The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-02-06


outlines Of republican government, distr-
busing public authority among lawfully
created agents-executive, judicial and
lsgisative-to be appointed either 10y the
General Government or by the Territory.
| The legislative functions were intrusted to
a council and house of representatives
duly elected and empowered to enact all
the local law: which they might deem
es,ential to their prosperity, happiness and
good government. Acting in the same
spirit, Congress also defined the persons
who were in the first in,,sncs to be con,
,idered as the people Of each Territory ;
cnacting that every free white male inhab-
liant above the age Of twenty lone years,
being All actual resident thereof, and pos
scssing the qualifications hereafter de.
scribed, should bo entitled to vote at the
first election, and be eligible to any office
within tho Territory; but that the qualif-
cations Of voters and holding Office at all
! subsequent elections should be such as
might be prescribed 10y the legislative as,
sembly: Provided, however, that the
right Of suffrage and Of holding office
should be exercised only 10y citizens Of the
United States, and those who should have
declared on oath their intentions TO lie.
! come such, and have taken an oath to
support the Constitution Of the United
States and the provisions Of the act. And
provided further, that no officer, soidior,
seaman, or marine, or o!her person in the
army or navy Of the United States, or At.
tached to troops in their service, should
be allowed to vote or hold office in either
Territory by reason Of being ON service
therein.
Such Of tho public officers Of the Terri.
tories rs, 10y the provisions Of the at,
were 10 he appointed hy tho General
Government, including tho governors,
were appointed aud commissioned in due
season; the law having been enacted on
the 3o,h Of may, 1854, and the commis,
sion Of the Governor Of the Territory OF
Nebraska being dated on the "a day OF
August, 1854. and sof the Territory oi
Kansas on the Goth day Of June, 1854.
Among tho duties imposed by the nc,
on the Governors was that Of directing
and experimenting tie political orgsaiza'
ton Of the respective Territories. The
Governor Of Kansas was required TO cause
census or enumeration Of the inhabitant,
and qualified voters of the several coun
ties and districts of.he Territory to bs ia
ken by such persons and in such mode a.
he might designatc and appoint; to ap
point and direct the time and places o
holding the first elections, and the manne,
ofconducling them, both as to the person
to superntend such elections and the re
turns thereof; TO declare the number @
the members Of the council and house O
representatives for each county or district
to declare what person might appear tt
he duly elected; and to appoint the tim,
and place Of the h'st NEE ing Of the leg
islativs assembly. In substance, the sam,
du,ies were devo!ved on the Governor O
Nebraska.
While, by this act, the principle Of tat
constitution for each Of the Territories wa
one and the same, and the details Of til,
organic legislation regarding both were
as nearly as could lie identical, and Will,
the Territory Of Nebraska MAS tranquil,
and successfully organized in the du,
course Of the law, and its frat Legislative
assembly met on the 10Th Of January
1855, the organization Of Kansas wa
long delayed, and has been atteuded will
serious dltlicultsos and einbarrassmcnts
partly tho consequences Of local msl-ad-
minis,ra,ion, AMI partly OF the unjps,ilia
bic interference of the inhab tants Of som,
Of the States, foreign by residence, inter
es,s, and rights to the Territory.
The Governor Of the Territory Of Kan
sas, commissioned, rs before stated, on tho
2ath OF, Lame, 1854, did not reach ia,
designated seat Of his government unit
the 7lh Of ,to,essaing October; anu ever
then failed to make the first step il its le
gal organizs:ion--that Of ordering tn,
census or enumeration OF ils. inhabitants =
until so late day that the election o
the members Of the legislative assembl,
did not take place until the 3o,h Of March
1855, nor its meeting until the 2 OF Ju
", 1855. So that, for year after the
Territory was constituted by the act oI
Congress and toe officers TO be appointed
by ths Federal Exocut;ye had been com
,nissiones!, il was without a eomple,e gov
srn'nen,, without any Legislative su,hori.
Is, without local law. and of course with
out the ordinary gu~aatecs Of peace and
rah'io o,''e.