emancipate them, saving the rights of creditors, and preventing them from becoming a public charge. They shall have power to oblige the owners of slaves to treat them with humanity-to provide for their necessary fooc and clothing-to abstain from all injuries to them, extending to life or limb-and, in case of neglect or refusal to comply with the direction of such laws, have such slave or slaves sold for the benefit of the owner or owners. haal end to the Slavery agitation, at least in Congress, | They shall have power to permit the owners of slaves to which had for more than twenty years convulsed the country and endangered the Union. This act involved great and fundamental principles, and, if fairly carried into effect, will settle the question. Should agitation be again revived-should the people of sister States be again estranged from each other with more than their former bitterness-this will arise from a cause, so far as the interests of Kansas are concerned, more trifling and insignificant than has ever stirred the elements of a great people into commotion. To the people of Kansas, the § 8. In the prosecution of slaves for crimes of higher only practical difference between admission or rejection, grade than petit larceny, the Legislature shall have no depends simply upon the fact whether they can them-power to deprive them of an impartial trial by a petit selves more speedily change their present Constitution if jury. it does not accord with the will of the majority, or frame a second Constitution to be submitted to Congress hereafter. §4. Any person who shall dismember or deprive a slave of life shall suffer such punishment as would be inflicted in case the like offense had been committed on a free white person, and on the like proof, except in case of insurrection of such slave. Even if this were a question of mere expediency and not of right, a small difference of time one way or the other, is not of the least importance, when contrasted with the evils which must necessarily result to the whole This provision, and this provision alone, it country from the revival of the Slavery agitation. was finally determined by a close vote to subIn considering this question, it should never be for-mit to the registered electors. For this purpose, gotten that in proportion, to its insignificance, let the decision be what it may, so far as it may affect a few thousand inhabitants of Kansas, who have from the beginning resisted the Constitution and the laws, for this very reason the rejection of the Constitution will be so much the more keenly felt by the people of fourteen States of the Union where Slavery is recognized under the Constitution of the United States. Again the speedy admission of Kansas into the Union will restore peace and quiet to the whole country. Already the affairs of this Territory have engrossed an undue proportion of public attention. They have sadly affected the friendly relations of the people of the States with each other and alarmed the fears of patriots for the safety of the Union. Kansas once admitted into the Union, the excitement becomes localized and would soon die away for want of outside aliment, and then every difficulty could be settled by the ballot-box. Besides, and no trifling consideration, I shall then be enabled to withdraw the troops from Kansas, and employ them on a service where they are much needed. They have been kept there on the earnest importunity of Governor Walker, to maintain the existence of the Territorial Government, and secure the execution of the laws. He considered at least two thousand regular troops, under the command of General Harney, were necessary for this purpose. Acting upon his reliable information, I have been obliged in some degree, to interfere with the expedition to Utah in order to keep down the rebellion in Kansas. This has involved very heavy expenses to the Government. Kansas once admitted, it is believed there will no longer be occasion there for the troops. I have thus performed my duty on this important question under a deep sense of my responsibility to God and to the country. My public life will terminate in a brief period, and I have no other object of earthly ambition than to leave my country in a peaceful and prosperous condition, and to live in the affections and respect of my countrymen. The dark and ominous clouds now impending over the Union I conscientiously believe will be dissipated with honor to every portion of it by the admission of Kansas during the present session of Congress; whereas, if she should be rejected, I greatly fear these clouds will become darker and more ominous than any which have ever yet threatened the Constitution and the Union. (Signed) JAMES BUCHANAN. The Lecompton Constitution contains a provision on the subject of Slavery, as follows: SLAVERY. §1. The right of property is before and higher than any constitutional sanction, and the right of the owner of a slave to such a slave and its increase is the same, and is inviolable, as the right of the owner of any property whatever. § 2. The Legislature shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves