1858 Committee On Territories KANSAS AS A STATE Senate Discussion disbound.

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0768 REP. HOW No. 82. SENATE. 35TH CONGRESS, 1st Session. 4500 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. FEBRUARY 18, 1858.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. GREEN made the following REPORT. [To accompany Bill 8. 161.]

The Committee on Territories, to whom was referred the message of the President, communicating a constitution for Kansas as a State, adopted by the convention which met at Lecompton, on Monday, the 4th of September, 1857, having had the same under consideration, instruct me to report: By the treaty with France, made on the 30th day of April, 1803, known as the Louisiana treaty, Kansas was acquired, with a special stipulation for the protection of the rights of the inhabitants, and for the admission of such States as might be formed out of that territory into the Union on an equal footing with the original States. This solemn treaty obligation has been heretofore faithfully observed, and the States of Lonisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, and Iowa have been respectively admitted into the Union; and another part of the terri- tory acquired under that treaty, included in the proposed State of Minnesota, is now about to be likewise admitted. Kansas has the same right to expect the same treatment in the fulfillment of sacred treaty obligations, made with one of the first powers of the world. In view of these obligations, and in strict conformity with the uniform practice of the government in fulfillment thereof, citizens of the United States have settled in Kansas, under the just expectation of having a State organization. And to protect the people and enable them to prepare for such an organization, Congress, on the 30th day of May, 1854, passed an act creating a government for that Territory. That act, following up the constant practice of the government and in fulfillment of the treaty with France, contemplates a change of its form into that of a State, and for admission into the Union. Under the act of Congress aforesaid, a regular territorial govern- ment was organized, and the people of the Territory were thereby constituted a political community, with full powers of government, subordinate only to the Constitution of the United States, and pro- ceeded to pass laws for the protection of persons and property, the validity of which cannot now be called in question.