The Placer herald., 1858-05-01
RATES OF ADVERTISING,
THE KANSAS QUESTION IN CONGRESS.

HE hANSAO dUEox1ON LIN CVNOhG1OOs
Important Report of the Hon. fl. H. Stephens,
Of Georgia., from the Select Committee Of
Fifteen.
On behalf of the majority of the Select Com
mittee of Fifteen, of the House of Representati-
YES, Mr. Stephens presented on Wednesday, March
10th, 1858, the following report:
The Select Committee of fifteen appointed under
the resolution of the House of the Sth of Feb
ruary, to whom was referred the message OF
the President of the United States of the I'd of
Fuhruary, concerning the constitution framed
at Lecompton. in the Territory of Kansas, by
convention of delegates thereof. and the pa
pers accompanying the same," with instruc-
tions Ito inquire into all the facts connected
with the formation of said constitution, and the
laws under which the same were originated and
into all such facts and proceedings as have
transpred since the formation Of said consttu-
tiOn having relation to the question or proprl-
ety of the admission of said Territory into the
Union under said constitutions; and whether
the same is acceptable to the majority of legal
voters of kansas.' have had all the matters
committed to them under consideration, and
now present the following report:
Yhe leading object of the resolution under which
the committee was raised seems to have been the
asccrtainmcnt OF all the essential facts bearing
upon the question or proprcty of the admission
of Kansas as State under the Lecompton Con-
stitution. in accordance with the recommendation
of the President. This Object has been made the
controlling principle of the committee . action in
their invest CATION. The scope of their duties
embraced an inquiry into all facts relating to the
legality and regularity of the proceedings result
ing in the formation of that constitution, both an
tecedent and subsequent thereto. showing whether
or NOT it be the embodiment Of the legally and
farly-eXprcssed will of the bona fde citizens OF
Kansas With tllis understanding Of the field of
1nbo l,sfn flnn,t hn 90
attention
1st. To law passed by the territorial leglsla-
tilre providing for taking the sense of the people
at the October election in 1856. upon the expedi-
ency of calling convention to form State Con-
stitution.
3D. The law of the Territory passed the 10Th
of February, 1857, in pursuance of the popular
will expressed under the previous act providing
for an election to be held the 18th June, 1851,
of delegates to such a convention.
Sd. The official registry of voters, and the ap-
portionment made by the acting Governor (Stan-
ton) of delegates to the convention so called In
accordance with the provisions of said act.
4th. The assembling Of the Convention at Le-
compton on the first Monday of September, 1857 ,
under the act last aforesaid, and the journal OF
their proceedings
5tb. The Constitution formed by the Conven-
tiyn SO assembled, alluded to in the message OF
the President.
9th. The action of the people on the question
submitted to them by one of the clauses OF the
schedule in the constitution
These laws, facts, and proceedings constitute.
in the iudg dgment of the committee, all matters
having any mater ial bearing upon the main ques-
lions embraced in the recommendation OF the
President and covered by the resolution OF the
House. But they permitted to be filed, and re-
poft TO the House without deeming them relevant
or material.
7tb. The act of The Territorial Legislature of
Kansas. at the called session in December last,
prGvidine for a vote to he taken on the 4th OF
January Just passed for and against said consttu-
tiOn
Sth. The official announcement of said vote
And, also, as cumulative, though not material
9th. The letter of Mr. Calhoun president OF the
Lecompton Convention, to the Chairman OF the
Committee on Territories in the Senate.
ALI these papers are appended In full 10 thls
report. Except a part of the journal which has
not vet been received. but which is expected in
time to he presented with the rest? ard marked
as exhibits in regular order. The committee
deem it unnecessary to 60 into an elaborate eX-
position of them by detail. A general reference
to some of the material parts, for the purpose OF
illustrating the conclusions to be drawn from
them, will be quite sufficient. Those which they
deem material are all documentary, about which
there can be no dispute. They show full and
complete history of the proceedings resulting in
the formation of the Lecompton Constitution
from their beginning to their end: First the law
for taking the sense of the people upon the pro
priety of applying for admission Next, the law
authorizing the CALL in pursuance OF the popular
will. Next the registry of voters, and apportlo,n
ment of delegates. Next the assembling OF the
convention. with their proceedings. Then, the
constitution so formed; and lastly, the ratification
of it in the mode and manner provided by the
convention. The legality and regularity OF the
whole are marked throughout. Every step IN lt'
progress was taken in strict conformity to law
But little appears on the face of the record ever
for comment. The question for the consideration
of the House is, ought Kansas to be admitted al
a State under the constitution so presented?
By the Constitution of the United States "neN
States may be admitted by Congress into th
Union," and by the same instrument it is provided
that "the United States shall guaranty to every
State in this Union republican form of govern
ment:" Under the first of these clauses eghteeT
new States have been admitted since the Unior
was formed; and two, besides Kansas, are nov
applying for admission. The usual questions o
inquiry upon the applications of new States have
been
LIST. In relation to the number of the popula
ton.
I'd: The regularity of the proceedings unde
which the application has been made