The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-12-17

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: with or without slavery, as said constitution
may prescribe"
> An election was held throughout Kansas, il
pursuance of the provisions Of this act, on tbs
second day Of August last, and it resulted in the
} rejection, by large majority, of the proPosIloE
submitted TO the people by Congress. This be-
ing the case, they now authorized to form
another constitution, preparatory 10 admission
into the Union, 3ut not until their number, as
asceraned by a census, shall equal or exceed
the ratio required TO elect a member TO the
House OF representatives.
1t is not probable, in the present state o! the
case, that third constitution can be lawfully
framed and presented TO Congress by Kansas,
before its population shall have reached the
designated number. Nor is it TO be presumed
that, after their sad experience IN resisting the
territorial laws, they will attempt 10 adopt a
! constitution 10 express violation OF the ProviS-
ions of an act Of Congress. During the session
of 1886, much of the tim" of Congress was oc-
cupipd on th- question OF admitting Kansas nn-
( der the Topeka constitution. Again, nearly
the whole of the last session was devoted TO
the quest ion of lis admission under the Lp-
( compton constitution. Surely il is not unI ca
Sonablr to require the people Of Kansas 10 wait,
! before making third attempt, until The mum
! Der Uf their inh abitanis shall amount to ninety
three thousand four hundred aud twenty. Du-
ring this briel period the harmony Of the State,
as well as the great business interests of the
country, demand that the people OF the Union
/ shall not for a third time be convulsed by an
other agitation on the Kansas question. By
waiting for a short time, and acting in obedI-
enCr to law, Kansas will glide into the Union
/ without the slightest Imprdiment.
This excellent provision, which Congress
has applied to Kansas, ought 10 be extended
and rendered applicable 10 all Territories which
may hereafter seek admission into the Union.
Whilst Congress POSSESSES the undou ted
power OF admitting new STATE into the Union,
however small may be the number OF It's inhabi-
| tants, yet this power ought not, in my opinion,
10 be exercised before the population shall a.
mount to the ratio required by the act for the
admission Of Kansas. Had this been previously
the rule, the country would have escaped all
;he evils and misforunes TO which it has been
exposed by the Kansas question.
OF course, it would be unjust to give this
rule retrospective application, and exclude
State which, acting upon the past practice of The
ton, elected It's legislature and other officers,
and is now prepared TO enter the Uulon.
The rule ought to be adopted, whether We
consider its bearing on the peoh h~of the Terrific
rirs OF upon the people of the existing States.
Many OF The serious diSsensions which have
prevailed in Congress and throughout the coun-
irv, would have been avoided, had this rule
been established at az earlier period of The
government.
Immediately upon the formation Of a new
Territory, people from different States and from
lorrgn countries rush into IT, for the lauda5le
! 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 10 de-
vote their energies generally 10 reclaim the
wilderness and to lay the foundation, of a
/ tlourishing and prosperous commonwealth. IT,
in this iucprnt condition, with population OF
few thousand, they should premlturely enter
/ the Union, they are oppreS sed by The burden
| Of State taxation, and the means necessary Tor
| the Improvement of The Territory and the adj
| vancem5nt Of their own interests, are thus dI-
| veried 10 very different purposes.
! rhe federal government has ever been a
! liberal parent to the Territories, and generous
contributor 10 The useful enterprises OF the early
settlers. 1t has paid the expenses of their
/ governments and legislative assemblies out OF
! the common treasury, and thus relieved them
! from heavy charge. Under these crcumSian-
/ ces, nothing can be better calculated 10 Tetard
| their material progress, than TO divert them
! from their useful employments by prematurely
exciting angry political contests among them
selves, for the benefit Of aspiring leaders. 1t is
surely no hardship for embryo governors, sena-
tors, and members of Congress, TO wait until he
number OF inhabitants shall equal those OF a
single congressional district. They surely
/ ! ut, ,pt an. nh
with population less than one-half of several
of the large counties in the interior of some OF
the States. This was the condition Of Kansas
when 1t made application TO be admitted under
the Topeka constitution. Besides, it requires
some time to render the mass Of a population
collected in a new Territory, al all homogehe-
ous, and TO unite them on anything like fixed
policy. Establish the rule, and all vii look
forward TO it and govern themselves accordingly
But Justice to the people Of the several States
requires that this rule should be established by
Congress. Each State is entitled to two Sena-
tors and at least representative in Congress
Should the people OF the States fail TO elect a
Wee President, the power devoveS upon the
Senate 10 select this officer from the two high
est candidates on the list. In case of the death
of the President, the Vice President thus elec'
ted by the Senate becomes President OF tn
United States. On all questions OF legislation
the senators from the smallest States OF th'
Union have an equal vote with those from th'
, largest. The same may be said in regard Il
the ratification of treaties, and OF Eaecu'iv'
appointments. All this has worked admirabl,
in practice, and whilst 1t conforms in princip
with The character OF government institutes
I 5y sovereign States, presume no Amerlca
: citizen would desire The slightest change in tn