Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-05-05


ported by the Conference Committee for
the admission Of Kansas, and which has just
passed both houses without any essential
modification:
Whereas, The people Of the Territory OF
Kansas did, by q Convention of delegates
assembled at Lecompton. on the 7th day Of
November. 1857, for that purpose, form for
themselves q Constitution and State Gov.
eminent, which Constitution is republican ;
and, rtereas. at the same time and place,
said Convention did adopt an ordinance,
which said ordinance asserts that Kansas,
when admitted as a state, will have an IN
doubted right to tax the lands within her
limits belonging to the United States, and
proposes TO relinquish said asserted right,
il certain conditions set forth in said Ordl-
nance be accepted and agreed to by the
Congress of the United States and, uhereds,
the said Constitution and ordinance have
been presented to the Congress Of the Uni
ted States by order of said Convention. and
admission of said Territory into the Union
thereon as State requested; and, sehereas,
said ordinance is not acceptable to Congress,
and ii is desirable to ascertain ,rtether tie PEG
pie of Kansas concur in the changes in said
ordinance hereinafter stated, and desire ad-
mission into the Union as State as herein
proposed; Therefore,
BE 1t enacted, de-, That the State ofKan-
sns be, and is hereby, admitted into the
Union on an equal footing with the origl
nal States in all respects whatever, bat up
on the fundamental condition precedent.
namely, that tie question OF admission NTH
the tolloving proposition IN tieu OF the or.
dnance adopted at Lecompton, be submitted
to yote ofhe people Of Kansas, and assent
ed to by them or majority OF the voters
voting at an election to be held for that
purpose, namely that the following propo-
tions be, and the same are hereby offered to
the people Of Kansas for acceptance or re-
lection which, if accepted, shall be obliga-
atory to the United States, and upon the
said State of Kansas, to wit First, that
sections number sixteen and thirtysix in
every township of public lands in said State,
or where either of said sections or any part
thereof has been sold or otherwise disposed
of, other lands equivalent thereto, and as
contiguous as may be, shall be granted to
said State for the use Of schools. Second,
that seventy-two sections of land shall be
set apart and reserved for the support Of a
State University, to be selected by the
Governor of said State, subject to the appro-
val of the Commissioner of the Genera. Land
Office, and to be appropriated aud applied
in such manner as the Legislature OF said
State may prescribe for the purpose afore-
said, but for no other purpose. Third, that
ten entire sections of land, to be selected by
Al Il -, -
visions, shall be granted to said State for
the purpose of completing the public build
ings or tor the erection of others at the seat
of Government. urder the direction of the
Legislature thereof. Fourth, that all salt
springs within said State, not exceeding
tweive in number, with SIX sections of land
adjoining or as contiguous as may he to each,
shall be granted to said State for its use, the
same to be selected by the Governor there
of within one year after the admission Of
said State, and, when so selected, to be used
or disposed of on such terms, conditions and
regulations as the Legislature may direct
Proridcd, That no salt spring or land, the
right whereof is now vested in any individ-
uals, or which may hereafter be confirmed
or adiudged to any individuals, shall by this
article be granted to this State. Firh, that
five pr centum Of The net proceeds OF sales
of all the public lands lying within sai0
State which shall be sold by Congress after
the admission of said State into the Union.
after deductng all the expenses incident to
the same. shall be paid to said State for the
purpose Of making public roads ard internal
improvements as the Legislature shall di-
rect: Provided, The foregoing propositions
herein offered arc on the condition that said
State of Kansas shall never interfere with
the pr mary disposal of the lands of the
United States, or with any regulation which
Congress may find necessary for securing
the title in said soil to bona tide purchasers
thereof; and that no tax shall be imposed
on lands belonging to the United States, and
that in no case shall nonresident proprie-
tors be taxed higher than residents Sixth
and that said State shall tax the lands OF
property of the United States in that State
At the said election the voting shall he by
ballot, and by endorsing on his ballot, as
each voter may please, proposition accepted,
or proposition rejected Should a majority
of the votes be cast for proposition accep-
ted" the President Of the United States. as
soon as the fact is duly made known to him,
AID thereafter, and without any further
proceedings on the part of Congress, tie nd-
mission ofthe State of Kansas into tie Union,
apon an equal footing NTH tie original States,
~ all respects ,cldterer, shall be complete ana
absolute, and said State shall be entitled to
one member in the House of Repr. senta.
tives in the Congress of the United States
until the next census be taken by the Fede-
raj Government: but, should majority OF
the votes cast, be for "proposition rejected. "
ii shall be detmed and held that the people o,
Kansas do not desire admission into tie
Union nth said Constitution uader tie con
ditions set forth IN said proposition, ard in
that event the people OF said Territory are
h rebv authorized and empowered to form
for themselves a Constitution and State
Government, by the name of the State OF
Kansas, according to the Federal Constitu-
ton, and may elect delegates for that pur.
pose whenever, and not before, it is ascer-
tanned by a census duly and legally taken
that the population Of said Territory equals
or exceeds the ratio Of representation re-
quired for member ofthe House of Repre-
sentatives of the Congress of the United
States: and whenever thereafter such dele
gates shall assemble in convention, they
shall first determine by vote whether il
is the wish of the people of the proposed
State to be admitted into the Union at that
time; and if SO, shall proceed to form a
Constitution, and take all necessary steps
for the establishment of State Govern
ment in conformity with the Federal Con.
stitution, subject to such limitations and re
strictions as to the mode and manner of its
approval or ratification by the people of the
proposed State as they may have prescribed
by law, and shall be entitled to admission
into the Union as State under such Con.
stitution thus family and legally made with
or without slavery, as said Constitution
may prescribe.
Sec 2. And be 1t further enacted, That. for
the purpose of insuring, as far as possible
that the election authorized by this act NAV
be fair and free. the Governor, United
States District Attorney, and Secretary Of
the Territory of Kansas, and the presiding
officers Of the two branches of its Leeisla.
ture-namely, the President of the Council