The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-05-08
Passage OF English's Bill for the Ad'
mission of Kansas

VIZ AfNEfNFf fN'f' lf"N"'f '''
Congress, aud received the signature Of The
President This puts On end for hoprcsehtlo
the chief subject Of controversy between 'hc
supporters and opponents Of the admini''ra-
ton, and We may hope nov lsr q speedy ter
iuiuatlon Of the remaining business Of The
session That our readers may understand
nlly the position IN which this act Of Copi
grc,s leaves the people Of Kansas aud the
lecomptou Constitution, We insert the bill 80
reported by Mr. English, and adopted 10y the
Senate and House without material allera'
ton ;--
SIcrIoN l. That the State of Kansas be,
and I, hereby admitted into the llion' on
an equal footing with the original States VAN
the Constitution framed az Leoomptoni and
this admission Of her into the uuion ~
State, n here declared 10 be- upon this fun
damental condition precedent, namely that
the said constitutional instrument shall bc
first submitted, % vote Of the people OF
Kansa6 and nsscutcd to hy them, OF ma
iorily 81 the voters, nt an election TO be held
ior the purpose, Al the said election the
voting Shall be- by ballot, and by endorsing
on hi, hnllot, as each voter may please, For
proposition Of Congress and admission or
" Agail u proposition Of Congress and admis'
sion" Tie President OF the United States,
az soon as the fact is duly made known 20 him.
shall announce the same by proclamation,
and lhcrcot, and without any further pro-
cucdings on the part Of Congress, the aduis-
sion Of the State of Kansas into the Union
on an equal footing with the original States,
IN all respects whatever shall be completed
aud ahgolutci and said State shall be entitled
10 ono Member in the House of Representa-
tiycs In the Congress Of the United States IN
Ill the next census be taken by the Federal
Government. But should a majority OF the
votes cast be against the proposition OF Con,
grcss aud admission, 1t shall bc deemed ana
held that the people Of Kansas do not desire
admission into the Union with said Consuln-
ton, under the conditions set forth in said
proposition and in that event the people Of
said Territory are hereby authorized and en-
powered to form for themselves a Cousti,u-
ton and State Government 10y the name OF
the State Of Kansas, according 10 the FEEDER
al Constitution, aud may elect Delegates Tor
that purpose whenever, and not before, II Is
asccrtniucd, by u census duly and legally tax
en-, that the population of snid Territory
equals the ratio of population required for "a
Member of the House of Representa-.
ti,cs of the United Statcsi and, when
ever thereafter such Delegates shall as
y.'i,iri- IN convention, tirry shalt first trtrr
mine hy a vote whether it is the wish of the
> pseple ef tl,e PROPOSED State ~ he admitted
/ into the Union at that time, and, If so, shall
proceed to from a Constitution, ana take all
necessary steps for the establishment OF a
State Government, in conformity with the
Federal Constitution, subject to the approval
or ratification of the people ~ the proposed
State, ia such manner a. ~ Jspay has, pre-
. 2crihcd. aud shall be cutitl,Nto admission in,
( To tho Union as a State under such Constitu-
ton thus iairly and legally made, with or with
out Slavery, as such Constitution may pre-
scribe.
iit r-.;sisiffit, -se+f=,+tas,f tl4tli+l
the main, the same as were proposed 10y Mr..
| Crttcndcn in his substitute for the defeated
/ Senate bill II will be seen that the passage
OF this bill settles nothing permanently in re-
gard 10 Kansas. 1t assumes TO submit, to the
people of the Territory the Lccompton Com
Stitution, but does it in such way, accompa-
nicd by bride and penalty, that its adyo-
Gates feel confident OF procuring a popular
vote in its favor. y majority y" for tbe prop
osition of Congress and admission secures
/ immediate investment with the prcrogatiycs
of q sovereign State, and three millions Of
its choicest lands appropriated for the con-
struction of railroads through its fertile do
main. a majority" Against the PROPOSE.
ton of Congress and admission" involves Il
| forfeiture of these lands and an indefinite
/ postponmcut of the admission of the Terrific
~ as one of the States Of the Union If the
I people Of Kansas are willing to come into
the Union as Slave State, there can be no
objection, it seems, on the ground of INSULT
cicnt population; but if they prefer 10 make
a constitution for themselves, and enter the
Union as n Free State, why then, that alters
the case somewhat, and whenever it shall be
asccrtaincd by census duly and legally talk
en-, that the population Of the Territory equals
$4,000, then, and not TIL then, may the pco-
pie proceed to elect delegates to frame State
Constitution. Why this discrimination in ia
vor of the adoption of the Lecompton Con-
stitution? Has it any other end than that
ascribed to it by the opponents of the meas
urc? There is certainly none apparent. The
influence of this motive. as it will present it.
self to the people of Kansas, will be seen,
when it is remembered how they have been
maltrcated and harassed by government Off
ciols and Border Rufians, heretofore, aud
still continue to be- for an indefinite time to
come unless they arc willing to purchase an
trsc1pc thcrcfrom through the acceptance and
,llotation, for a time, Of an odious Slave
holding Constitution.
The population of Kansas i, not now suf-
Gcicnt to authorize, according to the terms
Of this bill, convention to frame Consti-
e1tion and before it shall lave reached the
requisite numbcr-93,0 OO-the census Of
1850, will, perhaps, have fixed the number at
100000. In this way the admission of the
Territory as State, may be delayed for some
time We believe the people of Kansas, anx-
ious MS they are for peace, and delivcrance
from the domination Of an unjust administya-