Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-04

to any Sts upon entering the Union anu also the al
ternats sections of land for twelve miles each side of
two railroads. proposed to b. constructed from the north
ern to the southern boundary and from the eastern to
the western boundary of the State Congress- deomng
theSs claims unreasonable provided by the act of May
A. 1883, to which | have Just referred, for the ad-
mission OF the State equal footing with the
original States but "upon tho fundamental condition
precedent that majority Of the people thereof at
election to be held for that purpose should in place of
the large grants of public lands which they had de-
manded under the ordinance accept such grants had
been made to Minnesota and other States. Under
this act should majority rssct the proposition offered
them, lit shall be deemed and held that the people of
Kansas do not desire admission into the Union with said
constitution under the conditions set forth said propo
ston In that event, the act authorizes the people of
the Territory to elect delegates form constitution and
State government for themselves whenever and not be-
FORE Is sscertsnsd by census duly and legally taken
that the population of said Territory equals or exceeds the
ratio OF representation required for smbsr of the House
of Representatives of the Congress of the United States
The delegates thus assembled shal first determine by
vote whether Is the wish of the people of the proposed
State to he admitted into the Union that time and if
50, shall proceed to form constitution, aud take all
necessary steps for the Establishment of State govern
ment in conformity wish the federal constitution. After
this constitution snal have been formed, Congress-
ryng out the principles of popular sovereignty and
Intervention have left hs mode and manner of its ap
prevail or ratification by the people of the proposed State
to be prescribed by law. and they 'sall then DO sd
mttcd into the Union As State under such constitution
thus fairly and legally made, with without slavery a.
said constitution may prescribe"
An election held throughout Kansas in pursu
of the provisions of this act the second day of
August Last and it resulted in the rejection 10y n large
majority of the proposition submitted to the people by
Congress This being the case, they authorized
to form another constitution preparatory to admission
into the Union, but not until their number ascertain
ell by census shall equal exceed the ratio required
to elect member to the House of Representatives
1t not probable in the present state of the case that
third constitution be lawfully framed and present
1 HI
reached the designated number Nor Is it lie presumed
that after their sal experience i'll resisting the territorial
laws, they will attempt to adept . constitution in
pres. violation of the provisions of Of Congress
During the session of 1856 much of the of Congress
occupied the question of admitting Kansas under
the Topeka constitution. Again. nearly tho whole tho
last session devoted to the question its admission
under the Lecompton constitution Surely it is not
reasonable to require the people Of Kansas wait be
fore making third attempt until the number of their
inhabitants shall amount to ninety three thousand
hundred and twenty During this brief period the har
mony OF the States. well the great business interests
vi the country demand that the people OF the Union
shall not for thiri tins be CONFUSED by another asita
ton the Kansas question. by waiting for q short
time, and acting in Obsdsncs to law Kansas will glide
into the Union without the slightest impednent.
This excellent provision which Congress have applied
to Kansas ought to be extended and rendered applicable
to all Territories which hereafter seek admission into
the Union.
Whilst Congress posxess the undoubtsd power of adj
mitting Stats into the Union, however small may
be the number of its inhabitants yet this power ought
not in my opinion to he exercised before the population
shall amount to the ratio required by the act for the al
mission of kans, Had this been previously the rule
IL Witch 4 IL ii sy ana mise. s.
| ton.
OF course it would lie unjust give this rule retro
spectve application, and exclude State which acting
upon the past practice Of the government has already
formed s constitution elected its legislature and other
officers, and is prepared to enter the Union
The rule ought to be adopted, whether consider it.
bearing the people OF the Territories upon the peo
pie of the eIiItng States Many OF the serious Olsen.
sons which have prevailed i'll Congress and throughout
the country would have been avoided had this rule been
established at earlier period of the government
Immediately upon the formation Of 4 Territory
people from different States and from foreign countries
rush into T. for the lauable purpose of improving their
condition. Their first duty to themselves is open and
cultivate farms to construct roads to establish schools.
To erect places of religious worship and devote their
energies generally to reclaim the wilderness and lay
the foundations of furnishing and prosperous
wealth IT, i'll this incpient condition, with population
Of few thousand they should prematurely the
Union, they oppressed BY the burden of State taxa
tOn and the necessary for the Improvement of the
Territory and the advancement o their interests
thus diverted to very different purposes.
The federal government has been liberal parent
to the Territories and generous contributor tho Use
fu enterprises Of the early settlers 1t has paid the
pcnses of their governments and legislative assemble.
out vi the common treasury and thus relieved them from
heavy charge Under these circumstances nothing can
be better calculated to retas their material prorsss than
to divert them from their useful employ nents by em,-
turey exciting angry political contests among themselves
for the benefit o aspiring leaders. 1t is surely no hard
ship for embryo governors, senators, and members OF
Congress To wait until the number of inhabitants shall
equal those OF SIM district They sure
y ought not To be permitted to rush into tho Union with
population less than Oc-half of several of the large
counties i'll the interior of the States This WIS
the condition Of Kansas when it made application to he
admitted under the Topeka constitution Besile. it re
tn than
lected in new Territory, ut all Homogeneous and
unite them anything like fixed policy Establish
the rule and all will look forward to it and govern them
selves accordingly.
But justice to the people of the several States requires
that this rule should he established by Congress Each
sentative in Congress Should the people Of the States
fail to elect Vice President the power devoves upon
the Senate to select this officer from the highest CAN
ddaes the list In of the death OF the President
the Vice President thus elected by the Senate becomes
President OF the United States On all questions Of es
aton the senators from the smallest States of the Union
have An equal vote with those from the largest The
may be said in regard u the ratification Of treaties
and OF Executive appointments All this has worked
admirably in practice, whilst il conforms in prn-
cipe with the character of u government institu-
ted 10y sovereign States presume American citizen
would desire the slightest change in the arrangement
ILL., is it not and unequal tho existing to