The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-07-20
The Kansas Constitutional Conyen-
tion"---A new Phase of an Old Cues

ton.
What do all the reports about the election
of delegates to Constitutional Convention
in Kansas, mean? At one time we have
iubilant account of Democratic triumph--
at another, reports of e doubtiol con-
test-and now it seems to be finally settled
that the Black Republicans have carried the
day by very decided majority
i. But what does it all mean We have
looked anxiously, but in vain, to the pages OF
the Administration organ, the Constitution,
for a solution Of the mystery. The Constitu-
ton has published the election returns with
comments congratulatory or deprecatory as
their varying complexion suggested but it
has not told us by what authority the Con-
yention is to be held-or rather upon what
condition delegates have been chosen.
We were Of, those who approved the Con-
Ference Bill of 1858. We did not hesitate to
say that it was better for the South, than the
original Senate Bill, because while it. fully re-
cognized the legality and validity of the Le-
compton Convention, and the Constitution
which !. f,.,ood !, ,,,,o.o,.ad The % a.
United States in the public domain.
By the LIST section of the Conference Act, it
was provided that if a majority Of the people
of Kansas rat,,sed to .oeede 10 tho terms nro.
posed by Congress for the disposal of the pub
lie lands within the limits of the territory, 'it
.h.u - dao,noa "a hald th.t tho noonla of
-. A. =. aa,; 5 80 .ho
-, ,,.;.h u n,nat;.,,.;,, -. a. 80
,t;ons %, forth in sa;a ,,ro,os;t;on aud IN that
800. .ba raorle Of sod ,a-r;torv .re hereby
- .s...,ear tben,.
selves cons titut;on and state government. and
man elect dsleoates for that purpose. wHESEv-
Err. AND NOT BEFORE, RI Is AseERTAfN-
Ep BY 4 CENSUS DULY AND LEGALLY TAKEN
THAT THE poPuLA14oN OF SAID .TERRIroRY
EQUALS OR EXCEEDS THE RATIO OF REPRE-
sEsTAT1oN REQUIRED FOR a MEMBER OF THE
Housr or REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE Con-
aprss oF THE US1TEp STATES,
Here It will be seen. that the condition up
ON which the people of Kansas were author
;zed tn hold another Constitutional Conven-
tion- was expressly prescribed. The condition
preeedert to the election of delegates was the
taxing of the census. and the ascertainment
that the population equaIled or exceeded the
| ratio of representation in the lower branch Of
Congress. q
The President in his message of December
9Th, 1858, after stating the terms of the Con-
ference Act, said: 4An election was held
throughout Kansas in pursuance of the pro-
visions of this Act, on the I'd day Of August
last, and it resulted in the rejection by large
majority of the proposition submitted to the
people by Congress This being the case, they
are now authorized to form another constitu-
ton preparatory to admission into the Union
but not until their number, AS ASCERTAIN
ED. BY A CENSUS. sbaU so,A1I or erceed
the ratio required to eject a nasmber of III,
House of Representatives. = - Surely
Continued the Presidert1 it is not unreason.
able to require the people of Kansas to wait
before making a third ATTEMPT Ito be admit.
ted as a State) until the number of their I'M
habitants shall amount to ninety-three thous-
and four hundred and twenty.n And somucl
pleased was he with this feature of the act
that he pronounced it excellent and said
that it "ought to be extended and rendered
applicable to all the territories which may
hereafter seek admission into the Union
Now. we desire to know of the Constitution.
if this very important provision has been com.
plied with But fol-. its insertion in the hin,
it would have never been passed by South.
ern votes. Indeed. it would never have been
reported and its adoption earnestly recon-
mendedn by Senators Hunter and Green on
the part of the Senate. and Representatives
English and Stephens on the part of the
House. With like truth we NAV add that
but for this clause it would not have been SO
fercely assailed by Seward, Douglas & Co.
It is well known that it was this feature Of
the bill which called forth against it the bit
terest denuneiations of Black Republican ora
tors and journalists. Inhis canvass with Lin
coin, for the Senate, Douglas belabored it with
an energy which put to the blush the efforts
of his freesoil antagonist. The two concur
red in tieprecating the measure, and the n
valry between them consisted in the struggle
of one tn outstr;p the other in the language Of
ouposition.
ia census has been taken and if it has
been ascertained that Kansas has the requisite