without the consent of their owners, or without paying their owners, previous to emancipation, a full equivalent in money for the slaves so emancipated. They shall have no power to prevent emigrants to the State from bringing with them such persons as are deemed slaves by the laws of any one of the United States or Territories so long as any persons of the same age or description shall be continued slaves by the laws of this State; provided, that such person or slave be the bona fide property of such emigrant; and provided, also, that laws may be passed to prohibit the introduction of slaves into this State who have committed high crimes in other States cr Territories, by the terms of a schedule annexed to the Constitution, an election was to be held on the 21st of December. The ballots cast were to be indorsed either "Constitution with Slavery," or "Constitution with No Slavery." Thus to have made necessary to vote for the Constitution, the privilege of voting No Slavery, it was still beside which, all persons offering to vote must, if challenged, "take an oath to support the Constitution if adopted." If the number of votes "for the Constitution without Slavery "should be a majority, then the schedule provides, that "The rights of property in slaves now in the Territory, shall in no manner be interfered with." Making it impossible to abolish Slavery. This schedule, as if with a direct view of superseding the Territorial Legislature and Congressional delegate elect, further provided that the Constitution shall be in force "after its ratification by the people" (without waiting for the approval of Congress) a State election to be held on the first Monday in January, 1858, for the choice of a Governor, LieutenantGovernor, Secretary of State, Auditor, State Treasurer, and members of the Legislature, and also a member of Congress. It also provided (as if to deprive the Territorial Legislature of all power of acting) that all laws in force not repugnant to the Constitution shall continue until altered, amended or repealed by a Legislature assembled under the provisions of this Constitution; and that all officers, civil or military, under the authority of the Territory of Kansas, shall continue to hold and exercise their respective offices until superseded by the authority of the State: the first meeting of the State Legislature to take place upon the issue of a proclamation by the President of the Convention, upon the receipt of official information that Congress has admitted Kansas into the Union. A provision is also inserted intended to prevent any amendment previous to the year 1864, and then only upon the concur rence of two-thirds of the members of both houses, and "a majority of all the citizens of the State." LECCMPTON AND ENGLISH BILLS. The following record of the action of Congress on the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution, will be interesting for future reference. The original bill, as it passed the Senate | ISLAND.-Simmons. Collamer, Foot. under the lead of Senator Green (March 28, 1858), was as follows: THE LECOMPTON BILL. A Bill for the Admission of the State of Kansas into the Union, presented in the Senate by Mr. Green, of Missouri, from the Committee on Territories, February 17, 1858. Whereas, The people of the Territory of Kansas did. by a Convention of Delegates called and assembled at Lecompton, September 4, 1857, form for themselves a Constitution and State Government, which said Convention having asked the admission of the Territory into the Union as a State on an equal footing with the original States, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen tatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the State of Kansas shall be, and is hereby declared to be, one of the United States of America, and admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, in all respects whatever; and the said State shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at a point on the western boundary of the State of Missouri where the thirty-seventh parallel of latitude crosses the same; thence west on said parallel to the eastern boundary of New Mexico; thence north on said boundary to latitude thirty-eight; thence following said boundary westward to the eastern boundary of the Territory of Utah, on the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence northward on said summit to the fortieth parallel of latitude; thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the State of Missouri; thence south with the westward boundary of said State, to the place of beginning: 62. And be it further enacted, That the State of Kansas is admitted into the Union upon the express con dition that said State shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the public lands, or with any regulations which Congress may find necessary for securing the title in said lands to the bona fide purchasers and grantees thereof, or impose or levy any tax, assessment, or imposition of any description whatsoever upon them, tal, 25. TENNESSEE.-BELL. VERMONT. WISCONSIN.