White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-01-06

1SiinoiJ aiwHys 40 desire, and alWay
do seek, voluntarily. to exchange Ter
ritorlal, for that of State GoYernmen
at the earliest possible period. 90
We know of no instance IN the histor,
Of our country. where the people of
Territory have not always embraced tn
earliest opportunity, when the population
wanid have admitted Of representation
in the House of Representatives, to max,
application to be admitted as an Indepen
dent State; while there are many instan
ces where the application has been mad,
at much earlier period, and in som,
cases where the population did not exceed
a fraction of the basis for Congressional
representation.
The addition of the South Platte O
the Territory of Nebraska to the Terrific,
ry of Kansas, will give to the Territory
thus united, the requisite population to
enable its citizens to demand admission,
as soon as tho preliminary steps arc taker
towards forming and accepting a State
Constitution. Shall we, then, form the
first and only exception in the history OIL
the past, to refuse the position within oul
grasp of becoming an integral part Of a
sovereign State of the American Union
Shall we, in consideration Of the tri-
fling sum received from the Federal Gov
eminent flor we cannot conceive of any
other inducement, voluntarily prefer our
present condition of political sinfancy,
and with our eyes open, discountenance
and reject the manifold advantages of a
State government within the Federal Tn
ion?
From the mouth Of the Missouri to its
head waters in the Rocky Mountains
there can be found no geographical line
so suitable as natural boundary between
political communities as the Plate River.
Much of the time utterl y impossible, and
at all times difficult of fording, and more
difficult to bridge, nature evidently de.
signed it as the dividing line between
Independent States Why, in organi-
zing our political communities, should
not that line be respected ? Its presence,
in dividing one portion of community
from another, under the same local gov
eminent, will always be, as it has always
been in the past, productive of sectional
interests and consequently sectional feel
ing. But there are no natural obstruc-
tions to intercommunication between the
two Territories of Kansas and Nebraska
which can suggest any geographical rea.
son why the South of Platte and Kansas
Territory should not rally under the same
State Government.
1t is true. that, geographically, the
territory south Of the Platte, which it is
proposed to unite with Kansas Territory,
will be in extent, as one to four, and
hence, it is said, that our interests must
necessarily be under the control of the
larger or preponderating interests of that
Territory But if that is an objection to
becoming part of the State of Kansas,
would it not be an equal one as to any
other State Can that portion of the
present Territory on the Missouri River
between the Platte and the Nemaha riV-
ers. eUer be anything else than a smaller
part of any State with which it may
be connected, and which shall have the
requisite population to demand admission
into the Union? What proportion to
the vast geographical limits of Nebraska
Territory, is this small section between
the rivers alluded to! Can it be expect
ed that any State. framed from the pres
ent limits of Nebraska Territory, will
ever be admitted into the Union, without
the population equal to the Congressional
basis of representation in the House of
Representatives ? The very next census,
soon to be taken, will hardly make that
basis less than 125, 900. When Nebraska
Territory shall have that population, can
we hatter ourselves that the larger part Of
it will reside on this small neck of terri
tory south of the Platte river? And if
not, how would we be better of, dozen
years hence, if then ready to form State
Government, with the pestiferous Platte
river creating adverse interests, and at the
mercy of the interests created on the other
side Of that bridgeless stream
But, why should there necessarily be,
under a State organization, a conflict Of
interests between this section and that
section of a common State confederacy !!
IF each section has its own local interests,
each section will have that interest repre-
scented. How will the advancement Of
one section, or the protection Of its inter-
ests retard or injure the other Will
not any land grants made to the new
State, for educational, railroad. or other
purposes. be held in trust as common
fund, for the benefit of all parts Of the
State !? Will not the security of Al or
Canic government be shared by each sec
ton equally? Will not the blessings Of
State legislation, descend like the dews Of
heaven on all alike
We find ourselves at loss to conceive
of any necessary conflict in these interests.
unless it may be in the construction OF
railroads, and it will hardly be expected.
that the people Of the State will be called
upon to pay a State tax to construct
railroads. or any other great work OF IN
ternaI Improvement. that will benefit one
section only, at the expense and to the
detriment of another. In State having
a river boundary Of nearly three hundred
miles, is it to be supposed, that we would
be content with single railroad I? Will
not each section Of the State have its own
road, and each derive the same Federal
and State aid ?
As for our section-or the territory
between the Platte and the Nemaha nv