LVI. seek homes in the west, complained that this region, CHAP. guaranteed to them by the Missouri Compromise, should be rendered liable to be made slaveholding. Conventions 1854. were held and petitions poured into both Houses of Congress, imploring those bodies not to disturb the tranquillity of the country, nor violate the compact so long held sacred. The South did not participate so much in this feeling. In reply to these remonstrances it was said, the principle of " Squatter or Popular Sovereignty," would obviate all difficulty; by this principle the people of the territory would be free in their political action, and when they came to form their state constitutions, and ask admission into the Union, they could exercise this right and adopt or reject slavery. With this interpretation the bill passed Congress, after nearly four months' discussion, was signed by the President, and became the law of the land. Now came the struggle to secure the new State by sending emigrants, whose votes were to decide the question. Two years before, and not with reference to a contingency of this kind, the Legislature of Massachusetts incorporated a company known as "The Emigrants' Aid Society." This association had been inactive, but now its aid was invoked, and numbers were assisted to emigrate to Kansas. Similar societies were formed in other northern States. The emigrants from the free States went to remain and improve their claims, and found homes for their families. Emigrants came also from the Southern States, but with the exception of those who came from Missouri only a limited number have remained in the territory to improve their claims. Conflicting opinions soon produced political parties known as Pro-Slavery and Free-State, and the practical application of the doctrine of "popular sovereignty" was May LVI. CHAP. appealed to, to test which party had the majority, and according to true democracy should rule. 1854. Nov. The first territorial election was held to choose a delegate to Congress, and four months later-a census in the Mar. meantime having been taken and the territory divided 1855. into districts another election was held to choose members to the Territorial Legislature. In both of these elections, the pro-slavery party claimed that they had chosen their "andidates, but the free-state men repudiated the election as fraudulent; giving as a reason that the polls were controlled by armed men from Missouri. 2. The Territorial Legislature assembled at Pawnee and July immediately adjourned to the Shawnee Mission, near the Missouri State line. They passed a series of laws, to which Governor Reeder refused his signature, on the ground that the Legislature, by the organic act, could not change the place of meeting appointed by himself. These laws were however passed by a two-thirds vote. Oct Jan. 15. The Free State men held conventions, denied the legality of the legislature, and refused to obey the laws enacted by it, and made arrangements to choose delegates to a Convention to form a Constitution. In due time this Convention assembled at Topeka, framed a Constitution rejecting slavery, and ordered it to be submitted to the vote of the people, who ratified it. One month later the people chose State officers and members for a State Legislature. Soon after Governor Reeder was removed from his office by the President. During these ten months confusion reigned in the Territory. Outrages of almost every kind were committed, robberies, murders, illegal arrests and property destroyed, most of which belonged to the Free State settlers. Wilson Shannon, of Ohio, who had recently been appointed Governor, now appeared and assumed office. He CONGRESS APPOINTS A COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION. 791 declared himself in favor of the laws enacted at the Shaw- CHAP. nee Mission. LVI. The government, under the Free-State Constitution, 1855. was organized, and the contest took the form of civil war. Mar. 4 At the opening of the session of Congress, the delegate Dec. from Kansas, chosen as related above, appeared and de- 1855. manded his seat. After a spicy discussion the House refused the demand, but appointed a committee to proceed to the Territory and summon witnesses in relation to the recent elections. In a month's time the committee had arrived Mar. in Kansas, and commenced the investigation. Their 19. report sustained the charge that those elections had been carried by fraud. The summer of 1856 was signalized by the commission of many outrages, committed in different parts of the Territory. The Free-State men armed themselves, and determined to defend their rights. Several conflicts ensued and many lives were lost. Presently Shannon received notice of his removal from office, and John W. Geary, of Pennsylvania, soon appeared as his successor. The new governor honestly labored to restore harmony. He ordered "all bodies of men combined, armed, and equipped with munitions of war, without authority of the government, instantly to disband, and quit the territory." Upon this the companies of Free-State men nearly all disbanded, but it was only partially obeyed by the other party, who had concentrated a force of more than two thousand men. The Governor, with the dragoons, threw Sept himself between them and the town of Lawrence and prevented another conflict. The presidential canvass was now in progress. The main question at issue-the extension of slavery into the Territories or its limitation to the States wherein it already existed. 15. CHAP. LVI. Within a few years political issues had somewhat changed. A party known as American, had arisen; their 1853. main principle opposition to foreign influence, and their motto, "Americans should rule America." The following year they were successful in most of the state elections. Meantime arose another party, composed principally of Whigs and Democrats, who were opposed to the extension of slavery into free territory. They were known as Republicans. On the other hand the Democrats announced themselves willing to let slavery go into the territories if te inhabitants thereof desired it. The latter party nominated James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania; the Republicans, John C. Fremont, of California, and the Americans, ex-president Fillmore. Nov. 1856. The canvass was one of more than usual spirit. The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill had even added new interest to the main question at issue. It had taken deep hold of the minds of the people; and they never before gave such evidence of their independence, and repudiation of mere party ties. Mr. Buchanan was elected President, and John C. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, Vice-President. The House of Representatives at Washington passed a bill, declaring the acts of the Territorial Legislature of Kansas null and void, both on the ground that its enactments" were cruel and oppressive," and that "the said legislature was not elected by the legal voters of Kansas, but was forced upon them by non-residents in violation of Feb. the organic act of the territory." This bill failed to pass 1857. the Senate. 17. On the 4th of March, Mr. Buchanan was inaugurated President. He was educated for the legal profession. At the age of twenty-three he served as a member of the Legislature of his native State. He was afterward a LVI. member of the House of Representatives ten years; then CHAP. Under the auspices of the Territorial Legislature of Kansas an election was ordered for delegates to a convention for the purpose of framing a constitution, but under conditions to secure a pro-slavery majority of delegates. The Free State men, for the reasons already given, as well as others, refused to take part in the election. It was held, however, and a pro-slavery delegation chosen. June. Meanwhile the other party published an address to the people of the United States, in which they set forth the wrongs they had endured, and to which they were still subject. Soon after Governor Geary resigned, and the President appointed Robt. J. Walker, of Mississippi. The new Governor endeavored to remedy these evils, and promised the people of the territory a free expression of their wishes at the polls. Owing to the influence of Governor Walker the Free State men consented to vote at the coming election for a delegate to Congress, and members for a Territorial Legislature. They, by a vote more than two to one, chose their candidates. Shortly after this election, the delegates chosen as we have seen, met in convention at Lecompton, and speedily framed a constitution. It contained a provision adopting slavery, and this provision alone, the convention submitted to the people of Kansas to ratify or reject. Connected with this was a clause which made it necessary for those who were challenged at the polls "to take an oath to support the constitution if adopted," before they were Oct. |