-Durkee, Doolittle. To ABSENT OR NOT VOTING.-Messrs. Bites (Del.), Reid (N. C.), Davis (Mi.), Cameron (Pa.) Mr. Cameron paired off with Mr. Davis. Previous to taking this vote, Mr. Crittenden moved a substitute for the bill, in substance, that the Constitution be submitted to the people at once, and, if approved, the President to admit Kansas by proclamation. If rejected, the people to call a Convention and frame a Constitution. The substitute made special provision against frauds at the election. This substitute was lost: Yeas, 24; Nays, 34. On the first of April, the bill was taken up in the House and read once, when, its second reading having been objected to by Mr. Giddings, the question recurred under the rule, Shall the bill be rejected? A vote was taken and resulted, Yeas, 95; Nays, 137. Mr. Montgomery, of Pa., offered as a substi tute, with slight alterations, the bill which Mr. Mr. Crittenden had offered in the Senate. Quitman, of Mississippi, also offered a substitute, which was the same as the Senate bill, with the omission of the declaratory clause, "that the people shall have the right at all times to alter or amend the Constitution in such manner as they think proper," etc. Mr. Quitman's substitute was lost-Yeas, 72; Nays, 160, the yeas being all from the Slave States, and Mr. Montgomery's was adopted, 120 to 112. or other property of the United States, within the limits of 1853. §3. And be it further enacted, That until the next general census shall be taken, and an apportionment of representation made, the State of Kansas shall be entitled to one Representative in the House of Representatives of the United States. The bill passed, 33 to 25, as follows: YEAS FOR LECOMPTON. ALABAMA.-Fitzpatrick, Clay. ARKANSAS.-Sebastian, Johnson. CALIFORNIA.-Gwin. DELAWARE.-Bayard. FLORIDA.-Mallory, Yulee. GKORGIA.-Iverson, Toombs. INDIANA.-Fitch, Bright. lowa.-Jones. KENTUCKY.THOMPSON. LOUISIANA-Benjamin, Slidell. MARYLAND. -Pearce, KENNEDY. MISSISSIPPI-Brown. MISSOURI. Green, Polk. NEW-JERSEY.-Wright, Thomson. NORTH CAROLINA -Biggs. PENNSYLVANIA-Bigler. RHODE ISLAND.-Allen. SOUTH CAROLINA.-Evans, Hammond, TENNESSEE.-Johnson. TEXAS.-Henderson, HousTON. VIRGINIA.-Mason, Hunter. Total, 83, The Crittenden-Montgomery substitute, as it passed the House, was in the following words: § 1. Be it enacted, etc., That the State of Kansas be, and is hereby, admitted into the Union on an equal footwith the original States in all respects whatever; but inasmuch as it is greatly disputed whether the Constitution framed at Lecompton on the 7th day of November last, and now pending before Congress, was fairly made, or expressed the wil of the people of Kansas, this admission of her into the Union as a State is here declared to be upon this fundamental condition precedent, namely: That the said constitutional instrument shall be first submitted to a vote of the people of Kansas, and assented to by them, or a majority of the voters, at an election to be held for the purpose; and as soon as such assent shall be given, and duly made known, by a majority of the Commissioners herein appointed, to the President of the United States, he shall announce the same by proclamation, and thereafter, without any further proceedings on the part of Congress, the admission of the said State of Kansas into the Union upon an equal footing with tho original States, in all respects whatever, shall be complete and absolute. At the said election the voting shall be by ballot, and by indorsing on his ballot as each voter may please, for the Constitution," or "against the Constitution." Should the said Constitution be rejected at the said election by a majority of votes being cast against it, then, and in that event, the inhabitants of said Territory are hereby authorized and empowered to form for themselves a Constitution and State Government by the name of the State of Kansas, according to the Federal Constitution, and to that end may elect delegates to a convention as hereinafter provided. §2. And be it further enacted, That the said State of Kansas shall have concurrent jurisdiction on the Missouri and all other rivers and waters bordering on the said State of Kansas, so far as the same shall form a common boundary to said State and any other State or States now or hereafter to be formed or bounded by the same; and said rivers and waters, and all the navigable waters of said State, shall be common highways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of said State as to all other citi zens of the United States, without any tax, duty, impost, or toll therefor. NAYS AGAINST LECOMPTON. CALIFORNIA.-Broderick. CONNECTICUT.-Foster, Dixon. ILLINOIS.-Douglas, Trumbull. Iowa.-Harlan. KEN- § 8. And be it further enacted, That for the purpose TUCKY.-CRITTENDEN. MAINE.-Fessenden, Hamlin. of insuring, as far as possible, that the elections authorMASSACHUSETTS.-Wilson, Sumner. MICHIGAN.-Stuart, ized by this act may be fair and free, the Governor and Chandler. NEW-HAMPSHIRE.-Hale, Clark. NEW the Secretary of the Territory of Kansas, and the presid YORK.-Seward, King. OHIO.