White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-01-13


lily upon the people and. it is the duty
of the law-making power to guard them
against oppressive. taxation. Laws suit
ed to an old country where wealth and
population have accumulated, may be too
complicated and expensive for one newly
occupied. The population of Kansas,
like all new Territories, is made up Of
emigrants from every State in the Union;
each individual more or less familiar with
the laws and customs Of his own State,
and to some extent predisposed in their
favor. is ready to adopt them as the most
suitable to his present location. In very
few instances will this wholesale trans
plantation of laws and customs be pro-
ductive of good results for reasons al
ready suggested. Kansas should have
laws adapted to her own condition and
hers is the condition Of all newly settled
agricultural communities. Her laws
should be explicit. simple, and brief as
possible, that while all the purposes of
government are secured, the people may
not be burdened with unnecessary expen-
ses, nor litigations arising from ambigu-
tiles in the law. a.f.... r
The law creating the County Board Of
Supervisors, gives them unlimited power
in the laying out of Townships and in
changing their boundaries. While this
important power is deposited in the pro-
per hands, i wonld suggest that the num-
Der of Townships be limited and the
area fixed by law, below which the Board
cannot reduce them. Small Townships
and small Counties multiply officers and
increase expenses, without correspond
ing benefit to the people. The proper
time to regulate these is in the incipient
organization OF State. Legislation has
reference to the future as well as to the
present.
In an act in relation to Counties and
County officers" passed at your last ses-
sion, power is conferred upon the COun-
ty Board of Supervisors ITO allow such
bounty for the destruction of wolves and
other noxious animals, in their respective
Counties as they may deem proper. =
(See proviso in Chapter Is. Section II.
From complaints in regard to the destruc-
ton of property by wolves, direct your
attention to the law, that you may deter
mine whether additional legislation is
necessary to accomplish its objects.
The law passed February 18th, 1858,
for the permanent location of the County
Seats of the several CoutieS, by vote Of
the people, declares that the places desig
mated by the "highest number of votes"
shall be the County Seats of their respec-
tive Counties. i submit it to your wis
dom and good judgment, whether the
law should not be made to read, ga ma
ioriiy of all the votes" cast at such cleo
ton, DC. There might be three or four
towns contesting for the County seat. In
such a case the town containing the great
est number OF voters, would obtain the
favor, and the County seat be "perma-
nently" located where not One-third of the
voters of the County would desire it /; but
each anxious for his own local interest,
had cast his vote accordingly. Much
lasting evil might result from the law as
it now reads.
Complaints are made Of Territorial
and County Officers, that they do not
hold their offices at such places as are
designated by law. If power were given
the Executive to declare such offices va
cant, and to fill the vacancies so created,
it would soon cure the evil and silence
complaint.
i would advise an entire revision Of the
several election laws upon the Statute
Books. AS they now stand, one set of
officers is required to be elected by ballot;
another Uira voce This leads to misap-
prehensiOns, and annoying contests may
arise
The quiet and welfare of the Territory
depends greatly upon the purity of the
Elections, and all Legislation necessary
to secure so desirable an object should
receive your prompt and most careful
The public voice being the
controlling power in our system of Gov
eminent, every care should be observed
to give it o fair and full expression. Our
are worse than a farce, if con-
trolled by fraud, or dictated by threats.
Let the election law be uniform and plain
in its provisions, and exactIng upon the
officers in charge of the polls 1t will
then be less difficult to bring its violatcrs
to justice; it will be the more certain that
our elections express the unbiased judg-
ment of the people. To such fair ex-
pressions of the peoples wish, all good
citizens will with pleasure submit, as is
their duty; while it takes from tho evil
all just cause for complaint.
l herewith transmit the Report of the |
Adjutant General of the Kansas Militia,
to which would direct your attentions
From this Report it is evident thai some
Legislation is necessary to a proper or.
ganizatien of the Military force Of the
Territory. By the Organic Act of the |
the Governor is made the
Commander-in- Chief of the Military
force and any Act taking that power
ont Of his hands Is clearly beyond the
Jurisdiction of the Legislature. To avoid |
all conflict between the original Act and
the one claimed to have been passed at
the last Session, it would be proper for
you to take some action in regard to the
subject. Even doubt permitted to ex-
ist might lead to serious consequences and
create embarrassment in an effort to pro-
tect the lives and property of citizens.
Surrouudad ae No 90 h., TnJ:.r s-;bo. .