The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1858-12-09

cation ofKansas mora speedily effected. had It
been admitted as state during the last session
of Congress.
Ny recommendation, however. for the I'M
mediate admission of Kansas, failed to meet
the appreciation Of Congress. They deemed
it wiser TO adopt different measure for the
settlement Of the question. For my own
part, should have been willing to yield my
assent to almost any constitutional measure %
accomplish this object | Therefore cofdla.ly
acquicsced 10 what has been called tae En-
glish Compromise, and approved the Act
for the admission of the STATE OF Kansas into
the Union unon the terms therein prescri
bed.
Under the ordinance which accompanied
the Lecompton Constitution, the people Of
Kansas had claimed double tie quantity Of
public lands for the support Of common
schools, which had ever previously been
granted to any State upon entering the Union
and also the alternate sections of land for
twelve miles on each side of two railroads,
proposed to be constructed from the North.
crn to the Southern boundary. and from the
Eastern to the Western boundary Of the
State.
Congress, desming these claims unreason-
able, provided, by the act of May i, 1853,
to which l have just referred for the admis-
sion OF the State on an equal footing with the
original States, but upon The fundamental
condition precedent" that a majority Of the
people thereof at an election to be held for
that purpose should. in place Of the very
large grants cf 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
majority reject the proposition offered them,
cit shall be deemed aud held hat tie people
OF Kansas do not desire admission into the
Union with said constitution under the con
ditions set forth i'll said proposition
In tlat event, the act authorizes the PEG,
pie Of tic Territory to elect delegates to form a
Constitution and State Government for them
selves, ~ whenever, and not before, it is ascer-
tanned by census, duly and legally taken,
that the population If said Territory equals
or exceeds the ratio q representation requi-
red for a member Of the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes Of the Congress Of the United
States" The delegates thus assembled
''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 that
time; and, il SO, shall proceed to form a Con
stitution, and take all necessary steps for the
establishment Of a State Government in CON
forrity with the Federal Constitution" Al
ter this Constitution shall have been formed,
NOb-3 E>Hy C5tii iLB tttS lt4t 4i4I pies tt pop
ular sovereignty and on-mterveulion, have
left .'lbe 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 under such Constitution thus fairly ana
legally made, with or without slavery, as
said Constitution 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, 10y large majority. Of the
proposition submitted to the people by Con
gress. This being the case, they are now
authorized to form another constitution, pre-
paratory to admission into the Union. but not
until their number, as asccrtained by a cen
sus, shall equal or exceed the ratio required to
elect member to the House Of Representa-
tives.
II is not probable. in the present state OF
the case, that third constitution can be law
fnlly framed and presented to Congress by
Kansns, before lis fee,lis ,i,,fr s}5ii 1--we
reached the designated number. Nor is il
to be presumed that, after their sad expert
ence in resisting the territorial laws, they viii
attempt to adopt a constitution in express
violation of the provisions Of an act OF Con
gress. During the session of 1856 much of
the time of Congress was occupied on the
question question OF aunl.'n5 N'nsaS under the
i'peA" oohSti,u'ioh H.
gan he%fly Inc "hole o. me last session
was devoted to the question Of its admission
under the LeeomPton Constitution. Surely
it is not unreasonable 10 require tie people
OF hsnsas TO want before making a third at
emp nh.n 'ne NuMoer OF TIER lnh'9i ants
shaIl amount 10 nlnety-thtee thousand lour
hundred and twenty During ilnS brtei PERIOD
'he harmony Of the states as wen as me
great business interests Of the country de-
mahued 'nat me people 81 tue mon Shaa
not tor third time bo conVulsed oy another
agitation on the Kansas question. by wait
lnS Tor a snort time and acHnS IN Obedience
10 Jaw hansaS VII 9'lde INTO me l mon "''h-
OUT r. tiie sIiS4'esI lnpeo'a''hE'
.'ls eHGGliYl't prov S',', " .1l
htNt al'fiicb ~ iNsAi''-'N' 90 49, 40 ne SN't'-tTA