The Kanzas news., 1859-01-15

rial to Congress for the establishment OF
mail route from Fort Riley to some point
within the Gold Field, might not be inap-
propriate, but of great importance.
would, with no little Difference. call Jour
attention 10 the question whether the laws
for the organization of Townships and Coun-
ties might not be greatly simplifed-the
number of officers reduced-the expenses
lessened; and yet, the people equally and
better served
In newly and sparsely settled country,
every act of expenditure bears heavily upon
a people and, it is the duty of the law
making power to guard them against op-
pressiye taxation. Laws. suited 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 Terrific
Fies, 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 predis-
posed in their favor, is ready to adopt them
as the most suitable to his present location.
In very few instances will this wholesale
transplantation of laws and customs be pro-
ductive of good results for reasons already
| suggested. Kansas should have laws adapt
ed 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 un-
necessary expenses, nor litigations arising
from antiquities in the law.
The law creating the County Board of
Supervisors, gives them unlimited power in
the laying out of Townships and in chang
ing their boundaries. While this important
power is deposited in the proper hands, I
would suggest that the number of Town
ships be limited: and the area fixed by law,
below which the Board cannot reduce them.
Small Townships and small Counties multi
| ply officers and increase expenses, without
a corresponding benefit to the people. The
proper time to regulate these is in the incip-
lent organization of State. Legislation
has reference to the future as we'll 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 County
Board of Supervisors "To allow such boun-
ty for the destruction of wolves and other
noxious animals, in their respective Coun-
ties as they may deem proper" (See pro-
viso in Chapter 13, Section 49, From
complaints made in regard to the destruct-
ion of property by wolves, I direct your at
tention to the law, that you may determine
whether additional legislation is necessary
to accomplish its object.
The law passed February 12lh, 1853, for
the permanent location of the County Seats
of the several Counties, by vote of the
| people. declares that the places designated
| by the highest number of votes" shall be
the County Seats of their respective Coun-
ties. 1 submit it to your wisdom and good
| judgment, whether the law should not be
made to read, ga majority of all the votes"
cast at such election, DC. There might be
three or four towns contesting for the coun-
ty seat. In such a case the town containing
the greatest 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 vacant, and to fill the
vacancies so created, it would soon cure the
evil and silence complaint.
l 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
viUa voce. This leads to misapprehensions,
and annnVIDn p0ntaCfc NOV oriSo
The quiet and welfare of the Territory
depends greatly upon the purity of the Elec-
tions, and all Legislation necessary to secure
so desirable an object should receive your
prompt and most careful attention. The
public voice being the controlling power in
our system of Government, every care
should be observed to give it fair and full
expression. Our elections are worse than
by threats. Let the Election law be uni
from and plain in its provisions, and exact
ing upon the officers in charge of the polls.
1t will then be less difficult to bring its Vi
olators 10 justice it will be the more certain
that our Elections express the unbiased
judgment of the people. To such fair ex-
pressions of the peoples wish, all good cit
izens will with pleasure submit, as is their
duty; while it takes from the eyil-disposed
all just cause for complaint.
I herewith transmit the Report of the Ad
iutant General of the Kansas Militia, to
which would direct your attention. From
this report it is evident that some legislation
is necessary to proper organization of the
Military force of the Territory. By the Or
ganic Act of the Territory the Governor is
made the Commander-in Chief of the Mil
itary force, and any act taking that power
out of his hands is clearly beyond the juris-
diction of the Legislature. To avoid all
conflict between the original act and the one
claimed to have been passed at the last ses-
sion, it would be proper for you to take some
action in regard To the subject Even
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