The territory's first election was held In November of 1854. Hearing rumors of
20,000 New Englanders coming into the territories, thousands of armed
Southerners, mostly from Missouri, poured over the territory line to vote for a
pro slavery congressional delegate. Only half the ballots were cast by
registered voters.
The pro slavery forces won the
election to choose a legislature. The legislature was overwhelmingly
pro-slavery, but over 5,000 of the ballots were fraudulent. The territory only
had 3,000 eligible voters. At one location, only 20 of over 600 voters were
legal residents. But the "border ruffians" from Missouri beat the
abolitionists to the punch, and the new legislature began in Lecompton.
Territorial Governor Andrew
Reeder called an election for the Legislative Assembly, to be held on the
20th of March 1855. Many protests were entered against the returns, which
resulted in the call of an especial election, to be held on the 22nd of May, for
several districts, against the evidently fraudulent returns of which, affidavits
and petitions had been filed. In consequence of this order of the governor, a
public meeting was held at Leavenworth, which was addressed by Chief Justice
Lecompte, Col. J. N. Burns of Weston, Missouri, and others. At this meeting it
was decided:
"That the institution of
slavery is known and recognized in this territory; that we repel the doctrine
that it is a moral and political evil, and we turn back with scorn upon its
slanderous authors the charge of inhumanity; and we warn all persons not to
come to our peaceful firesides to slander us, and sow the seeds of discord
between the master and the servant; for, as much as we deprecate the necessity
to which we may be driven, we cannot be responsible for the
consequences."
A "committee of vigilance",
consisting of thirty people, was appointed. Their duty was to observe and report
all such actions, as should "by the expression of abolition sentiments
produce a disturbance to the quiet of the citizens, or danger to their domestic
relations; and all such persons, so offending shall be notified, and made to
leave the territory." This committee was active in issuing orders to
all free-state men, who should "dare to express a sentiment adverse to the
institution of slavery", to leave the territory at a certain specified
time, "or suffer the penalty of death." Under this committee many men
and their families were driven from their homes, and forced to escape the
territory.
Among those ordered to leave was Mr.
William Phillips, a lawyer of Leavenworth, who had signed a protest against the
election in that city. Upon his refusal to go, on the 17th of May, he was seized
by a group of men mainly from Missouri, who carried him to Weston, where they
"shaved one half of his head, tarred and feathered him, rode him on a rail,
and sold him at a mock auction as a Negro, all of which he bore with manly
fortitude and bravery," (Geary and Kansas by John H. Gihon, M.D), and then
returned to Leavenworth. Phillips, despite his life being constantly threatened
and in danger, persisted in remaining. He was subsequently killed in his own
house, by a company of "law and order" men, or " territorial
militia" under command of Captain Frederick S. Emory, for refusing to leave
the town.
Just eight days after the killing of
William Phillips, another meeting was held at Leavenworth, over which R. R.
Rees, a member elect of the Council presided. The local papers reported the
following:
"The meeting was eloquently
addressed by Judge Lecompte, after which the following resolutions offered by
Judge Payne, a member elect of the House of Representatives, were unanimously
adopted
'Resolved, That we heartily endorse
the action of the committee of citizens that shaved, tarred and feathered,
rode on a rail, and had sold by a Negro, William Phillips, the moral perjurer.
'Resolved, That we return our thanks
to the committee for faithfully performing the trust enjoined upon them by the
pro-slavery party.
'Resolved, That the committee be now
discharged.
'Resolved, That we severely condemn
those pro-slavery men who, from mercenary motives, are calling upon the
pro-slavery party to submit without further action.
'Resolved, That, in order to secure
peace and harmony to the community, we now solemnly declare that the
pro-slavery party will stand firmly by and carry out the resolutions reported
by the committee appointed for that purpose on the memorable 30th.'"
Meetings were also held in numerous towns
in Missouri, to approve the actions of the invaders at the March election. The
following measure was adopted, at a meeting held in Clay county Kansas:
"Those who, in our state,
would give aid to the abolitionists by inducing or assisting them to settle in
Kansas, or would throw obstacles in the way of our friends, by false and
Slanderous misrepresentations of the acts of those who took part in and
contributed to the glorious result of the late election in that territory,
should be driven from amongst us as traitors to their country.
"That we regard the efforts of
the northern division of the Methodist Episcopal Church to establish itself in
our state as a violation of her plighted faith, and, pledged as its ministers
must be to the anti-slavery principles of that church, we are forced to regard
them as enemies to our institutions. We therefore fully concur with our
friends in Platte county in resolving to permit no person belonging to the
Northern Methodist Church to preach in our county.
