Interesting from Kansas

Feeling the immense importance attached to the action of the Constitutional Convention now in session at Lecompton, I visited them yesterday to note their proceedings. Gen. Calhoun had vacated the Chair and called Mr. Little, of Bourbon County, to preside. The Committee on Internal Improvements had just reported, and while the subject was under consideration upon the motion to strike out the clause “in the direction of Sante Fe” from the section providing for a Railroad to the Pacific, and for a grant of land for the same, Gen. Calhoun arose to oppose the motion. He spoke with much energy and spirit upon the broad and general principles of internal improvements, showing that the whole measure would be defeated – the grant of the land lost, if any particular locality was favored, or town pointed out in Kansas. He sustained it only as a general measure; he would not say he was for Atchison against Doniphan, of Doniphan against Kickapoo, or Kickapoo against Delaware or any other town on the Missouri, but that the clause, as now reported, was not confining the road to the city of Sante Fe, but only in a westerly direction towards Sante Fe.

Mr. Jenkins, of Marshall County, was especially opposed to the remarks of the General, and thought the very words Sante Fe were intended to make it sectional. He was in favor of a route further north via Bridget’s Pass, as an extension of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Road.

Others favored Benton’s route from St. Louis; but all these views should be laid aside, and no particular place should be favored to give it direction in this report.

He said it was reported that the Boston Company who own the most of the Hannibal and St. Jose[h Road had made proposals to the Pacific Railroad to buy them out for the evident purpose of getting control of it that it might be extended up the Missouri and Kansas Rivers to Lawrence, and who wanted a Railroad built to that town?

A motion to amend by substituting “The Western boundary of Kansas” for the words “Sante Fe,” was lost. The motion to amend by striking out “Sante Fe” was carried.

A motion to amend to ordinance which provides to give alternate sections ten miles wide upon each side of the road to five miles wide was carried.

Other amendments were proposed, and finally, after several reconsiderations, it was voted to appropriate twelve miles wide in alternate sections upon each side of the Road.

An amendment was proposed, asking a further grant of land form Congress of one half a section of the public domain for every head of family who is a white citizen, and was in the Territory on the last November, 1857. It was further moved to amend to include every young man who will marry within six month. After debate, all amendments were laid on the table.

The first section relative to School sections was reconsidered, and so amended, as to appropriate sections eight, sixteen, twenty-four and thirty-six for school purposes in every township. The full report was then concurred in as a whole.

At the afternoon session it was moved that the vote on section 5 of the report of the Committee on Internal Improvements be reconsidered, for the purpose of allowing the gentleman from Bourbon to amend. Lost.

The delegate from Doniphan then read a separate article of very peculiar and stringent characteristics. It provided that the Constitution should not be amended for twenty years: and that any amendment proposed should require a two-third vote on both branches of the Legislature for three successive days. If it was thus confirmed, the Secretary of State should provide for a popular vote upon the same, and if two-thirds of the people or legal votes were in favor of the same, it should then become part of the Constitution. Action upon it was deterred, to await the report of the Committee on Schedule.

The eccentric John Randolph then moved to adjourn, as no Committee were ready to report.

The Chair replied that a Committee was now absent, that would be ready to report in a few minutes. Several gentlemen hoped the delegate from Atchison would withdraw the motion.

Mt. Randolph finally withdrew, but gave notice that if the Committee were not present in fifteen minutes he would renew it. The fifteen minutes expired and he made several efforts to renew his motion, but he was beset by members to withhold.

Hugh M. Moore, of Leavenworth, reported on Schedule. It provided that all laws now existing in the Territory of Kansas, not repugnant to this Constitution, should become the laws of the State of Kansas; all bonds, contracts, &c., should remain valid as the now existed; all officers, civil, military, now holding office, should continue until superceded by authority of the State Government.

The President of this Convention is authorized to declare that on the 21st day of December next, an election shall be held, at which three Judges appointed by him shall preside, and ballots shall be prepared in the following manner: “Constitution with Slavery” – “Constitution without Slavery.” The President of the Convention shall receive and examine the returns, and if it shall appear that a majority are in favor of a Constitution with Slavery, the Constitution as adopted shall be submitted to Congress; but if it appears that a majority are in favor of it without Slavery, then the article on Slavery shall be stricken out, and then submitted to Congress. There shall be an election of Governor and other State officers, and Representative in Congress, on the – day of -, and until said election, the President of the Convention shall be the acting Governor of the State.

This report at first glance may appear to submit the Constitution to an impartial vote, but nothing is submitted but the Slave cause, and with that clause stricken out, the Preamble and Bill of Rights are left with clauses strongly enough Pro-Slavery for all practical purposes, so that, in any event, a slave Constitution goes to the Congress, and if the people attempt to join in the election, they necessarily vote for a slave Constitution.

A minority report was made by Mr. Little, of Bourbon County, who was understood to represent the ultra wing of the Convention. It was similar to the majority report in its provisions for the continuance of the present laws, officers, &c. It provided for the election of officers on the first Monday and day following of January, 1859, and the President of the Convention – Gen. Calhoun – or in the case of his resignation or death, the Vice-President, or in case of his inability to officiate, a committee of three, appointed by that Convention, should have the powers of Governor until admitted into the Union, and thirty days after the news is officially received of our admission the President of the Convention shall convene the State Legislature, and from that time onward the State Government to be in full force. The Constitution might be amended by a majority of the voters of the State, but never so amended as to affect the rights of property in Slaves.

General Calhoun arose, and said these reports embodied the whole question that had brought them together; both reports looked to the same objects. He said it was a matter of very grave importance whether the Constitution should be submitted to the people, and in what form. He was not prepared to say what course he would recommend. He therefore moved to lay them on the table and be special order for tomorrow, at 9 o’clock. It was, not the question of Slavery or no Slavery in Kansas, but of the success of one party or another. He saw in this crisis the most important of any question that will come before this Convention.

Vandirslice, of Doniphan, said the decision of this matter involved the peace and the prosperity of this Union. He wished both reports should be printed, and te subject deliberately considered.

Today the reports are to come up for discussion.

Randolph.