The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-04-13

The Kansas Bin Passed by the HOUSE.
Be IL enacted By the House of Repre-
sentativss efMs Uuitsd States of Amer
tea, in Congress assembled, That the
State of Kansas be, and is hereby admit
ted into the Union on an equal footing
with the Original States in all respects
whatever; but, inasmnch as it is greatly
disputed whether the constitution framed
at Lecompton on the 7th of November
last and now pending before Congress, was
fairly made, or expresses the will Of tho
people of Kansas, this admission Of her in
to the Union rs State is hero declared
to be upon this fundamental condition pre-
cedent, namely: That the said constitu-
tional instrument shall be first submitted
to vote Of the people of Kansas, and as
sented to by them or majority Of the
voters, at an election to be held for the
purpose; and, as soon as such assent shall
be given, and duly made knog n, by ma
jority of the commissioners herein appoin-
ted, 10 the president of the United
States. he shall announce the same by
proclamation, and thereafter, and without
any further proceedings on tho part Of
Congress, the admission of the said State
of Kansas into the Union, On an equal
footing with original States iu all respects
whatever, shall be complete and absolute.
AT the said election tho voting shall be
by ballot, and by endorsing on his ballot,
as each voter may please, "For the Con-
stitution," or "Ag' inst the constitution"
should the said constitution bo rejected at
the said election by a majority of votes
being cast against it then, and in that
event, the Inhabitants of said Territory
are hereby au- horized and empowered to
form for themselves constitution and State
government by the name of the State of
Kansas, according to the Federal constitu-
tion, and to that end may elect delegates
to convention as hereinafter provided.
SEQ. 2. Ind be IL further enacted, That
the said State Of Kansas shall have concur
rent jurisdiction on the Missouri and all
other rivers and waters bordering on the
said State of Kansas, so far as the same
shall form common boundary to said
State, ard any other State or States now
or hereafter TO be formed or bounded by
the same; and said rivers aud waters, aud
all the navigabe waters of said State,
shall be common highways and forever free
as well to the inhabitants Of said State as
to all other citizens Of the United States.
without any tax, duty, impost, or toll there
for.
SEC. 8. And be ii dfurther enacted, That
for the purpose Of insuring, as far as posi-
bic, that the elections authorized hy this
act may be fair and free, the Governor and
Secretary Of the Territory of Kansas, and
the presiding officers Of the two branches
of Legislature, namely, the President of
the council and the Speaker Of the House
OF Representatives, arc hereby constituted
n Board Of commissioners to carry into cf
feet tho provisions Of this act, and TO use
all the mc".s necessary and proper TO that
end. AM llrcc Of them shall constitute
boari, St, the boarl shall have power
and autho. ~, in respect to each and all
OF the elections hereby authorized or provi-
ded for to designate and establish precincts
for voting, or TO adopt those already cs-
tablished; t. cause polls to be opened at
such places MS it may deem proper in the
respective counties aud election precincts
of said Territory; TO appoint. as Judges
OF election at each of their several places
of voting. three discreet and respectable
persons. any two OF whom shall be com.
petent TO act 10 require the sheriffs Of the
several counties, by themselves or dcpu,
tics, to attend the judges at each of the
places of voting, for the purpose of pre-
serving peace and good order; or the said
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;
and when the purpose of tho election is
to elect delegates to a invention 10 form
constitution, as hereinbcforc provided
for tho number of delegates shall be sixty,
and they shall be apportiored by said board
among several counties Of said Territory,
according to the number of voters; and
in m king this apportionment the board
may join two or moro counties together to
make an election or representative district
where neither ofthe said counties has the
requisite number Of votes TO entitlc it to
a delegate, or to join smaller to larger
county having a surplus population, where
1T may servo to equalze the representation.
The election hereby authorized shall con-
tiHue one day only, and shall not be contin-
ued later than sundown on that day.
The said board shall appoint the day elect
ion for each Of the elections hereby author.
lied as the same may become necessary.
Tho said Governor shall announce by
proclamation the day appointed for any
one of said elections, and the day shall be
as early one as is consistent with due
notice thereof to the people of said Terri
tory, subject to the provisions Of this act.
The said board shall have full power to
prescribe the time, manner and places of
each Of said elections, and TO direct the
time and manner Of the returns thereof,
which returns shall bo ado to tho said
board, whose duty il shall bc to announce
The result by proclamation, and to appoint
as early day as practicable for the dele
gates elected (where the election las been
for delegates) to assemble in convention at
the scat of government Of said Territory.