The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-20
rHE ApMIssIoN on KANSAS INTo TnE UNION.

As the application Of Kansas for it's admission into
the Union as a State will shortly be presented to
Congress, it will not be out of place at the present
time to advert to the origin of the movement in
that Territory which ended in the formation of the
Lecompton constitution For this purpose we sub
Join the act of the territorial Legislature upon which
rest all the steps subsequently, taken to accomplish
the object contemplated by it. We give this act
we find it in Senate Executive Document No IL, of
the first session of the Thirtyhfth Congress. 1t
passed during the session of the territorial legisa
ture of 1855.
This act initiating the for the organization
of State government provides simply the necessary
machinery for submitting to the people the question
of convention or ''no convention The will of
the people was thus directly consulted. The vote
was taken, and it resulted in majority for holding
convention. Thus commenced, in conformity
with the expressed will of the people themselves,
the preparation for the admission of Kansas into the
Union as a State. This first step taken by vir-
tue OF the complete power possessed by the people
of Kansas under the organic act-a power not ques-
toned by any at that time.
majority of the persons who voted at the polls
ing a convention the Topeka men about the same
time actually framed State constitutions and thus
it is demonstrated that the people of Kansas OF all
parties were unanimously in favor of erecting the
Territory into State The Lecompton constitution
will be presented to Congress as the legal expression
of the will of the people of Kansas and all the evil
dences go to prove that they desire an early admis-
sion into the Union:
An act to provide for the call OF convention to form
State constitution
BE enacted by the governor and Legislature assembly Of the
Territory Of Kansas as tollous:
Section 1. That there shall be- at the first general
election to off in October, 1885, poll opened ut
the several places of voting throughout this Territory for
taking the of the people OF this Territory upon the
expedency of calling convention to form State const
tuition.
Section O. Ii shall be the duty of the judges at the
several election precincts in this Territory at the election
aforesaid to poll to be opened which poll shall
contain two columns, to be headed convention,
the other mo convention : and they shall cause the
vote of individual voter to be set in the appropriate
column.
Section s. All persons qualified by the laws Of the Ter
rtory members of the general assembly shall
be entitled to vote for or against said convention
Section At the close of said election at the several
precincts this Territory the judges thereof shall cause
an abstract of the votes given for and against conven-
ton be made out and certified to the secretary of the
Territory.
Section g. The secretary of the Territory shall, from
the abstract certified to him to be cast for and
against convention by the said judges of elections,
make full report of the to the next Legislature
thereof
Section g. If majority OF persons shall vote in favor
of convention at said election held therefor then 1t
shall be the duty of the legislature held next after the
said election provide for and make all necessary pro-
visions for election Of members to said convention de-
filming their duties, &C.
This act to take effect and be in force from and after its
passage.