The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-12-19
A Case IN Point.

We are indebted, says the Chicago Times,
to the Bcsten Pest for citing case direct
~ in point with the Kansas case.
In August 1916 Congress passed an act
to enable the people of Wisconsin to form
Constitution and State government with
u view to admission into the Union. On
the 18th of December in that year, State
Convention adopted State Constitution
and forwarded the document to Congress,
asking for admission as State. This
Constitution Was not submitted to the people,
and though the slavery question was not
mooted at all, there were other "domes.
tic institutions" which the people desired
to form for themselves.
The Territory was divided in opinion;
the Convention sought to block the bust
ness upon certain local matters, just as the
Kansas Convention has done with respect
to Banks and Railroads, capital of the
State, &c.
Congressrefused to force that Constitution
on the people, by sp act entitled IAN act
for the admission of the State of Wiseon-
sin into the Union" approved March Sd,
i847 land Mr.. Polk SENT THE CONSTITUTION
BACK FOR POPULAR RATIFICATION.
We give the preamble and first and
fourth sections of the act.
WHEREAS, The people Of the Territory
of Wisconsin did, on the sixteenth day of
December, 1916, by convention of Dele
gates, called and assembled for that pur-
pose, form for themselves a Constitution
and State government, which said Con
stitution is republican; and said Conven-
ton having asked the admission of said
Territory into the Union as a State, on an
equal footing with the original States.
Be Il enacted, dc, That the State of Wis
consin be, and the same is hereby declared
to be, one of the United States of Ameri-
ca, and is hereby admitted into the Union
on an equal footing with the original
States, in all respects whatever.
"Section f. lind be 1t further enacted,
That it is made and declared to be a
fundamental condition of the admission
of the said State of Wisconsin into the
Union, that the Constitution adopted at
Madison, on the sixteenth day of Deem
Der, in the year one thousand eight hum
dred and forty-six, shall be assented to by
the qualified electors, in the manner and
at the times prescribed in the ninth section
of the twentieth article of said Constitu-
ton. And as soon as such assent shall be
given, the President of the United States
shall announce the same by proclamation;
and therefrom, and without further pro-
ceedings on the part of Congress, the ad.
mission of said State of Wisconsin intc
the Union, on an equal footing in all re
spects whatever with the original States
shall be considered complete
At the election upon the ratification o
this Constitution, the people turned on
ard rejected the instrument. Here was &
direct recognition by Congress of the right
of the people to vote for or against thei
IOUuStlIuLIOIlt IL WIS ulTOCI refusal DN
Congress to force upon the people Con.
stitution which they had not had an op
portunity of passing upon by vote at the
polls. The question of slavery was no
involved in this Wisconsin case. Blu
Congress thought that no form of Stat,
government ought to he imposed upon The
people without their express consent.
Another Convention was held in Wis
consin; another Constitution adopted il
February, 1648; the people voted upol
and ratified it, and by act approved, May
20, 1848, Wisconsin was admitted into thu
Union.
Here is a case directly in point with tn,
Kansas case. We hope Congress viii &C
as promptly and as vigorously with thu
latter as it did with our neighboring State
The people of Kansas are free, and arr
as capable of self Government, and a,
much entitled to it, as the good people O
Wisconsin. Let them have it.