Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-12-16

object would have been much sooner aItalned
and the paci6caiion of Kansas more speedily ef-
fected, had ii been admitted as State during
the last session of Congress,
Ny recommendation, however for the immedi-
ate admission of Kansas, failed to meet the ap-
probation of Congress They deemed it wiser
to adopt different measure for the settlement
of the question. For my own part, l should
have been willing to yield my assent to almost
any constitutional measure to accomplish this OBJ
iect. J. therefore, cordially acquiesced in what
has been called the English Compromise, and
approving the "Act for the admission ofthe State
ofkansas into the Union, upon the terms there
in prescribed.
Under the ordnance which accompanied the
Leeompton constitution, the people of Kansas
had claimed double the quantity ofpubhc lands
for The support OF common schools, which had
ever been previously granted to any State upon
entering the Union; and also the alternate sec
tions of land for twelve miles on each side OF
two railrOads,proposedt to be constructed from the
northern to the southern boundary, and from the
eastern TO the western boundary of the State
Congress, deenling these claims unreasonable.
provided, by the act of May A, 1858, TO which
have Just referred, for the admission of the State
on an equal footing with the original States, but
"upon the fundamental condition precedent"
that majority of the people thereof, at an cleo
uon TO be held for that purpose, should. in place
of the very large grants of public lands which
they had demanded under the ordinance, accept
such grants as had been made to Minnesota and
other new States. Under this act, should a ma
jority reject the proposition offered them, lit
shall be deemed and held that the people of Kan
sas do not desire admission into the Union with
said constitution under the conditions set forth
in said proposition" In that event, the act au-
thorizes the people of the Territory to elect dele
gates to form constitution and State govern
ment for themselves, whenever, and not before
If is ascertained by census, duly and legally ta-
ken, that the population of said Territory equals
or exceeds the ration of representation required
for member of the House of Representatives of
the Congress of the United States" ~
The delegates assembled shall first deter
mine by vote whether it is the wish of the peo-
pie OF the proposed State to be admitted into
the Union ut the time, and, so, shall proceed
TO form constitution, and take all necessary
steps for the establishment Of a State Govern
ment III conformity with the federal constitu-
tIon." After this constitution shall have been
formed, Congress, carrying out the principles of
our popular sovereignty and non-intervention
have left 1.-The mode and manner of its approval
or ratification by the people of the proposed
State" TO be prescribed by law, and they shall
then be admitted into the Union as State un-
der such constitution thus fairly and legally
made, with or without slavery, as said constitu-
tion may prescribe
An election was held throughout Kansas, in
pursuance of the provisions of this act, on the
second day of August last. and it resulted in
the rejection. by large majority, of the propo-
sition submitted 10 the people by Congress
This being the case, they are now authorized to
form, another constitution, preparatory TO ad-
mission into he Union, but not until their
number, as aseertained by census, shall equal
or exceed the ratio required to elect q member
to the House of Representatives.
1t is not probable, in the present state of the
case, that third constitution can be lawfully
framed and presented to Congress by Kansas;
signated number. Nor is it to be presumed
that, after their sad experience in resisting the
territorial laws, they will attempt TO adopt a
constitution In express violation of the proyis-
ions of au ;.ct of Congress. During the session of
1856, much of the time of Congress was oceu-
pied on the question ofadmitting Kansas under
the Topeka constitution. Again, nearly the
whole of the last session was devoted to the
question of its admission under the Lecompton
constitution. Surely it is not unreasonable to
require the people of Kansas to wait, before ma
king third attempt. until the number of their
inhabitants shall amount to ninety-three thou
brief period the harmony of the States, as well
as the great business interests of the country,
demand that the people of the Union shall not
for third time be convulsed by another agita-
tion on the question. By waiting for short
time, and acting in obedience to law, Kansas
will glide into the Union without the slightest
impediment. .4 ,i.-....- 3. .-...r -. -.
This excellent provision, which Congress have
applied to Kansas, ought to be extended and
rendered applicable to all Territories which
may hereafter seek admission into the Union.
Whilst Congress possess the undoubted pow
er of admitting new State into the Union,
however small may BE- the number of its inhab-
itants, yet this power ought not, in my opinion.
to be exercised before the population shall
amount to the ratio required by the act for the
admission of Kansas. Had this been previously
the rule, the country would have escaped all
the evils and misfortunes to which it has been
exposed by the Kansas question.
Of course, it would be unjust to give this rule
a Retrospective application, and exclude a Slate
which. acting upon the past practice of the gov
ernment, has already formed its constitution,
elected its legislature and other officers and is
now prepared TO enter the Union.
The rule ought to be adopted, whether we
consider its bearing on the people of the Terri
tories or upon the people Of the existing States.
Many of the serious dissensions which have
prevailed in Congress and throughout the coun-
try, would have been avoided, had this rule
been established at an earlier period Of the gov
i ~ ID =. s...u
Immediately upon the formation of a new
Territory, people from different States and from
foreign countries rush into it, for the laudable
purpose of improving their condition. Their
first duty to themselves is TO open and cultivate
farms, to construct roads, to establish schools,
to erect places of religious worship, and to de-
vote their energies generally to reclaim the will
derness and to lay the foundations of a flourish
ipcipient condition. with a population of a few
they should prematurely enter the