American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-12-16
NEW SERIES 81 E0fs..B, NO 3d. 1asais :

would nave been N opposlilon 70 many pIece-
dents in our history, commencing in. the very
best age Of the republic. OF the admission Of
Territories as States iptot the Union, without
previous yoteofths people approving aheir
constitution. zruAR s0,,, :, .e
Its to be lamented. that a question 70 insig.
niicaht when viewed in its practical effects on
the people qof Kansas, whether decided one
way or the other, should have. kinlled such
fame Of excitement throughout the county,
This rejection may prove TO be q lesson OF
wisdom and OF warning for our future guild
ance. Practically considered, the question is
simply whethet the people ol that Territory
should first come into the Union and then
change any provision in their constitution not
agreeable TO themselves, oraceomplish the very
same object By remaining out Of the Union and
framing another constitution In accordance
with their will. In either case the result would
be precisely the same. The only difference in
point Of fact is, that the object would have
been much sooner attained, and the pacifea-
ton Of Kansas more speedily effected, had Il
been admitted as a State during the last sea-.
sion Of Congress.
Ny recommendation, however, for the i'm
mediate admission OF Kansas, failed to meet the
appreciation of Congress. They deemed it wi
ser to adopta different measure for .he settle
ment of the question. For my own part,
should have been willing to yield my assentto
almost any constitutional measure to accom-
pllsh this object. l. therefore, cordially ac-
guessed IN what has been called tne hnglsh
Compromise, and approved the "Act ior the
admission OF the State OF Kansas INTO the On-
ion," upon the terms therein prtscriDed..
/, Under the ordinance which haccompameothe
Eecompton constitution, the people of Kansas
had claimed double the quantity of public lands
for the su mort Of common schools. which had
ever been previously granted to any State upon
entering the pnion; and also the alternate sec,
uons OF land iQr Twelve miles on each SIDE OF
two rallroaGss proposed to be constructed from
.he northern ,to the southern boundary, and
iIom the eastern to western boundary OF the
State. Congress deeming these claims IN
reasonable, provided by the Act OF May 4th,
l658tto which, | have Just REFERRED, for the ad-
mission OF the State on an equal footing with
the original States, but "upon the fundamental
condition precedent that majority OF the
people thereof at an eiecuon 70 DC nei0 loI that
purpose, should IN place OF the xey large
grants Of pubic lands whlch tney nad demand
ea unoer tne ordnance, accept sucn grants as
had been made TO Minnesota anu olner new
states Under this act, should maloIity re-
lectthe proposition oheIed them, x snall ee
deemed ana held that the people OF Kansas 40
ho' desire ADMISSION INTO t1e Union WIN said
constitution under t9e conaiuons set ioi'n IN
salo ptoposluon. IN .hat Sven. lne ac' au,
thorizes the people OF tne ieritoiy 10 elect
delegates 70 form constitution ane STATE gov.
ernment ior themselves, ~nenever, ana not
oeiore' is ascertaiheu'oya census, du'y ana
legally taken, that tne populauon Of sald Ter
litory equals OF eXceiea lhe Iatio OF representa-
uon required Ioi member Q. the rouse OF rep
IesentauVeS ol ine. Cong,ess ol ths on,.eu ,ins',