New-York daily tribune., 1858-04-08
KANSAS
THE CONVENTION.
H,on o., sy~c,.l Correspondent
HALL oY CONVENTION,

he
,n.nt. of ,h;s resolution can be complied WIN.
&C., - 20 e,reAlte matters as much as P''
IL - honed that the Convention VIII oe eV" -
,L,. ~ hbors this week. The inetno.is e,o L ~
On their own expense' N 80. oa man ;ts nre.
.aa.,;on of law, this is no better on 'sau 'e pre-
s.Na, thai assembled at Topeka Kent OF the
iii stationery &c, 10 say nothing OF tne DVard
~ 1,,s,sliDg expen.es Of the members, IL an eA-
&c .addled upon the hberAMy OF the Delegates
And others. - r..
Although resolutions 10 take the Topeka CoDst'-
s,,s,on AZ basis have been introduced, nothing Oi
DC kiId has been adopted, or made matter OF re-
cord. Neither will this Convention fetter itseh by
Mai instrument This is not because the Conyen-
tion ia not Radical or 4" Topekaite," enough but
because it il felt that the fact of calling new Con-
vention il Of itself sufficient, at least when the Ton
yeption hiss grown out Of the Territorial Leglsla-
ture. MANY of the essential parts Of the Topeka
Constitution will, evidently, be Incorporated, but
ks antecedents will be no barrier 70 any amend
pents or changes that may be deemed necessary.
The following resolution was, on motion OF Dr.
Davs, adopted:
1hs, the Cotee Apporionm. n be reg 1e.sd
70 e.s.e II -. G % & & NE h.
Senators Representative according TO their pop
slstiob." =, -,
This 10 TO prevent any gerrymanderDg Of legls'a-
tive districts for the future.
The following resolutions were, also, adopted:
Rosed Ths. assumption By Constitutional Convention
9, M q. 1e .; war With With he principle
% Ths sFs s Of sA 'fy Ss
sm nfh. Of The people h.i Representative 10 he
stnunon when the good Of the people shs require II,
Reotsd That he ComGittee Elective Franc hiss b. IN
emigration ard .eitlenen. VI negroes and nu'ses ~hn tne
etsts Of Kansas"
1t would be proper to state that the latter
luton went 10 the Committee under the rule, with
out vote but " Ill hardly be likely to prevail before
tbe Convention. Several indications show Homls-
taksby the character of this Convention TO be rad
cal Free-State. II nothing else did 30, the election
of Judge Conway as President OF the Convention Is
sufficient evidence. Although Gen. Lane is now re-
garded radical his election in the first place is no
positive indication on that point or any 0tner. HIS
Individuality is one reason and he has friends OF
different aspects Of political faith. Another resOu-
ton was offered by Mr. Barr instructing that pro-
vision be made for commissioners to divide the coun
ties having several representatives into single dis
tncts and apportiOn them.
In the after noon, Mr.. Foster offered the following
resolution which was referred
That the Committee Judiciary consider the
pss nty Of forever prohibiting formation If Grand J1es
Mr. Thatcher, from the Committee on PhraseOl.
ogy presented the report containing the article
amendment TO the Constitution. The substance of
this article provides that proposition for amend
ment to the Constitution shall originate in the Cen
eral Auembly, and require three-ffths vote of
that body; that the amendment thus presented shall
be published for three months by the Secretary of
State, and be voted for by the people at the next
regular election. Section provides that vote OF
three ffths of the Legislature may call COnven-
hon 10 alter or amend the Constitution. Section
provides that vote of the people shall be taken
every ten years, as to whether new Convention
sha be called to amend the Constitution.
These provisions are certainly very liberal, as af
fordDg every reasonable facility to change the
ganic law of the State. The report was taken up
and considered, and motion to make three-ffths
two-thirds was lost.
A report was made by the Committee on Ordi-
pances. A discussion arose on a question of the
right to the public lands within the State. This
question really based the right of the State
to tax, although the question was discussed to
the right of ownership.
The ordinance offers to concede the right of tax
ing Government lands for certain considerations.
Frst the two sections Of land for school purposes
provided by the organic act. Second, apprOprla-
tioDs # land for University aud Colleges Third,
appropriations of land for public buildings. Min
era reservations and grants for railroads through
the State. The ordinance was referred to Select
Committee and may be changed.
MARCH 80, 1858.
Quite number Of reports we're made this fore
noon, and referred More than one half of the
Committees made their reports. These were or
aered to be printed.
Several votes were taken on the report of the
Committee on Elections. The first section read
that can elections shall be free and equal" This
yas objected to by some as meaningless. An
ohel adding "to all qualified electors" There was
some cross. voting this subject, and evident ms-
apprehension. II was carried by small majority
whereupOn Mr. Douglass of Leavenworth moved to
strike out the section as amended, which was car
ried.
Gen. Lane desired to amend the report Of the
Committee on Judiciary, SO as to have fve Supreme
Judges and seven Circuit Judges, instead Of three
and FIVE. Mr.. Ewing objected. After some dis
cussion, the matter was referred.
Several resolutions were offered which proposed
the restriction of personal explanations.
The ordinance again reported back from the
special Committee to which it referred. Mr..
BranscOmb took issue against it, assuming that it
confictsd with the rights Of the General Govern
me MT 10 the soil of Kansas Mr. Foster (Osawata-
mie), defended the report and the right of a State
to assert all sovereignty over the soil within its bOr
ders After further discussion, the matter was
again referred.
When the report Of the Committee on Judiciary
was under consideration, amendment was Of
fered substituting clause in the Topeka Constitu-
ton for q clause in the report.
1t is under discussion by this body TO act as a
Nominating Convention after it adjourns; that is,
acting informally as caucus. This is not deter
mined, however.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The report Of the Committee on Judiciary was
taken up tor consideration. Mr.. Foster offered an
amendment that the word Commonwealth be
substituted for the word State lie made very
neat speech on this point, in which he referred 10
"Old Noil and the Common wealth of England"
fb amendment, however q vote defeated
The report OF the committee was adopted. Ii pro-
vides for Judiciary system, Supreme Court of
three Judges, FIVE Circuit Courts, COunty Courts
yasfaa ~ fha A.