The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-03
-.ay obtaln truer sAIRs IN THE SENATE.

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say o0'alh d 'ruer !AIRs IN THE SENATE.
leeds, still TO hold
40, 10 win the rev, the Senate are evidently i'm
,aur to the end e conviction that it is necessary
The second Ire remedy to the present condition
gbt d:-ngs in Kansas. Various measures are
10 Low under consideration.
First. The bill reported by Mr.. Douglas, to
authorize tie People of Kansas to form State
Constitution whenever the population shall
amount to ninety-tbree thousand four hundred
and twenty-ihe present ratio of representa-
ton. Tie fatal objections TO this, are, that it
makes no provision against the anarchy ard
violence that now reign in the Territory, and
menace the country with civil war; that it
recognises as the legitimate Legislature body
Of men elected by fraud and force, and without
any real authority, under the Kansas-N Nebraska
act, to enact laws; that it assumes the validity
Of its acts, and places the whole process of the
formation of State, in all it's stages, under its
exclusive direction.
=. The bill of Mr.. Seward, moved as q
substitute. to admit Kansas as a State forth
ka, excluding Slavery: constitutional, COM
plete, instant in its operation. If it should be-
come a law, Freedom, Peace, and Order would
be at once established. The only real objection
10 it is that the Constitution it proposes to rec
ognise, prohibits Slavery
3. Mr.. Crittendens resolution, to recon-
mend to the President to send Lieutenant
General Scott TO Kansas, armed with full power
to enforce the laws, to make peace, and main
tain order. This proposition is inadmissibe,
as 1t involves the assumption that the acts of
an Legitimate Legislature are valid-a begging
of the whole question in controversy.
4. Mr.. Trumbulrs bill, abrogating those
acts, and virtually snnexing Kansas to Ne
braska, by extending over the former the laws
of the latter.
). Mr.. Clayton's bill, of which we gave
synopsis a week or two ago. Recognising the
Kansas Nebraska ac!, it proposes to annul the
various enactments in the Territory against
freedom of speech and the press, and every
test oath that may have been prescribed and
1t provides for the election of another Legisla-
ture, census to be taken in advance, and an
apportionment, to be made by Commissioners
appointed by the Secretary of State of the
United States. conclusion, it prescribes the
node of proceeding to form State Constitution
whenever the population shall have reached
4 the present ratio of representation.
Z So far the bill assumes that the enact
ments of the Territory, in relation to freedom
of speech and the press, to practice in the
courts, to jury trial, and to test oaths, are all
arbitrary, unconstitutional, and tyrannical and
must be abolished, it is worthy of all praise
but the supporters of the Kansas N ebraska act
oppose 1t because, in assuming the right OF
Congress to nullify Territorial enactments, il
is inconsistent with the Principle of the Act
we object to it, because it affords no immedi
ate relief to Kansas, aud provides no suficien,
safeguards against the renewal of the outrages
from which it has SO often suffered.
g. The bill of Mr.. Toombs, of Georgia
which, we are willing TO believe, was brought
forward by him in good faith, containing some
excellent provisions, but which yet is open tc
serious exceptions. A brief synopsis will ena.
bic the reader 10 understand its drift.
l. 1t proposes the appointment of five Com.
missioners by the President, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate whose duty
it shall be to take. a census of the inhabitants
resident in the Territory at the time of the
passage of the act constituting them, (exclu
ding Indians no: regarded as citizens under
regulations prepared by the Secretary of the
Interior; classifying the different classes O
Inhabitants and registering their names re
,urns to be made in August, duplicate copies
10 be forwarded to the Department of the In
terrier. Said Commissioners shall then NEE
the first Monday in September, to examine tn,
returns, and correct them, by erasing names
improperly entered, or adding nsmes improper
iy omitted, as shall be shown by adequate ties
iimony. ! quorum shall be competent to d.
business, and the judgment of a majority O
the Commissioners shall be conclusive. 4
regular journal of proceedings must be kept
and copies forwarded from time to tine to the
De rartment of the Interior.
2. iIaving thus obtained a fair cnumerasso,
of the il, '.abitants, the Commissioners shal
proceed st one TO establish the ratio of oppoy
tioament for the election of members of Con
yention to form State Convention. Dividing
the whole number of white male citizens, in
Guiding Indians recognised as citizens, by 81
the product is to be taken as the ratio of ap
poriionment for members in the several coun
lies.
) Provision is made at every step Of tn,
proceedings to give full publicity to them, 81
that all may know how and when to act; and
to guard against intrusion from abroad, tn.
election Of members to the Convention is TO bs
held the frs. Tuesday after the first Monday il
November.
4. All cEae male G.. liens of the United
States, and Indians recognised as citizens, ovel
twenty-one years of age, bona tfds iahabitsnts
Of the Territory, at the time of the passage OF
this act, resident for three months next prece-
ding the election in toe county where they offer
TO vote, shall be entitled 10 vote, and no other
persons.