The Kansas Constitution

ORDINANCE

WHEREAS, The government of the United States is the proprietor of a large portion of the lands included in the limits of the state of Kansas as defined by this constitution; and,

WHEREAS, The state of Kansas will possess the right to tax said lands for purposes of government, and for other purposes; Now, therefore,

Be it ordained by the people of Kansas:

That the right of the state of Kansas to tax such lands is relinquished forever, and the state of Kansas will not interfere with the title of the United States to such lands, nor with any regulation of congress in relation thereto, nor tax nonresidents higher than residents: Provided always, That the following conditions be agreed to by congress:

§ 1. School sections

Sections numbered sixteen and thirty-six in each township in the state, including Indian reservations and trust lands, shall be granted to the state for the exclusive use of common schools; and when either of said sections, or any part thereof, has been disposed of, other lands of equal value, as nearly contiguous thereto as possible, shall be substituted therefore.

§ 2. University lands

That seventy-two sections of land shall be granted to the state for the erection and maintenance of a state university.

§ 3. Lands for public buildings

That thirty-six sections shall be granted to the state for the erection of public buildings.

§ 4. Lands for benevolent institutions

That seventy-two sections shall be granted to the state for the erection and maintenance of charitable and benevolent institutions.

§ 5. Salt springs and mines

That all salt springs, not exceeding twelve in number, with six sections of land adjacent to each, together with all mines, with the lands necessary for the full use, shall be granted to the state for works of public improvement.

§ 6. Proceeds to schools

That five percentum of the proceeds of the public lands in Kansas, disposed of after the admission of the state into the union, shall be paid to the state for a fund, the income of which shall be used for the support of common schools.

§ 7. School lands

That the five hundred thousand acres of land to which the state is entitled under the act of congress entitled “An act to appropriate the proceeds of the sales of public lands and grant pre-emption rights,” approved September 4th, 1841, shall be granted to the state for the support of common schools.

§ 8. Selection of lands

That the lands hereinbefore mentioned shall be selected in such manner as may be prescribed by law; such selections to be subject to the approval of the commissioner of the general land office of the United States.We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings, form a more perfect government, insure domestic tranquility and promote the general welfare, do establish this constitution.

PREAMBLE

We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges, in order to insure the full enjoyment of our rights as American citizens, do ordain and establish this constitution of the state of Kansas, with the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at a point on the western boundary of the state of Missouri, where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses the same; thence running west on said parallel to the twenty-fifth meridian of longitude west from Washington; thence north on said meridian to the fortieth parallel of north latitude; thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the state of Missouri; thence south with the western boundary of said state to the place of beginning.