Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-29


and places Of said election and to direct tho
time and manner of the returns thereof, which
returns shall he made TO the said board. whose
duty it shall he TO annOunce the result bv pro-
clamation; and the said Governor shall certify
the same 20 the President of the United States
without delay.
SEC. 3. And he IL further enacted. That in the
election hereby authorized, all white male in
habitants of said Territory, over the age of
twenty-one years, who possess the analifica-
tons which were required by the laws of said
Territory for legal voter at the last general
election for members OF the Territorial Legis-
lature, and none others, shall be allowed to
vote; and this shall be the only qualification
required TO entitle the citizens to the right of
suffrage in said election; and if any person
not so qualified shall vote or offer to vote,
or if any person shall vote more than once, at
said election, or shall make or cause to be
made any false, ficti iOus, or fraudulent re-
turns or shall alter or change and returns of
said election, such person shall, upon convic-
ton thereof before any competent court of
jurisdiction, he kept at hard labor for not
less than sip months and not more than three
years.
SEC. 4. And be Il further enacted, That the
members of the aforesaid board of commits
siOners. and all persons appointed by them to
carry into effect the provisions of this act,
shall, before entering upon their duties. take
an oath to perform faithfully the duties of
their respective offices, and on failure thereof
they shall be liable and subject to the same
charges and penalties as are provided in like
cases under the territorial laws.
SEC. 5. ARd be 1t further enacted, That the
officers mentioned in the preceding section
shall receive for their services the same COM
pensation as is given for like services under
the territorial laws.
Mr.. ENGLISH. Mr.. Speaker, in view Of the
state of the public business at this advanced
period of the session, and Of the fact that this
subject has already been more thoroughly
discussed than, perhaps, any other ever before
Congress, do not propose making any eX-
tended remarks; but | am authorized by a
majority of the committee of conference on
the part of the House to submit some of the
views which they entertain in relation to the
pending question. and which, in part, have
influenced their action. They assumed the
duties intrusted to them by the House, deeply
impressed with the heavy responsibilities res
ting upon them.
A great question-pcrhaps the greatest of
the age-one which has agitattd and engros-
scd the public mind for the past four years
has at last come to crisis; and its probable
solution is brought dir, city to the decision of
the Representatives of the States and the
people.
correct principles the committee endeavorod
to di- card that spirit which would endanger
the passage of great measure, and probably
hazard the peace of the country, for the sake
of an unimpOrtant point or unmcaning word.
The amendment proposed as Il substitute il
the very best that the committee were able to
agree upon in view of the embarrassing cir
cumstanccs surrounding the question.
1t is true that it proposes the admission of
D., , condition. hYtfi in tIiS :
does not differ from either the Senate bill or
House amendment. Both of these measures
propose admission on conditions varying ia
their character and object. Nor does it differ
from several precedents in other cases. such
as those of Michigan and Iowa. The reason
of the propricty, if not necessity, of a cOndi-
ton in the case of Kansas grows out of the
peculiar nature of the application. This is
fully eXempifed in the Senate bill; for the
admission in il is on an - express condition."
which, however, makes no provision for the
acceptance by the people of Kansas of the
terms therein prescribed. What might be the
effect of this omission is not altogether clear.
The ordinance adopted by the convention at
LccOmpton, and submitted with the constitu-
ton, asserts that /" the State of Kansas will
possess the undoubtcd right to tax such lands
for the support of her State government or
for other proper and Legitimate purposes con
this asserted right she proposes, on admission,
to surrender in consideration that the Con-
gress of the United States will make her the
grants namely:
g SEC. !. That sections numbered eight,
sixteen, twenty-fOur, and thirty-siX, in every
township in the State or in case either of said
numbered sections are or shall be otherwise
disposed of. that other lands equal thereto in
value, and as contiguous as may be, shall be
1
to the support of common schools.
=. SEC. 2. That all salt springs. and gold,
silver, copper, lead. or other valuable mines,
together with the lands necessary for their
full occupation and use, shall be granted to
said State for the use aud benefit of said
State; and the same shall be used or disposed
If under such terms and conditions and regu-
ations as the Legislature of said States shall
direct.
" SEC. 3. That five per centum of the pro-
,ccds of the sales of all public lands sold or
held in trust or otherwise lying within the
said State. whether sold before or after the
admission of the State into the Union, after
lcducng all expenses incidental To the same,
shall be paid to the said State of Kansas for
he purposes following, to-wit: two-iiIths to be
lsburscd under the direction of the Legisla-
Iure of the State for the purpose of aiding the
of railroads within said State
and the residue for the support OF common
schools
SEC 4. That seventy-two sections, or two
entire townships shall he designated by the
reserved for the use Of a seminary of learning
and appropriated by the Legislature of said
State solely To the use of said seminary.
" SEC. ;. That each alternate section of
land now owned, or which may hereafter be
acquired by the United States, for twelve
Mills on each side of n line of railroad To be
established or located from some point on the
northern boundary OF the State. leading south
,rly through said State in the direction of the
Cuff of Mexico, and on each side of line OF
railroad to be- located and established from
some point on the Missouri river. westWardly
through said State in the direction of the Pa
ridc ocean, shall Ice reserved and conveyed To
.aid State at Kansas for the purpose OF aiding
IN the construction of said railroad; and il
hall bee the duty Of the Congress of the Uni
Ted States, IN CONJUNCTION with the proper au-
horitics OF this State, to adopt Immediate
measures for carrying the several provisions
lerrn contained into full effect"
The proposition made 10 Congress by this
ordinance i OF the most extraordinary char
lctcr, aud wholly inadmiSsible. \ carefully
prepared estimate made at the General Lgnd
dice at the request of the committee, shows
hat Kansas would receive an aggregate in
alds, under her ordinance, of twenty -thrre
million live hundred and nlnely-two thousand
nay hundred and sixty acres, worth, at the
minimum Government price, SO ,i90, 200;
.ud this isexclusive of other benefits claimed,
md of whet she might receive for lands con-
aiming mines Of the usual and precious met
Is. except coal lands. The amendment
agreed 10 10y the committee proposes to give
lrr the usual grants which have been made 10
most Of the new States, and which embrace
precisely the same quantity proposed 10 be !
given by the Crittendrn amendment UudIr |
his amendment, Kansas would receive some
wenty million acres of land less than she |