-Pugh, Wade. RHODE ing officers of the two branches of its Legislature, namely the President of the Council and Speaker of the House of Representatives, are hereby constituted a board of commissioners to carry into effect the provisions of this act, and to use all the means necessary and proper to that end. Any three of them shall constitute a Board; and the board shall have power and authority, in respect to each and all of the elections hereby authorized or provided for, to designate and establish precincts for voting, or to adopt those already established; to cause polls to be opened at such places as it may deem proper in the respective counties and election precincts of said Territory; to appoint, as judges of election at each of the several places of voting, three discreet and respectable persons, any two of whom shall be competent to act; to require the Sheriffs of the several counties, by themselves or deputies, to attend the judges at each of the places of voting, for the purpose of preserving peace and good order, or the said Board may, instead of said Sheriffs and their deputies, appoint, at their discretion, and in such instances as they may choose, other fit persons for the same purpose; and when the purpose of the election is to elect delegates to a Convention to form a Constitution, as hereinbefore provided for, the number of delegates shall be sixty, and they shall be apportioned by said Board among the several counties of said Territory, according to the num ber of voters; and in making this apportionment, the Board may join two or more counties together to make an election or representative district, where neither of the said counties has the requisite number of voters to entitle it to a delegate, or to join a smaller to a larger county having a surplus population, where it may serve to equalize the representation. The elections hereby authorized shall continue one day only, and shall not be continued later than sundown on that day. The said Board shall appoint the day of election for each of the elections hereby authorized, as the same may become necessary. The said Governor shall announce, by proclamation, the day appointed for any one of said elections, and the day shall be as early a one as is consistent with due notice thereof to the people of said Territory, subject to the provisions of this act. The said Board shall have full power to prescribe the time, manner and places of each of said elections, and to direct the time and manner of the returns thereof, which returns shall be made to the said Board, whose duty it shall be to announce the result by proclamation, and to appoint therein as early a day as practicable for the delegates elected (where the election has been for delegates) to assemble in Convention at the seat of Government of said Territory. When so assembled, the Convention shall first determine, by a vote, whether it is the wish of the proposed State to be admitted into the Union at that time; and if so, shall proceed to form a Constitution, and take all necessary steps for the establishment of a State Government, in conformity with the Federal Constitution, subject to the approval and ratification of the people of the proposed State. And the said Convention shall accordingly provide for its submission to the vote of the people for approval or rejection; and if the majority of votes shall be given for the Constitution so framed as aforesaid, the Governor of the Territory shall, within twenty days after the result is known, notify the President of the United States of the same. And thereupon the President shall announce the same by proclamation, and thereafter, and without any further proceedings whatever on the part of Congress, the admission of the said State of Kansas into the Union, upon an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever, shall be complete and absolute. 84. And be it further enacted, That in the elections hereby authorized, all white male inhabitants of said Territory over the age of twenty-one years, who are legal voters under the laws of the Territory of Kansas, and none others, shall be allowed to vote; and this shall be the only qualification required to entitle the voter to the right of suffrage in said elections. And if any person not so qualified shall vote or offer to vote, or if any person shall vote more than once at either of said elections, or shall make, or cause to be made, any false, fictitious or fraudulent returns, or shall alter or change any returns of either of said elections, such person shall, upon conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction, be kept at hard labor not less than six months, and not more than three years. 