White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1863-03-19
Senatorial Protest.

WemOeIS Oh tuc Oeoso Oeuoso "uo 'osee
against the passage Of the Bond bill
Their reasons are set forth in full {:
We, the undersigned, members of the
Senate, do hereby enter an earnest pro.
test against the passage of an act entitled,
IAN act to provide for the issue and nego'
tiation of Bonds of the State Of Kansas.
and to legalize those bonds of the State
heretofore sold to the Department of the
Interior Of the United States" for the
following reasons:
First: Whereas, bonds were issued un-
der an act entitled "sn act to authorize
the negotiation of $3.50. 900 Of the Bonds
of the State of Kansas, to defray the cur
rent expenses of the State" approved
May LIST. 1861. amounting to $50. 900.
and ian act supplementary to an act to
authorize the negotiation of Sl5O, 600 OF
the bonds of the State" approved june
Sd. 1861. amounting to s99. 400, making
in round numbers $3.50. 900 of the bonds
under these acts; and whereas. it also ap-
pears from the evidence adduced before
the Court of Impeachment, which assem-
bled June. 1862. that the entire Congress
sional delegation represented in letter to
the President of the United States, dated
Washington. Dec. 10Th, 1861. that "ths
State Of Kansas has. BY her Legislature,
authorized the sale of Sl50.000 of the
bonds Of said State. bearing interest at
the rate of per cent. per annum, payable
semi annually. and that said bonds have
been duly executed. and that the Consti-
tuition Of the State of Kansas prohibits
any further Issue of bonds by her Legis-
lature; and at the time they authorized
the issue Of bonds authorized BY the Con-
stitution, shall provide by law for the
levy and collection of tax to pay inter-
est, for the ultimate redemption Of
those bonds;" and from the representation
thus made the Secretary of the Interior
was induced to negotiate for the whole
issue Of said bonds at IS cents on the
dollar. and he received Of said bonds
s95. 600. leaving balance of So. 400.
which were issued to and held by indi-
viduals, making the whole amount of
bonds issued pursuant to the acts of 1861,
$4,000
This act to which we enter our protest,
provides for an additional issue OF S54.-
400, seven per cent. fifteen years bonds.
to supply the Interior Department. the
amount held by private individuals,
which bonds thus authorized to be issued.
are not the same bonds negotiated for by
the Secretary of the Interior Department,
and cannot be construed to be any por-
tion of the bonds that were by our Con-
gressional delegation recommended to the
President. for the reason that the whole
amount Of the $3.50. 900 bonds have been
issued, and that said issues rs provided
for under this act. fall due in the year
1878. while the first issue natures in the
year 1876.
Nor nave we any official information
that the Interior Department will receive
this additional issue of bonds. in .lieu of
the S54.400 of the original issue Of
bonds. in the keeping of private individ-
uals.
Second: 1t appears from the report Of
the State Auditor. that on the 18th Of
February. 1868, the whole amount of the
States liabilities on the bonds issued, to
wit $50, 900, and S3l 900 war bonds,
due July lst. 1858. is S53 972. To
meet this liability. there has been collsc-
ted by taxation. and now in the office of
the Treasurer of State. SIT ,643. leaving a
balance of S36. 1858 to be provided for.
To satisfy this balance. there remains to
be paid into the State Treasury in May.
1868. 800, 1923, leaving a balance of
SIS, 400 due on July lst. 1868.
There is due to tho State. from the
General Government, for cash advances
by the State for war purposes, Sl2. 400.
There is also due from the Interior De-
partment on S31 900 of per cent. bonds
at S5 cents, the sum of S26. $50. which.
in the aggregate. make S3S. $50. leaving
a balance of S23. $50 cash on hand; thus
showing that the additional issue OF
S54, 400 of bonds to m MAINTAIN the credit
of the State, is uncalled for, and an i'm
position upon the tax payers of the State.
We hold that the proposed issue Of
$4,000 Of bonds. provided for by this
act. is direct attempt to stias the voice
Of the people, and to override the pro-
visions Of our Constitution. Art. XI,
Sec 3. Constitution of the State of Kan
sas, is as follows: "The Legislature shall
provide each year for raising revenue
sufficient to defray the current expenses
of the State" The original s150,00O
of bonds were to defray the current ex-
penses of the State. The only constitu-
tional way to pay the bonds of $3.50. 900
is according to the above section of the
Constitution. and not by tho issue Of
S54, 400 of additional bonds. Sec. 6, Of
the same article of the Constitution, also
prohibits the contracting Of debt by the
State, unless the proposed law for creating
sGch debt shall first be submitted to
direct vote of the electors of the State at
some general election. An amendment
was offered to this act. that this provis
ion of the Constitution might be carried
out, and the will of the people regarded;
but this has been summarily refused by .
bare majority Of ono vote more than the
constitutional vote necessary to pass the
bill.
We, therefore, in conclusion. enter
this our solemn protest against the pas
sage Of this bill, believing it to be un-
called for. impolitic, gross fraud and
imposition upon the taxpayers of the
State, unconstitutional and void; meas
ure that can never be carried ont with any
henefit To the State. hnt on the contrary