Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-12-18

being, whilst it would, within a brief peri
cd, have restored peace to Kansas and har-
mony to the Union. In that event the
slavery question would ere this have been
finally settled, according to the legally ex
pressed will of the majority of the voters,
and popular sovereignty would thus have
been indicated 10 a constitutional man
Der.
With my deep conviction ofduty, Icould
have pursued no other course. 1t is true
that as an Individual, have expressed an
opinion both before and during the session
of the convention, in favor of submitting
the remaining clauses of the constitution,
as we'll as that concerning slavery, to the
people. But, acting in AN official charac-
ter, neither myself nor ANY human authori-
ty had the power to PREJUDICE the proceed
ings of the convention, and declare the
constitution which thew had framed null
itv. TO have done this would have been
violation of the Kansas Nebaska act,
which left the people of the Territory''per-
fectly free to regulate their domestic insti
tutions in their own way, subject only to
the constitution of the United States" -
1t would equally violated the great prin-
ciple Of popular sovereignty,at the fouada
lion of our institutions, to deprive the PEG
pie of the power, if they thought proper
to exercise it, of contiding to delegates e.
ected by themselves the trust of framing
constitution. without requiring them &c
subject their constituents TO the trouble
expense and delay of second election
1t would have been in opposition to many
presidents in our history, commencing il
The very best age of the republic, of the
admission of territories as States into the
Union, without previous vote of the PEG
pie, approving their constitution.
1t is to be lamen,ed that question sc
insignificant when viewed in its prac!lca
effects on the people Of Kansas, whether
decided one way or the other, should have
kindled such flame Of excitement through
out the country. This reflection maj
prove warning for our future guidance
Practically considered, the question il
simply whether the people of that Territory
should first come into the Union and ther
chang any provision Of their constitution
not agreeable to themselves, or accomplish
t. very same object by remaining out O
the q ZION and framing another constisu
ton in accordance with their will. In eth
ar case the result would be precisely the
same. The only difference in point Of. fac
lis, that the object would have been mucl
sooner attained, and the pacificaton o
Kansas more speedily affected, had it beer
admitted as State during the last sess OF
Of Congress.
NV recommendation, however, for ths
immediate admission of Kansas. failed A(
meet the appreciation OF Congress. They
leemed it wiser to adopt a different meas,
IRE for the settlement Of the question. =
For my own part, should have been will
ling t, yield my assent TO almost any CON
stitutonal measure to accomplish this OBJ
ject. l, thel efore, cordially acluiesced in
what has been called the English Com
promise. and approved the "Act for the
a mi .sion of the State of Kansas into the
UnI n, upon the terms therein prescribed
Uiidef the ordinance which accompan-
led the Lecompton Constitution, the pee.
pie of Kansas had claimed double the
quantity of public lanls for the support OF
common schools, Which had ever been pre-
viously granted 10 any State upon enter
ing into The Union, aid also the alternate
sections of land for twelve miles on each
side Of the two railroads, proposed to be
constructed from the northern to the south
ern boundary. and from the eastern to the
western boundary of the State. Congress
deeming these claims unreasonable, provi
ded, by the act of May 4, 1858, to which,
have Just referred. for the admission of the
State on equal footing with the original
States, but ''upon the fundamental condi-
ii on precedent" that majority of the peo-
thereof, at an election to be held fer that
purpose, should, in the place of the very
large grants of public lands which they had
demanded under the ordinances, accept
such grants as had been made to MinneSo-
ia and other new States. Under this act.
should majority reject the proposition Of
fered them sit shall be deemed and held
that the people of Kansas do not desire ad-
mi sion into the Union With said constitu-
ton under the conditions set forth in said
propositions" In that event the act su-
thorizes the people ofthe Territory TO elect
| delegates to form constitution and State
government for themselves, ''wtenever, and
not before, it is ascertained BY a census. du-
" and legally taken, that the population
of said Territory equals or exceeds the ra-
ito OF representation required for member
of the House of Representatives Of the I'm
lied States" The delegates thus assem-
bled''shal first determine by vote wheth-
ar it il the wish of the people Of the pro-
posed State to be admi ted into the Union
at that time, and, if so, shall proceed to
form constitution, and take all necessary
steps for the establishment of State gov
eminent IN conformity of the federal con
Stitution." After this constitution shall
have been formed, Congress carrying out
the principles Of popular sovereignty and
non intervention, have left the "mode and
manner of its approval or ratification by the
people of the proposed State;' 70 be "pre-
scribed by law" and they ''shall then be
admitted into the Union as State under