The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1858-12-18

.lllIltfllt lli4S-ltIl ''l iAstlEsi-- lllAt'l 10
meet the appreciation Of Congress. They
deemed it wiser to adopt different mea-
sure for the settlement of the question.
For my own part, | should have been will
ling to yield my assent to almost any con-
stitutional measure to accomplish this OBJ
iect. |, therefore, cordially acquiesced in
what has been called the English Compro-
mise. and approved the "Act for the adj
mission Of the State of Kansas into the
Union" upon the terms therein pre-
scribcd.
Under the ordinance which accompa-
MED the Lccompton constitution, the peO-
pie Of Kansas had claimed double the
quantity Of puhliclands for the support of
common schools, which had ever been pre-
yiously granted 20 any State upon entering
the Union. and also the alternate sections
OF land for twelve miles on each side OF
two railroads. proposed to be constructed
from the northern to the southern bound
ary. and from the eastern to the western
boundary of the State. Congress, deem
ing these claims unreasonable, provided
by the act Of May4, 1858, TO which have
lust referred. for the admission of the
State on an equal footing with the original
States. hut upon the fundamental CON
dition precedent that a majority of the
people thereof, at an election TO bc held
for that purpose, should, in place Of the
very large grants Of public lands which
they had demanded under the ordinance,
accept such grants a. had been made TO
Minnesota and other new States. Under
this act, should a majority reject the pro-
position offered them, 1T shall be deemed
and held that the people of Kansas do not
desire admission into the Union with said
constitution under the conditions set forth
in said proposition In that event, the
act authorizes the people Of the Territory
TO elect delegates to form a constitution
and state government for themselves,
whenever. and not before, il Is ascertain
ed by a census, duly and legally taken,
that the population Of said Territory
equals or exceeds the ratio Of representa-
ton required for member Of the House
! of Representatives of the Congress of the
United States" The delegates thus as
sembled. shall first determine bv a vote
whether it is the wish Of the people ofthe
| proposed State to be admitted into the
! Union at that time, and, if so, shall pro
| Ceed TO form a constitution, and take all
necessary steps for the establishment Of
| State government in conformity with the
] ltltihl NNil~t4AutLili. AlltE tllH teDSIl-
! tuition shall have been formed. Congress.
carrying out the principles of popular SOW
/ ereigntv and non-inteyention. have left
! ..the mode and manner of its approval or
| ratification by the people of the proposed
State" to be prescribed by law" and
| they shall then be admitted into the
! Union rs a State under such constitution
thus fairly and legally made with or with
I Il
scribe"
An election was held throughout Kan
sas, in pursuance Of the provisions of this
act on the second day Of August last. and
! it resulted in the rejection, by large ma
| jority. of the proposition submitted to the
! people by Congress. This being the case,
they alS now authorized to form another
/ constitution, preparatory To admission into
| the Union. but not until their number, as
ascertained by a census. shall equal or ex-
| ceed the ratio required TO elect a member
to the House Of Representatives.
1t Is not probable, in the present state
of the case, that a third constitution can
be lawfully framed and presented to Con
| grcss by Kansas. before its population shall
have reached the designated number
Nor is it 70 be presumed that, after then
laws. they viii attempt to adopt a consti
tuition in express violation Of the prov,
sions of an act of Congress. During the
session of 1856. much OF the time of Con
gress was occupied on the question of ad
mitting Kansas under the Topeka consti
tuition. Again, nearly the whole of tn,
last session was devoted to the question o
its admission under the Lecompton con
stitution. Surely il Is not unreasonabl,
to require the people of Kansas TO wait
before making the third attempt, until tn,
number OF their inhabitants shall amount
TO ninety-three thousand four hundred
and twenty. During this brief period tn,
harmony of the States, qSwell as the Crea
business interests of the country. demand
that the people of the Union shall not fo
q third time be convulsed by another agi
tation on the Kansas question. By wait
ing for a short time. and acting in obedi
ence 10 law, Kansas will glide into tn
Union without the slightest impcdiment
This excellent provision, which Congres
have applied to Kansas ought to be ex
tended and rendered applicable TO all tel
ritories which may hereafter seek admi,
sion into the Union.
Whilst Congress possesses the undoubi
/ ed power Of admitting new State int
the Union. however small may be tn
number of its inhabitants, yet this powe
ought not. in my opinion, TO be exercise,
before the population shall amount to tn
ratio required bv the act for the admission
of Kansas. Had this been previously tn
rule. the country would have escaped al
the evils and mi-iortunes TO which it ha
, ! been exposed by the Kansas question.
of course it would be unjust to give thi
! ! rule a Retrospective application, and e1
ClUde a State which, acting upon the pa.
! practice Of the government, has alread
! formed its constitution. elected its legi
laiure and other officers and is now pr,
pared to enter the Union.
The rulo ought to be adopted, whethc
we consider its bearing on the people ,
: the Territories or upon the people of III
existing States. Many OF the serious di
: scnsions which have prevailed IN Congre,
= and'throughout the country, would hay
= been avoided, had this rule been cstal
4, lished at an earlier period of the govern
= ment
/, Immediately upon the formation of
, new territory, people from different Stat,
: and from foreign countries rush into
, for the laudabie purpose Of improvir
= their condition. Their first duty to then
I selves is to open and cultivate farms,
! construct roads to establish schools
:, erect places OF religious worship, and
: devote their energies generally to rcclai
. the wilderness and lay the foundations
) fiourishing and prosperous commo
n wealth. If, in this incipient conditio
:, with population of few thousand, tn,
:, should prematurely enter the Union, til,
i are oppressed by the burden Of State tn
= alton, and the means necessary for the il
! provemcnt of the territory and the a
vancement Of their own interests are tia
7 diverted to very different purposes.
II The federal government has ever been
= liberal parent to the territories, and ge
:, erous contributor to the useful enterpris
Il OF the early settlers. 1t has paid the e
i pcnses Of their governments and legisI
~ tive assemblies out Of the common tres
= urv, and thus relieved them from hea'
~ charge. Under these circumstances.
- thing can be better calculated to reta
, their material progress, than to dive
Il them from their useful employments,
i prematWely exciting angry political co
,s tests among themselves, for the benefit
IL aspiring leaders Ii is surely no hardsh
m for embryo governors, senators, and mel
i bers Of Congress to wait until the nun
,e Der of inhabitants shall equal those of
II single congressional district. They sure
,t ought not TO be permitted TO rush into 4
~ Union, with a population less than or
"a half of several of the large counties in &
~ interior of some Of the States. This W
a. the condition of Kansas when II made a
of plicaton to be admitted under the Topel
=, constitution. Besides, it requires sor
,e | time to render the mass of a populati,
n collected in a new territory, at all hon
i geneous, and to unite them on anythi-
: like fixed policy Establish the ru
"a and all will look forward 10 it and COVE
es themselves accordingly.
e But Justice to the people of the sever
ir States requires that this rule should be
tablished by Congress. Each State is c
so titled to two senators and at least one rt
al resentative in Congress. Should the no
er pie Of the States fail to elect Vice Pre-
se dent, the power devolves upon the Sena
Mt to select this officer from the two hight
IN candidates on the list. In case of I
ld death of the President, the Vice Pre-
G dent thus elected by the Senate, becon
ly President Of the United States. On
ry questions of legislation, the senators fro
IN the smallest States Of the Union have
on equal vote with those from the largest,
sh The same may be said in regard TO &
of ratification of treaties. and Of ENecuti
u appointments. All this has worked
ai- mirablv i'm uractice. whilst ii conforms