5. And be it further enacted, That the members of the aforesaid Board of Commissioners, and all persons appointed by them to carry into effect the provisions of this act, shall, before entering upon their duties, take an oath to perform faithfully the duties of their respective offices; and on failure thereof, they shall be liable and subject to the same charges and penalties as are provided n like cases under the Territorial laws. 86. And be it further enacted, That the officers mentioned in the preceding section shall receive for their ser vices the same compensation as is given för like services under the Territorial laws. §7. And be it further enacted, That the said State of Kansas, when her admission as a State becomes complete and absolute, shall be entitled to one member in the House of Representatives, in the Congress of the United States, till the next census be taken by the Federal Government. § 8. And be it further enacted, That the following propositions be, and the same are hereby offered to the said people of Kansas for their free acceptance or rejection, which, if accepted, shall be obligatory on the United States and upon the said State of Kansas, to wit: First, That the sections numbered sixteen and thirty-six in every township of public lands in said State, and where either of said sections, or any part thereof has been sold or otherwise disposed of, other lands equivalent thereto, and as contiguous as may be, shall be granted to said State for the use of schools. Second, That seventy-two sections of land shall be set apart and reserved for the use and support of a State University, to be selected by the Governor of said State, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, and to be appropriated and applied in such manner as the Legislature of said State may prescribe for the purpose aforesaid, but for no other purposes. Third, That ten entire sections of land, to be selected by the Governor of said State, in legal subdivisions, shall be granted to said State for the purpose of completing the public buildings, or for the erection of others at the seat of government, under the direction of the Legislature thereof. Fourth, That all salt springs within said State, not exceeding twelve in number, with six sections of land adjoining, or as contiguous as may be to each, shall be granted to said State for its use; the same to be selected by the Governor thereof within one year after the admission of said State, and when so selected, to be used or disposed of on such terms, conditions and regulations as the Legislature shall direct: Provided, That no salt springs or land the right whereof is now vested in any individual or individuals, or which may be hereafter be confirmed or adjudged to any individual or individuals, shall by this article be granted to said State. Fifth, That five per centum of the net proceeds of sales of all public lands lying within said States, which shall be sold by Congress after the admission of said State into the Union, after deducting all the expenses incident to the same, shall be paid to said State, for the purpose of making public roads and internal improvements, as the Legislature shall direct: Provided, The foregoing propositions hereinbefore offered are on the condition that the people of Kansas shall provide, by an ordinance, irrevocable without the consent of the United States, that said State shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil within the same, by the United States, or with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the title in said soil to bona fide purchasers thereof, and that no tax shall be imposed on lands belonging to the United States, and that in no case shall non-resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. Sixth: And that the said Sate shall never tax the lands or the property of the United States in that State: Provided however, That nothing in this act of admission shall be so construed as to ratify or accept the ordinance attached to said Constitution; but said ordinance is hereby rejected by the Government of the United States. The following are the Yeas and Nays: YEAS-TO AMEND OR SUBSTITUTE. ILLINOIS.-Elihu Washburne, Farnsworth, Lovejoy, Marshall-9. INDIANA.-English, Foley, Kilgore, J. G. Davis, Wilson, Iowa.-Curtis, T. Davis-2. MARYLAND.-RICAUD, J. M. HARRIS, H. WINTER DAVIS-3, MICHIGAN.-Howard, Waldron, Walbridge, Leach-4. NEW-HAMPSHIRE.-Pike, Tappan, Cragin-8. NORTH CAROLINA.-GILMER-1. NEW-YORK.-Haskin, H. F. Clark, Murray, Thompson, Olin, Dodd, Palmer, Spinner, Clark B. Cochrane, Morse, Matteson, Bennett, Goodwin, Bourd, Granger Morgan, Pottle, Parker, Kelsey, Andrews, Sherman, 8.-Total, 120. NAYS. manded the previous question The call for the previous question was lost by the casting vote of the Speaker: 108 to 108. Very much to the surprise of the House, Mr. English, of Indiana, who had acted with the Anti-Lecompton party up to this time, moved that the House agree to a Conference Committee, and that a committee of three be appointed by the Speaker to meet a similar committee of the Senate, and on this he called for the previous question, which was ordered. The Yeas and ALABAMA.-Stallworth, Shorter, Dowdell, Moore, Hous-Nays were called, and the vote stood 108 to ton, Cobb, Curry-7. ARKANSAS.-Greenwood, Warren-2. CALIFORNIA.-Scott-1. CONNECTICUT.-Arnold, Bishop-2. DELAWARE.-Whiteley-1. 108: the Speaker voting in the affirmative, Mr. English's proposition was agreed to. The Yeas and Nays were as follows: YEAS. Messrs. Ahl, Anderson, Atkins, Avery, Barksdale, Bishop, Bocock, Bonham, Bowie, Boyce, Branch, GEORGIA.