The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1858-12-17

Congress, deeming these claims unrea-
sonable, provided, by the act of May 4
1858, to which I have just referred, 70,
the admission Of the State on an equa
footing with the original States, but
"upon the fundamental condition pre-.
cedent" that a majority of the people
thereof, at an election to be held for that
purpose, should, in place of the very
large grants of public lands which they
had demanded under the ordinance, &C,
cept such grants rs had been made to
Minnesota and other new States. Un-
der this act, should a majority reject the
proposition offered them, 'sit shall be
deemed and held that the people of Kan
sas do not desire admission into the Un.
ion with said constitution under the
conditions set forth in said PROPOSE
tion." In that event, the act authorizes
the people of the Territory to elect
delegates to form constitution and
State government for themselves, when
ever, and not before, it is ascertaihed
by census, duly and legally taken, that
the population of said Territory equals
or exceeds the ratio of representation
required for a member of the House Of
Representatives Of the Congress of the
United States" Tho delegates thus as
sembled "shall first determine by 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 constitution, and take
all necessary stops for tho establish
ment of q State government in conform
ity with the federal constitution AZ
ter this constitution shall have been
formed, Congress, carrying out the
principles of popular sovereignty and
non-intervention, have left "the mode
and manner of its appoval or ratfca.
tion by the people of the proposed
State" to be prescribed by law" and
they "shall then be admitted into tho
Union as a State under such constitu~
tion thus fairly and legally made, with
or without slavery, as SAID constitution
may prescribe.
An election was held throughout Kan
sas, in pursuance of the provisions of
this act, on the second day of August
Inst, and it resulted in the rejection, by
q large majority, of the proposition sub
mitted to the people by Congress. This
being the case, they are now authorized
tc form another constitution, propara-
tory to admission into the Union, but
not until their number, as ascertained
by census, shall equal or exceed the
ratio required to elect a membsr to the
House of Representatives.
1t Is not probable, in tho present state
of the case, that third constitution
can bo lawfully framed and presented
to Congress by Kansas, before it's po.
pulation shall have reached the desig
mated number. Nor is it to be presum
cd that, after their sad experience in
resisting the territorial laws, they will
attempt to adopt constitution in ex.
press violation of the provisions of an
act of Congress. During the session
of 1856, much of the time Of Congress
was occupied on the question of ad
mittng Kansas under the Topeka con-
stitution. Again, nearly the whole of
the last session was devoted to the
question of it's admission under the
Leeompton constitution. Surely it is
not unreasonable to require tho peo-
pie of Kansas to wait, before making
\ third attempt, until the number Of
their inhabitants shall amount to nine
~ y-three thousand four hundred and
,wenty. During this briof period the
harmony of the States. as well as the
country, demand that the people of the
Union shall not for third time be
by another agitation on the
Aarsas question. By waiting for short
limo, and acting in obedience to law,
Kansas will glide into the Union with-
'ut the slightest lmpediment. se
This excellent provision, which Con.
,ress have applied to Kansas, ought to
,e extended and rendered applicable
o all Territories which may hereafter
eek admission into the Union.
Whilst Congress possess the un-
loubted power Of admitting new State
nto the Union, however small may be
he number of its inhabitants, yet this
'ower ought not, in my opinion, to be
Exercised before the population shall
mount TO the ratio required by the
ct for the admission Of Kansas. Had
his been pre- viously the rule, the coun-
ry would have escaped all the evils and
,isfortunes:to which it,has been exposed
~ the Kansas ouastion
Of course, it would be unjust to give
bis rule a retrospective application,
nd exclude State which, acting upon
be past practice of the government,
as already formed Its constitution,
lected its Legislature aud other officers,
nd is now prepared to enter the Un.