Each party, I think, was guilty of one blunder it afterwards seriously
regretted—the Republicans in refusing to include the South Platte
country within the boundaries of Kansas; the Democrats in refusing to
sign the Constitution they had labored diligently to perfect. I speak of
what I consider the great mistake of the Republicans with all the more
frankness, because I was at the time in hearty sympathy with their
action; but I feel confident that no Republican member is living to-day
who does not deplore that decision. And I am equally confident that
within a brief time after the Convention adjourned, there were few
Democratic members who did not seriously regret their refusal to sign
the Constitution.
“ADDED TO THE STARS.”
On the 4th of October, 1859, the Constitution was submitted to the
people for ratification or rejection, and, for the first time in the
history of Kansas, all parties cast a full, free and unintimidated vote.
The Republicans favored, and the Democrats generally opposed its
adoption. Nearly 16,000 ballots were polled, of which 10,421 were for,
and 5,530 against the Constitution. The Homestead clause, submitted as
an independent proposition, was ratified by a vote of 8,788 for, to
4,772 against it. Every county in the Territory except two, Johnson and
Morris, gave a majority for the Constitution.
Two months later, December 6th, State and County officers and members of
the Legislature were elected, and the people of Kansas, having exhausted
their authority in State-building, patiently awaited the action of
Congress. On the 11th of April, 1860, the House of Representatives
voted, 134 to 73, to admit Kansas as a State, under the Wyandotte
Constitution. Twice, during the next eight months, the Senate defeated
motions to consider the Kansas bill, but on the 21st of January, 1861,
several Southern Senators having seceded, Mr. Seward “took a pinch of
snuff” and called it up again. It passed by a vote of 36 to 16, and on
the 29th of the same month President Buchanan approved it. Thus young
Kansas, through many difficulties and turmoils, was “added to the
Stars.”