-Seward, Crawford, TRIPPE, Gartrell, Wright, Bryan, Burnett, Burns, Caruthers, Caskie, Clark (Mo.), INDIANA.-Niblack, Hughes, Gregg-8. LOUISIANA.-EUSTIS, Taylor, Davidson, Sandidge-4. -5. MISSISSIPPI.-Lamar, R. Davis, Barksdale, Singleton, Quitman-5. NEW-JERSEY.-Huyler, Wortendyke-2. New-YORK.-Searing, Taylor, Sickles, Kelly, Maclay, PENNSYLVANIA.-Florence, Landy, Phillips, Glancy SOUTH CAROLINA.-McQueen, Miles, Keitt, Bonham, TENNESSEE.-Watkins, MAYNARD, S. A. Smith, Savage, VIRGINIA. Garnet, Millson, Caskie, Goode, Bocock, RECAPITULATION. Yeas. Clay, Clemens, Clingman, Cobb, John Cochrane, Craig (Mo.), Craige (N. C.), Crawford, Curry, Davidson, Davis (Miss.), Dewart, Dowdell, Edmundson, Elliot, English, Eustis, Faulkner, Florence, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Greenwood, Gregg, Hall (Ohio), Hatch, Hawkins, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Hughes, Jackson, Jenkins, Jewett, Jones (Tenn.), J. Glancy Jones, Owen Jones, Keitt, Kelly, Kunkel (Md.), Lamar, Landy, Leidy, Letcher, Maclay, McQueen, Mason, Maynard, Miles, Miller, Millson, Moore, Niblack, Orr, Pendleton, Peyton, Phelps, Phillips, Powell, Quitman, Ready, Reagan, Ruffin, Russell, Sandidge, Savage, Scales, Scott, Searing, Seward, Shaw (N. C.), Shorter, Singleton, Smith (Tenn.), Smith (Va.), Stallworth, Stephens, Stevenson, Stewart (Md.), Talbott, Taylor (N. Y.), Trippe, Ward, Warren, Watkins, White, Winslow, Woodson, Wortendyke, Wright (Ga.), Wright (Tenn.), Zollicoffer-109. [The four in italics had hitherto voted anti-Lecompton.] NAYS.-Messrs. Abbott, Andrews, Bennett, Billinghurst, Bingham, Blair, Bliss, Brayton, Buffinton, Burlingame, Burroughs, Campbell, Case, Chaffee, Chapman, Clark Conn.), Clark (N. Y.), Clawson, Cockerill, Colfax, Comins, Covode, Cox, Cragin, Curtis, Damrell, Davis (Md.), Davis (Ind.), Davis (Mass.), Davis (Iowa), Dawes, Dean, Dick, Dodd, Durfee, Edie, Farnsworth, Fenton, Foley, Foster, Giddings, Gilman, Gooch, Goodwin, Granger, Groesbeck, Grow, Hall (Mass.), Harlan, Harris (Md.), Harris, (III.), Haskin, Hickman, Hoard, Horton, Howard, Kellogg, Kelsey, Knapp, Lawrence, Leiter, Lovejoy, Marshall (Ky.) Marshall (Ill.), Matteson, Montgomery, MorMorse (N. Y.), Mott, Murray, Nichols, Palmer, Pettit, Pike, Potter, Pottle, Purviance, Ricaud, Ritchie, Robbins, Royce, Shaw (Ill.), Sherman (Ohio), Sherman (N. Y.), Smith (Ill.), Spinner, Stanton, Stewart (Penn.), Tappan, Thompson, Tompkins, Underwood, Wade, Walbridge, Waldron, Walton, Washburne (IL), Washburne (Me.), Wilson, Wood-108. Republicans, 92; Democrats, 22; Americans, 6. Total gan, Morrill, Morris (Penn.,) Morris (Ill.), Morse (Me.), -120. Nays. Democrats, 104; Americans, 8. Total-112. The bill having been returned to the Senate on the second day of April, Mr. Green moved to disagree to the House amendment which motion was adopted: Yeas, 34, Nays, 22. The following are the Nays: Messrs. Broderick, Cameron, Chandler, Clark, Collamer, Crittenden, Dixon, Doolittle, Douglas, Fessenden, Foot, Foster, Hale, Hamlin, Harlan, King, Seward, Simmons, Stuart, Trumbull, Wade, Wilson. In the House of Representatives, on the 7th of April, Mr. Montgomery, of Pennsylvania, moved that the House adhere to its amend ment, which motion was carried, Yeas, 119, Nays 111-the vote being the same as on the adoption of the amendment, with the exception of Messrs. Marshall and Bowie, who paired off and did not vote. The following, not voting, had paired off: Adrain with Huyler, Dimmick with McKibbin, Gillis with Roberts, Clark B. Cochrane with Sickles, Reilly with Thayer, Taylor (La.) with Kunkel (Pa.), Washburne (Wis.) with Arnold, Olin with Corning." Whiteley, absent. The Committee of Conference was composed of Messrs. James S. Green, (Mo.), Robert M. T. Hunter, (Va), and William H. Seward, (N. Y ), of the Senate; and Messrs. William H. English, (Ind.), Alexander H. Stephens, (Ga.), and William A. Howard, (Mich.), on the part of the House. On the 23d of April, the Committee made their report (susceptible of various interpretations), Messrs. Soward of the Senate, and Howard, of the House, dissenting. After a running fight of a week between the friends and opponents of the new scheme, on the 30th of April, the report of the Committee was adopted by both branches of Congress. It was as follows: On the 13th of April, the Senate voted to insist and ask for a conference committee, Yeas, 80, Nays, 24-the Nays being the same as the Nays on Mr. Green's motion to disagree, with the addition of Messrs. Bell and Sumner. On the following day, the House received a message from the Senate insisting on its disagreement and asking a committee of conference, into the Union. Whereas, the people of the Territory An Act for the Admission of the State of Kansas when Mr. Montgomery, of Pa., moved that the of Kansas did, by a convention of delegates assembled House insist on its adherence, or which he de-at Lecompton on the 7th day of Nov., 1857, for that pur pose, form for themselves a constitution and State | held that the people of Kansas do not desire admission into