have before it could be admit
ted had never been settled either by
United States laws or in any other way.
He thought every Territory should be
admitted as soon as it could support the
lexpenses of its own government.
The following is a correct copy ofthe
bill
SECTION 1. There shall be an election
held on the day of the election of the
Congressional Delegate, to-wit: First
Monday in October, 1855. for delegates
to convention to form a State Consti-
tuition.
Sec. 2. 1t shall be the duty of judges
of election, atthe severale election precincts
to cause poll to be opened with two col
umns-one headed Convention and the
other, No Convention and the vote of
each voter shall be set in the appropri-
ate column.
Sxe. 8. The judges shall make returns
of the votes, for and against Convention,
and for the different persons voted for as
members of said Convention, in the same
manner as is required by law in other
elections.
SEC. d. If, upon summing up all the
votes polled, majority shall appear ''for
the Constitution, then the persons who
shall be elected, as is provided by law in
other elections, shall on the first Monday
in December, 1855, meet and assemble
at the town of Lecompton in general con-
yention, and shall have power to form a
Constitution for this Territory.
Sec. 5. The Convention shall be the
judge of its own privileges and elections,
and the members thereof shall have the
same privileges and pay of members of
the Legislature.
SEC. 6. In case of contested elections
| TO the Convention the contendlng candl-
dates shall pursue the same course, and
be governed BY the same rules as are
now prescribed by law in contested cleo
tons to the legislature of this Territory
SEC. 7. 1T vacancy occur IN the Con-
veniion the same shall be filled in the
same manner as prescribed by law for
filling vacancies in the Legislative As
sembIy.
SEE. 6. The Constitution formed BY
the Convention shall be deposited in the
Office of the Secretary Of the Territory,
and it shall be published.
Sec. 9. AT the general election, in
1856, at the several election precincts, i'll
this Territory, the judges of election
shall cause two columns TO be opened,
headed one, ''for the Constitution" and
the other, against the Constitution,
and cause the vote of each voter to be set
in the appropriate column, and certify
the votes so given to the clerk of the sew
eral county courts, who shall certify the
same to the Secretary of the Terri
tory.
SEC. 10. 1t shall be the duty of the
Secretary to lay before the General As
sembly, at their regular session in the
year 1856, the vote for ratification or re-
lection of the constitution, an 1 If it shall
appear to the General Assembly in joint
meeting that majority of all the votes
given have accepted the constitution,
they shall declare the same to be the
supreme law of the Territory, and forth
with proceed to elect tro Senators-one
for the short term and one for the long
term-and by them transmit copy of
the same to the Congress of the United
States, and apply for admission as a
STATE.
SEC. IL. Each council District shall
elect three members of convention for
each councilman they may be entitled
to.
The bill was read twice and referred
to a committee of Messrs. Marshall,
Anderson and Matthias.
Subsequently the committee to whom
was referred DIR. Stringfellow's act to
provide for the call of a Convention to
form State Constitution reported that
it would be premature to provide for the
calling of a convention TO form State
Constitution without first submitting the
question to the people at the polls, as to
whether they desire such step to be Ia
ken, even ifthe proposition was concluded
that we possess or will possess by the
proposed time the requisite population.
! There are other reasons of importance
which would tend 10 the conviction that
the bill is premature, which will appear
for mere suggestion. Kansas will ap-
! ply for admission as a slave State, and
| If admitted at all it must be done partly
| by northern votes. In the present stale
OF fanatical excitement existing in some
of the non-slayeholdiag States. there is
some doubt whether we would be admit
ted into the Union with s.avery clause
in our Constitution, for II viii be charg-
ed that Kansas does not possess the re-