The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-07-24
5flistellal>tous.
The Kansas PacificatiOn Bill.


The New York Journal Of Commerce, a
high toned paper, thus discourses on this
great question:
The New KANSAS BILL which has passed
the Senate of the United States, and been
sent to the House Of Representatives for
concurrence is eminently wise and just in.
as much os itrepeals 81 much OF the legisla-
ton of the Territorial legislature as sought
to impair the rights OF bona fde residents on
the vote for Delegates to form Constitu-
ton, or to apply unjust tests in the perform.
ance OF civil duties. 1t also guards agalnst
repetition OF such legislation, by declar-
ing that it shall not hereafter be exercised.
The bill also prevents the incurslon oI Bor-
der ruffiuns at the moment ot amy election,
by requiring a residence OF three months
preparatory to any vote, and complete reg
istry Of legal voters. This bill goes step
! further than this, and step further than
usual, by restricting the right to vote to the
eitzens of the United States. 1t has been
the policy OF the new States in the West to
encourage emigration, on the part of for
eigners, by allowing them to vote after six
months or ayssrs residence, whether e'ti-
zens or not; and the power has long been
exercised under organic provisions o their
State Constitutions. This arrangement has
been highly beneficial to the growth OF he"
States, and has had the effect to thin the
ranks OF this species OF population on the
keaboard, where it would be hurtiul, and to
turn the new emigrant into useful cultiva-
tor Of the soil Had the bill in question
conformed TO this policy, few foreigners
might have been induced, before their right
Of citlzenship had become complete, to AID
in subduing the wilderness-for such Kan
aus is and will long continue to be-to the
uses Of man. But tie change which the bill
makes in this respect in the policy which
has prevailed at the West, is doubtless re-
commended by the certainty that in no other
form could it obtain the votes Of the Ameri'
can party, in either branch ofthe legislature
Under the circumstances, it was therefore
wise and judicious. AS the bill stands, all
questions concerning the admission of Kan
sas as a State, preliminary and other, are to
be decided in the Territory, by citizens OF
the United States who are actual residents
Of the locality, known as such by registry,
and allowed to vote without any unjust
or improper restrictions. This is carrying
out the true principle OF the original bill,
the operation of which was impeded by the
the incursons of residents of Missouri. No
man in his calm senses tan fail to approve Of
the present bill; or doubt, if it become a
law, that the preliminary steps in the Terri
tory, by which Kansas will be prepared for
admission, are to be regulated with entire
fairness to all sections Of the country. We
have never had any doubt, and have not now,
that Kansas will be admitted, whenever ad-
mitted, as Free State, and such will be
the conviction of all those who look at the
state of the facts in dispasslonate manner
The State Of Missouri, which lies between
Kansas and market for its productions,
contains !orty-one millions Of acres of land
about one-th,rd of which remains unsold.-
To much Of this large residue, the Gradu
alton Act, passed in 1852, applies. The
Act provides that land which has been in
market for thirty years or thereabouts, may
be sold at shilling an acre, and the residue
at prices between that and dollar, accord
ing to the length of time il has been subject
to entry. The inhabitants Of Missouri en-
Joy the monoply of the public lands, because
. it is slaveholding State-a condition unfa-
xorable to emigration from the Free States.
Va Iowa-although so recently admitted as
State, and having harShsr climate, land