government, which constitution is republican; and chereas, at the same time and place, said convention did adopt an ordinance, which said ordinance asserts that Kansas, when admitted as a State, will have an undoubted right to tax the lands within her limits belong ing to the United States, and proposes to relinquish said asserted right if certain conditions set forth in said ordinance be accepted and agreed to by the Congress of the United States; and whereas, the said constitution and ordinance have been presented to Congress by order of said convention, and admission of said Territory into the Union thereon as a State requested; and whereas, said ordinance is not acceptable to Congress, and it is desirable to ascertain whether the people of Kansas concur in the changes in said ordinance, hereinafter stated, and desire admission into the Union as a State as herein proposed: Therefore, Be it enacted, etc., That the State of Kansas be, and is hereby admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, in all respects whatever, but upon this fundamental condition precedent, namely: That the question of admission with the following proposition, in lieu of the ordinance framed at Lecompton, be submitted to a vote of the people of Kansas, and aesented to by them or a majority of the voters voting at an election to be held for that purpose, namely: That the following propositions be, and the same are hereby offered to the people of Kansas for acceptance or rejection, which, if accepted, shall be obligatory on the United States and upon the said State of Kansas, to wit: First, That sections mumber sixteen and thirtysix in every township of public lands in said State, or where either of said sections or any part thereof has been sold or otherwise disposed of, other lands equivalent thereto, and as contiguous as may be, shall be granted to said State for the use of schools. Second, That seventy-two sections of land shall be set apart and reserved for the support of a State University, to be selected by the Governor of said State, subject to the approval of the Commissioners of the General LandOffice, and to be appropriated and applied in such manner as the legislature of said State may prescribe for the purpose aforesaid, but for no other purpose. Third, That ten entire sections of land, to be selected by the Governor of said State, in legal subdivisions, shall be granted to said State for the purpose of completing the public buildings, or for the erection of others at the seat of government, under the d rection of the legislature thereof. Fourth, That all salt springs within said State, not exceeding twelve in number, with six sections of land adjoining, or as contiguous as may be to each, shall be granted to said State for its use, the same to be selected by the Governor thereof, within one year after the admission of said State; and, when so selected, to be used or disposed of on such terms, conditions and regulations as the legislature may direct: Provided, That no salt spring or land, the right whereof is now vested in any individual or individuals, or which may hereafter be confirmed or adjudged to any individual or individuals, shall by this article be granted to said State. Fifth, That five per centum of the net proceeds of sales of all public lands lying within said State which shall be sold by Congress after the admission of said State into the Union, after deducting all the expenses incident to the same, shall be paid to said State for the purpose of making public roads and internal improvements, as the legislature shall direct: Provided, The foregoing propositions herein offered are on the condition that said State of Kansas shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the lands of the United States, or with any regulations which Congress may find necessary for securing the title in said soil to bona fide purchasers thereof, and that no tax shall be imposed on lands belonging to the United States, and that in no case shall non-resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. Sixth, And that said State shall never tax the lands or property of the United States in that State. At the said election the voting shall be by ballot, and by indorsing on his ballot, as each voter may be pleased, "Proposition accepted," or "Proposition rejected." Should a majority of the votes cast be for "Proposition accepted," the President of the United States, as soon as the fact is duly made known to him, shall announce the same by proclamation; and thereafter, and without any further proceedings on the part of Congress, the admission of the State of Kansas into the Union upon an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever shall be complete and absolute; and said State shall be entitled to one member in the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States until the next census be taken by the Federal Government. But should a majority of the votes cast be for "Proposition rejected," it shall be deemed and the Union with said Constitution under the conditions set forth in said proposition: and in that event