Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-05-06


the said Constitutional instrument shall be
first submitted to a vote of the people of
Kansas, and assented to by them, or ma
iority of the voters, an election to be held
for the purpose. At the said election, the
voting shall be by ballot and by indorsing
on his ballot, as each voter may please, For
pro position of Congress and admission,
or, Against proposition of Congress and
admission The President Of the U. S.,
as soon as the fact is duly made known to
him, shall announce the same by procama-
ton, and thereafter, and without any furth-
err proceedings on the part of Congress, the
admission of the State of Kansas into the
Union on an equal footing with the origin
al States; iu all respects what ever, shall be
completeand absolute; and said State shall
be entitled to one Member in the House of
Representatives in the Congress of the U.
S., until the next census be taken by the
Federal Government. But, should the ma
jority of the votes be cast for Proposition
Rejected it shall be deemed and held that
the people of Kansas do not desire admis-
sion into the Union with said Constitution,
under the conditions set fort in said propo-
sition, and in that event the people of said
! Territory are hereby authorized and en-
powered to form.fo themselves Constitu-
ton and State Government by the name of
the State of Kansas, according to the Fed
eral Constitution, and may elect Delegates
for that purpose whenever, and not before,
it is ascertained, by census only legal
ly taken, that the population of said Terri
tory equals the ratio of representation re-
quired for Member Of the House of Rep
rssentatives of the U. S.; and whenever
thereafter such Delegates shall assemble in
convention. they shall first determine by a
vote whether it is the wish of the people
of the proposed State to be admitted into
the Union at the time, and, If SO. shall pro-
coed to form a Constitution, and take all
necessary steps for the establishment of
State Government, in conformity with the
Federal Constitution, subject to such limi-
tations and restrictions as to the mode and
manner of its approval or ratification by
the people Of the proposed State, as they
may have prescribed by law, and shall be
entitled to admission into the Union as a
State under such Constitution, thus fairly
and legally made, with or without Slavery,
as said Constitution may prescribe
Sec. 2. And6e 1t futeher enacted, That
for the purpose of insuring, as far as pos
sible, that the elections authorized by this
act may be fair ard free, the Governor, U.
S. District Attorney and Secretary of the
Territory of Kansas; and the presiding Of
ficers of the two branches of its Legislature,
namely, the President of the Go Incil and
Speaker of the House of Representatives, are
hereby costituted Board Of Commission
ers to carry into effect the provisions Of this
act, and use all the means necessary and
proper to that end. And three of them
shall constitute a Board; and the Board
shall have power and authority to designate
and establish precincts for voting or to adj
opt those already established, to cause polls
to be opened at such as may deem proper
in the respective counties and election pre-
cincls of said Territory;to appoint his judg
es of election, at ecah Of the several places
of voting, three discreet and respectable
persons, any two shall be competent to act;
TO attend the judges at each of the places
of voting, for the purpose of preserving
peace; or the board may, instead of said
sheriffs and their deputies, appoint at their
discretion, and in such instances as they
may choose, other fit persons for the same
purpose. The election shall continue one
Jay only. The said Board shall appoint
the Gsy for holding said election, and the
said Goyerno. shall announce the same by
proclamation; anc tie day shall be as early
one as consistent with uGee notice thereof
to the people of said Territory, SUBJECT to
the provisions of>this act. The said board
shall have full power to prescribe the time.
manner, and places of said elections and to
direct the time and the manner the returns
thereof which returns shall be made to the
Board, whose duty it shall be TO announce
the same by proclamation, and the Gov
ernor shall certify the same to the Presi-
dent of the U. S. without delay.
Sec. 8. And be IL further enacted, That
in the election hereby authorized, all white
male inhabitants of said Territory, over
the age of twenty-one years, who possess
the qualifications which were required by
the laws of said Territory, for legal vo-
ter at the last general election for the mem
bers of the Territorial Legislature, and
none others shall be entitled to vote; and
this shall be the only qualification required
to entitle the voter to the right of suffrage
in said elections. And if any person not
so qualified shall vote or offer to vote, or if
any person shall vote more than once at
said election, or shall make or cause to be
made any false, fictitious, or fraudulent re-
turns, or shall alter or change any returns
of said election. such person shall, upon
conviction thereof before any court of COM
petent jurisdiction, be kept. at labor not
less than six months, and not more than
three years.
Sec. A. And be 1t further enacted, That
the members of the aforesaid Board of
Commissioners, and all persons appointed
by them to carry into effect the provisions
of this act, shall before entering upon their