M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-06-03

proposition; ami in that event the
people of said Territory are hereby
authorized and empowered to form for
themselves q Constitution and State
Government by the name of the State
Of Kansas according to the Federal
Constitution, and may elect delegates
for that purpose whenever, and not
before, it is ascertained by a census
duly and legally taken, that the popu-
lation ofsaid Territory equals the ra-
ito of representation required for one
member of the House OF Representa-
tives ofthe United States; and whenev-
er thereaftersuch delegates shall assem-
ble in convention they shall first deter
mine by a vote whether it is the wish OF
the people of the proposed state 70 be
admitted into the Union at that time,
and if so, shall proceed to form a Con.
stitution, and take all necessary steps
for the establishment of a State gov
ernment, in conformity with the Fed
eral Constitution, subject to such linn.
itations and restrictions as to the mode
and manner ofits approval or ratifica-
tion 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
Constitution thus fairly and legally
made with or without slavery, as such
constitution may prescribe.
Sec 3. And be it further enacted,
That for the purpose of insuring, as
far as possible, that elections author
lied by this act may be fair and free,
the Governor, U. S. District Attorney
and Secretary ofthe Territory of Kan.
sas. and the presiding officers of the
two branches of its Legislature, name.
", the President Of the Council and
Speaker of the House OF Representa-,
tives are hereby constituted a Board
of Commissioners, to carry into effect
the provisions of this act and to use all
the means necessary and proper to
that end. Any three of them shall
constitute q Board; and the Board
shall have power and authority to des.
ignate and establish precincts for vot-
inc; or to adopt those already estab.
lished; to cause the polls to be opened
at such places as it may deem proper
in the respective counties and election
precincts in said Territory; to appoint,
as Judges of election at each of the
several places of voting, three discreet
and respectable persons, any two OF
whom shall be competent to act, to re-
uuire the Sherif75 of the several coun.
ties, by themselves or deputies, to at
tend the Judges at each Of the places
Of voting, for the purpose of preserv.
peace and good order; or the said
Board may, instead ofSaid Sheritfs and
their deputies, appoint at their discre-
tion, and in such instances as they
may choose, other fit persons for the
same purpose. The elections hereby
authorized shall continne one day only,
shall not be continued later than sun
down on that day. The said Board
shall appoint the days for holding the
election, and said government shall
announce the same by proclamation,
and the day shall be as early one as
is consistent with due notice thereof
to the people Of said Territory, subject
to the provisions Of this act. The
Board shall have full power to pre-
scribe the time, manner, and places of
each Of said elections, and to direct
the time and manner of the returns
thereof, which returns shall be made
to the said Board whose duty it will
be to announce the result by procla-
nation, aud said Government shall
certify the same to the President OF the
United States without delay.
Sec. 3. and be it .f.rther enacted,
That in the elections hereby author.
lied all white male inhabitants of said
territory over the age Of twenty-one
years, who possess the qualifications
which were required by the laws of
said Territory for a legal voter at the
last general election for a member Of
the Territorial Legislature, and none
others, shall be allowed to vote; and
this shall be the only qualification re-
quired to entitle the citizens to the
right ofsufrage in said elections; and
if any person not so qualified shall
vote or offer to vote, or if any person
shall vote more than once at said elec-
ton, or shall make or cause to be made
any false or fictitious or fraudulent re-
turns, or shall alter or change any re-
turns OF said election, such person
shall, upon conviction thereof before
any competent court Of jurisdiction,
be kept at hard labor for not less than
six months, and not more than three
years.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted,
That the members of the aforesaid
Board Of Commissioners and all per-
sons appointed by them to carry into
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