the people of said Territory are hereby authorized and empowered to form for themselves a Constitution and State Government by the name of the State of Kansas, according to the Federal Constitution, and may elect delegates for that purpose whenever, and not before, it is ascertained by a census duly and legally taken, that the population of said Terri tory equals or exceeds the ratio of representation required for a member of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States; and whenever thereafter such delegates shall assemble in Convention, they shall first determine by a vote whether it is the wish of the people of the proposed State to be admitted into the Union at that time; and, if so, shall proceed to form a Constitution, and take all necessary steps for the establishment of a State Government, in conformity with the Federal Constitution, subject to suchlimitations and restrictions as to the mode and manner of its approval or ratification by the people of the proposed State as they may have prescribed by law, and shall be entitled to admission into the Union as a State under such Constitution, thus fairly and legally made, with or without Slavery, as said Constitution may prescribe. § 2. And be it further enacted, That for the purpose of insuring, as far as possible, that the elections au thorized by this act may be fair and free, the Governor, United States District Attorney, and Secretary of the Territory of Kansas, and the presiding officers of the two branches of its Legislature, namely, the President of the Council and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, are hereby constituted a board of Commissioners to carry into effect the provisions of this act, and to use all the means necessary and proper to that end. And three of them shall constitute a board; and the board shall have power and authority to designate and establish precincts for voting or to adopt those already established; to cause polls to be opened at such places as it may deem proper in the respective counties and election precincts of said Ter ritory; to appoint as judges of election at each of the several places of voting, three discreet and respectable persons, any two of whom shall be competent to act; te require the sheriffs of the several counties, by themselve or deputies, to attend the judges at each of the places of voting, for the purpose of preserving peace and good or der; or the said board may, instead of said sheriffs and their deputies, appoint at their discretion, and in such instances as they may choose, other fit persons for the same purpose. The election hereby authorized shall continue one day only, and shall not be continued later than sun down on that day. The said board shall appoint the day for holding said election, and the said Governor shall an nounce the same by proclamation; and the day shall be as early a one as is consistent with due notice thereof to the people of said Territory, subject to the provisions of this act. The said board shall have full power to prescribe the time, manner, and place of said election, and to direct the time (within) which returns shall be made to the said board, whose duty it shall be to announce the result by proclamation, and the said Governor shall certify the same to the President of the United States without delay. §3. And be it further enacted, That in the election hereby authorized, all white male inhabitants of said Territory, over the age of twenty-one years, who possess the qualifications which were required by the laws of said Territory for a legal voter at the last general election for the members of the Territorial Legislature, and none others, shall be allowed to vote; and this shall be the only qualification required to entitle the voter to the right of suffrage in said election. And if any person not so qualified shall vote or offer to vote, or if any person shall vote more than once at said election, or shall make, or cause to be made, any false, fictitious, or fraudulent returns, or shall alter or change any returns of said election, such person shall, upon conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction, be kept at hard labor not less than six months and not more than three years. 84. And be it further enacted, That the members of the aforesaid board of commissioners, and all persons appointed by them to carry into effect the provisions of this act, shall, before entering upon their duties, take an oath to perform faithfully the duties of their respective offices and on failure thereof, they shall be liable and subject to the same charges and penalties as are provided in like cases under the Territorial laws. 5. And be it further enacted, That the officers mentioned in the preceding section shall receive for their services the same compensation as is given for like services under the Territorial laws. The vote in the Senate, on agreeing to the Conference Committee's Report, stood-Yeas, 80; Nays, 22; as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Allen, Bayard, Benjamin, Bigler, Biggs, Bright, Brown, Clay, Davis. Evans, Fitzpatrick, Green, |