The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-04-08
The New KaAsas BilI.

the Anti Leconpten members Of the House:
SEcFIoH Z. That the State OF Kansas
be, and 10 hereby, admitted into the Union
on an equal footing with the original States
in ell respects whatever; but inasmuch as Il
is greatly disputed whether the Constitution
with which Kansas 10 now admitted was
fairly made, or expresses the will Of the
people of Kansas, this admission Of her in
to the Union az State 10 here declared to
be upon this fundamental condition prece.
dent nsmely: that the said constitutional in.
strument shall be 6rst submitted to . vote Of
the people Of Kansas, and ssseHted 10 by
them. or q majority OF the voters, at an
election to be held for The purpose; ard AZ
soon as such assent shall be given, and duly
made known to the President OF the United
States, he phalI announce the same by proc.
lamaiion; and thereafter. end without any
further proceedings on the part Of Congress,
The admission Of the said State Of Kansas
into the Union upon an equal footing with
the original States, in all respects whichever,
shall be complete and absolute. At the
said election the voting shall be by ballot,
and by endorsing on bis ballot, as each vo-
ter may please, "for the Constitution" or
"sgaiUst the Constitution" Should the
said Constitution be rejected at the said
election by q mSjority of votes being cas-,
against it, then, and in that event, the in
habitants of said Territory are hereby au.
thorizcd and empowered TO form for them
selves Constitution and State Government
by tho name Of the State of Kansas, pre-.
uaratory TO it's admission into the Union, &C.
cora.;ng to the Federal Constitution, and to
thst ,,nd may elect delegates to q Conyen.
tion as he, ,-sinater provided.
Srcr1oN q. And be it further enacted,
That the said Stase Of Kansas shall have
,copcurrept jurisdiction on the Missouri and
all ether rivers and waters corderlng on ths
said Stute OF Kansas, so far IS the same
shall form a common boundary TO said
State, and any other State or States now or
hereafter to be formed or bounded by the
same; and said rivers and waters, and oil
the nayigable waters Of said State, shall be
common highways and forever free, as well
to the inhabitants Of said State as to all 9th.
or citizens of the United States, without
anv tax, duty, inIpost, or toll, therefor.
Section 3. Aud be it further enacted,
That, for the purpose Of insuIing, as for as
possible, that the elections authorized by
this act may be fair and free, the Governor
and Secretary Of the Territory OF Kansas,
and the presiding officers OF the two branch.
es Of its Legislature, namely, the Presiden,
of the Council and Speaker OF the House
of Representatives, are hereby constituted
B5afd Of Commissioners to carry into ef'
feet the provisions of this act and to use all
the means necessary and proper to that end
Any three Of them shall constitute Board
and the Board shall hhve power and authori
ty, in respect TO each and all Of the eiec
tions hereby authorised or provided for, y
designate and establish precincts for voting
or to. adopt those already established; t
cause polls to be opened at such places a
it may deem proper in the respective coun
ties and election precincts of said Terrific
ry, to appo;nt, as judges Of election at enc
OF the several places Of voting, three dis
Greet and respectable persons, any two Q
whom shall be compete to act; to requr
the sherifFs OF the several counties, by then
selves or deputies, to attend the judges
each of the places of voting, for the pu
pose Of preserving peace and good order; {
the said board muy, instead of said sheriff
and their deputies, appoint, at their discrt
ton, and in such instances as they ma
choose, other fl persons for the same pu
pose; and when the purpose Of the electio
is to elect delegates to a Convention I
foim Constitution, as lIercinbefore provi,
ed for, the number OF delegates shall b
sixty, and they shall be apportione6 by aa
board among the several counties of sal
, Territory, uoco ding to the number OF "
ters; and in making this appointment, tn
board may jOin two or more counties ,ogctt
er to make an election or preventative di:
trict, where neither Of the said counties hu
the requisite number Of voters to enttle
to delegate, or to j1in a smaller 10 lars
er county, having q surplus population
where it may serve to equaize the tepreser
tation. Tho elections hereby authorize
shall continue one day only, and shall nc
be continued later than sun down on tn;
dsy. The said board shall appoint the da
of election for each OF the elections here
by authorized, as the same may become nee
essary. The said Governor shall announc
by proclamation, tie day appointed for an
one OF said elections, and the day shall
as early one as is consistent with due M
tice thereof to the people of said Territory
subject to the provisions Of this act. Th
said board shall have full power to prescrib
the time, manner, and places Of each of sal
elections, and to direct the time and name
OF the returns thereof which retuTns sha
be made to the said board, whose duty
shall be to announce the result by procla
nation, and to appoint therein as early
dsy as practicable for the delegates slecte
(where the election has been for delegates
to assemble in convention at the seat O
Government Of said Territory. When 81
assembled the convention shall first deter
mine by vote, whether il is the wish O
the proposed State to be admitted into tn
Union at that time; and, If SO, shall procee,
to form Constitution. and take ali neces
sary steps for the establishment of a Stat,
Government, in conformity with the FEEDER
al Constitution, subject to the approval an
ratification Of the people Of the propose,
State. And the said convention shall &C
cordingly provide for it's submission to til,
vote Of the people for approval or rejection
Section 4. And be it further enacted
That in the elections hereby authorized, al
white male inhabitants of said Territory
over the age Of twenty.one years, who or
legal voters under the laws of the Territor,
of Kansas, and none others, shall be allow
ed to vote; and this shall be the only quail
fcatOn requiredto entitle the citizen to tn
right of suffrage in said elections.
SECTION 5. And be it further enacted
That the members, OF the aforesaid board @
commissioners, and all persons appointed b.
them to carry into effect the provisions G
this act, shall, before entering upon ihei
duties, take.an cath to perform faithfully tn
i duties of their rasnectlYa Offices and ON fai