The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-06-10
The Vote On the " Observation-Disclosures NC
uons 70 Gen. Denver frosn Gen. Cass.

The Vote On the . Preposlsion'-Instrue
us"s 10 Gen. Denver frosn Gen. Cass.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, May !, 1858.
!. w. DeNrtS, Esq., Governor Of the Ierrs-
tory Of Ransas, L<comptom
SIR: transmit to you copy of the
act Of Congress approved May 4th, 1858,
for the admission Of the State of Kansas
into the Union" Your duties under this
oct are Of the most delicate and important
character, but they are clearly and distinctly
defined by the act itself
Congress was not satisfied, as you will
perceive, with the ordinance adopted at Le-
compton by the Constitutional Convention
there assembled in regard to the public
lands, deemiDg the grants to the State OF
Kansas therein contained too extensive and
beyond former precedents in similar cases.
They have, therefore, proposed TO the peo-
pie Of Kansas to assent to such change in
the ordinance as is stated in the act, reduc-
ing the quantity Of lands granted, so as to
conform to the grant in the bill now before
Congress for the admission of Minnesota.
This question is properly left to Kansas to
be decided at popular election. The act
prescribes that at the said election the vot-
ing shall be by ballot, and by indorsing on
his ballot as each voter may please, Prop
osition Accepted" or " Proposition Reject
ed" Should a majority Of the votes cast
be for Proposition accepted" the Presi.
dent OF the United States, as soon as the
fact is duly made known to him shall an
nounce the same by proclamation and
thereafter, and without any further proceed
ings, on the part of Congress, the admission
of the State Of Kansas into the Union on
an equal footing with the original States, in
all respects whatever, shall be complete and
absolute, &c. But should majority of the
votes cast be for Proposition rejected" il
shall be deemed and held that the people of
Kansas do not desire admission into the
Union with said Constitution, under the con-
dtions set forth in said proposition. They
will then remain in a Territorial condition
until it is ascertained by a census duly and
legally taken, that the population OF said
territory equals or exceeds the ratio or rep
resentation required for a member of the
House Of Representatives Of the Congress
of the United States" upon which ascer-
tainment the people OF the said Territory
"are authorized and empowered to form
for themselves Constitution and State
Government" in the manner prescribed by
the act.
Under the second section OF the Act,
yourself, the District Attorney, the Secre-
taTy of the Territory, the President of the
Council, and the Speaker Of the House OF
Representatives, are constituted Board OF
Commissioners to conduct this important
election. The President has entire conf-
dente that so far as in you i,es The election
trN be foUiy and property conducted. Your
powers and your duties are sufficiently point
ed out by the act and by your previous in.
structions. 1t is greatly to be desired that
the fire Commissioners should dd IN concert
IN all Their proceedings. The President
dboue all things desires, that there should be
far expression Of The popular r,H O. MS
important question and that any person lCh0
may commit OF attempt 10 commit The frauds
punishable under his Ad, mag be prosecuted
10 the utmost rigor Of the tar. Ii is to be
hoped that the people Of Kansas, relieved
from all outside influences may be left to de-
eide the question for themselves, whether
they will Immediately come into the Union
under the provisions of the act, or will re-
main in Territorial condition until their
population is equal to the number required
for Representative to Congress
lnclosed herewith you will receive four
copies of the act referred to- one of which
you will send to each of the Commissioners
named in the act, in order that they may be
properly informed of their designations
AT the same time you will provide for an
carly meeting of the Commissioners, so that
the election required by the act may take
place without unnecessary delay, and that
all suitable arrangements may be made for
their purpose. The President earnestly
hopes that these arrangements may be sue.
cesstul in securing free and fair election,
and that at the present important crisis the
peace of the Territory may not be inter
rupted.
The act for the admission OF Kansas
ought to be extensively circulated among
the people, because tho question 10 be dec-
ded by them Is one OF vast importance, and
may involve the wealth and prosperity of
their fine territory tor long period of years.
For this reason. whilst the act very proper
Iy prescribes that the day OF election shall
be at as early period after the proclama
ton as is consisten, with dne notice thereof
to the people the intervening period ought
10 be sufficiently long TO enable them TO
thoroughly understand the question in all
It's bearings and consequences. shall have
ten thousand copies OF the act printed in
this city and forwarded to You for immedi-
ate circulation.
You will not probably convene the Board
until after the appointment OF new Dis
trict Attorney for the Territory A nomi-
nation for this purpose will be sent to the
Senate on Monday next. Should you deem
it advisable, you are at liberty to publish
the whole or any part Of those Instructions.
The President wishes to give every assur.
ance TO the people of Kansas, that be de-
sires, above all things. that there shall be