Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-12-11

OF congress.
My recommendation, however, for the imme.
diate 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 to accomplish this object.
l. therefore, cordially acquiesced In what has been
called the English Compromise, and approved
the " Act for the admission of the State Of Kan
sas into the Union," upon the forms therein
prescribed.
Under the ordinance which accompanied the t
Lecompton const ution, the people Of Kansas
had claimed double the quantity of public ands
for the support of common schools, which had
ever been previously granted to any state upon
entering the Union and also the alternate sec |
tons Of land for twelve miles on each side Of two |
railroads, proposed to be constructed from the |
northern to the southern boundary, and from the |
eastern to the western boundary Of the State. |
Congress, deemug those claims unreasonable.
provided, by the act of May 4, 1883, to which l
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
ton 10 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 ma
|
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
thorizes the people Of the territory TO elect dele
gates to form constitution and state government
for themselves, whenever, and not before, 1t is
| ascertained by a census, duly and legally taken,
that the population of said territory equals or
exceeds the ratio Of representation required for
| q member Of the House Of Representatives Of
| the Congress of the Uni ed States" The dele
gates thus assembled shall first determine by q
vote whether it is the wish of the people of the
| proposed state TO be admitted into the Union at
that time, and, if so, shall proceed to form con-
sttution, and take all necessary steps for the es-
Enlistment of a state government in conformity
| with the federal constitution" After this con-
| stitution shall have been formed, Congress car
| ryins out the principles of popular sovereignty
aud noninicIventon, have left :" the mode and
manner of its approval or ratification by the peo-
pie of the proposed state, to be prescribed by
law" and they shall then be admitted into the
Union as a state under such constitution thus
fairly and 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, by large majority, of the proposition
submitted to the people by cngress. This being
''e en'e, "e! "'e " ~ ~ .,
Union, hut not until their number, as ascertained
| by a census, shall equal or exceed the ratio re-
| auired 10 elect member OF the House Of Repre-
stntatives.
nov P'oohoe ~ uc Pr.seh' s'a'e VI 'ne
case mat ,n'iu Oous'.'u, r ean oe ,aw-
iuliy usmeo anu presume 10 'ors'ess ~ h a.
sas, before us popuia'Sn snaii nave reached me
u.eena" L nu ~
thar, after their sad experience IN resisting the
.eiiIorlai iANs, Iney WIN a''smp, ~ huoP'a eon,
su'uuon III express ''1,a''oh y, '"e pios's'ons =.
an ACT OF congress. Duripg 'ne sess'o" VI ,ooo
much OF the ume OF congress was occupied on
inc quesnon OF aom'.nng hAbshs uhoer me
'ks cons'itunon. hgain, nearly 'ne "hole
s sSH is under m. Ieeomp,on Constitution
Snr,Iv II ia NOT un,easonable 10 r,ouire The peo
ME Of Kansas TO wait before making a third at
tempt until the number of their inhabitants shall
smnrnt IN ninetytbree thousand four hundred
. and twenty. During this brief period, the har-
monv of The States. as well as the great business
interests of the country. demand that the people
NJ The Un;on shall not for a ihi,d time be con.
ypjsed nv another agitation on the Kansas
question. By waiting a short time, and acting
in obedience 10 law, Kansas will glide into the
Union without the slightest impediment
This excellent provision. which Congress has
annlied 10 Kansas, ought TO be extended and
rendered sppicable 10 all territories which may
hereafter seek admission into the Union
Whilst Congress possesses The undoubted
newer of admitting a new state into the Union
however small NAV he the number of its inhabit
ants vet This power ought not in my opinion, to
he exercised before the population shall amour,
IN the ratio required by the act for the admission
&c Ksasas Had This been previously the ,ule
VI ha Ia hax. escanad oil ,be evils and
the country ~oui Sh !, 10 - a. ~, Is, ,hs
misfortunes 10 WHO" "A' oe'" eNPo''u " '"'
Kansas queston.
or course, II wouid DC upJus, 10 give tnis Iuie
q retrospective application, and exclude q state
which, acting upon The past practice OF the gov
eminent, has already formed its constitution,
elected lis legislature and other Ulcers, and is
now n,enared TO enter the Union. The rule
-, ~ he ado,,ed whether we consider i,s
ouen' " y. du aon,. of ,hs ,s,r,oy;es ~ nm.
bearing upon ue psoPo y, u" 800 NJ, os ~
on the people OF inc ex's"pg sa.es @ y cue me