"That all persons who are
subscribers to papers in the least tinctured with free-soilism or
abolitionism, are requested to discontinue them immediately."
Governor Reeder ordered a census to be
taken in the territory. The returns, on the 28th of February, 1855, showed a
population of 8,501, excluding Indians. "There were 5,128 males, 3,373
females, and 3,469 minors. 7,161 were citizens of the United States; 409 of
foreign birth; 242 were slaves, and 151 free Negroes." There were only
2,905 voters, which number was somewhat increased by immigration, before the
election for a Legislative Assembly, which took place on the 30th of March 1855.
The election was controlled almost
entirely by citizens of Missouri, who came into the territory in large parties.
They took possession of the polls, drove off the regularly appointed judges and
chose their own elected persons who were not and never had been citizens of
Kansas. It is estimated that about five thousand Missourians visited the
territory to take part in this election.
The pro-slavery men made no attempt to
conceal or deny the frauds committed at the election. They boasted of the fact,
and maintained they had as much right to vote in Kansas according to the terms
of the Organic Act, even though only having been there to vote. The
newspapers of Missouri urged the people to go to Kansas to vote.
After the election, the Missouri papers
hailed the victories. The Platte Argus reported: ''It is to be admitted that
they--the Missourians--have conquered Kansas. Our advice is, let them hold it or
die in the attempt."
Protests from several of the election
districts, numerously signed, having been forwarded to the governor, he refused
issuing certificates to the members whose seats were thus contested, whereupon
an open war was declared upon him by the pro-slavery party. A meeting was held
at the seat of government at which the right of the governor to call a new
election was denied, and a resolution passed saying that "in the event a
new election shall be ordered by the governor in any district, we recommend to
every law-abiding and order-loving citizen of Kanzas Territory not to attend
said election, but rely on the returns already made to sustain the claims of
those returned heretofore to their seats in each house."
The governor ordered a new election in
six of the contested districts, which again made headlines in the Missouri
newspapers. One article from the Brunswicker reported:
"We learn, just as we go to press,
that Reeder has refused to give certificates to four of the Councilmen and
thirteen members of the House. He has ordered an election to fill their places
on the 22d of May. This infernal scoundrel will have to be hemped yet."
But the pro-slavery party took no
interest in the new May election. They were determined not to recognize it,
except in the Leavenworth district, where they reelected their candidates by
Missouri votes. In all the other districts free-state men were elected. But upon
the assembling of the Legislature their seats were refused them, and given to
those elected on the 30th of March.
The New Kansas Legislative Assembly,
elected by Missouri votes, convened, agreeably to the order of Governor Reeder,
at Pawnee City, near Fort Riley Kansas, on the July 2nd, 1855. On the 4th, an
act was passed to remove the seat of government to Shawnee Mission, near the
Missouri border. This bill was vetoed by Governor Reeder, but was subsequently
adopted by a two-third majority, and became a law. The Kansas code was then
adopted, with the instructions to the clerks to substitute the name "Kansas
Territory" wherever the name "State of Missouri" occurred.
The Legislature adjourned on the 30th of
August, having fixed the permanent seat of government at Lecompton. Since the
members received from the town company, liberal grants of town lots as the price
of their votes.
Governor Andrew Reeder made a trip
to Washington in the spring of 1855, to consult with the administration on the
affairs of the territory. When about to return to the territories, he received a
letter charging him with irregular proceedings, in the purchase of Indian lands.
After reaching Kansas, the governor replied to this letter explaining that the
charge had no foundation. Andrew Reeder was one of a company who had proposed to
purchase a portion of the Kaw lands, providing the sanction of the government
could be obtained. This charge was the grounds for his removal, of which he
received official information on the July 31st. In reality he was removed
because of the southern wing of the Democratic party, and the leading
pro-slavery men who orchestrated his dismissal. He was even assaulted and beaten
in his own office by Gen. B. F. Stringfellow, for having allegedly spoken
unfavorably of "border ruffianism." It was considered a felony to
speak out against slavery. The Legislative Assembly also sent a letter to
Washington, preferring charges against him, which were not received until after
his removal.
After Andrew Reeder was removed from
power. The secretary of the territory, Daniel Woodson, was acting
governor, from the 31st of July, until Wilson Shannon, the successor to
Reeder, arrived in the territory on the 1st of September. Woodson was all that
the pro-slavery party desired. There was nothing in which he was not willing and
ready to do for them. The pro-slavery men were so happy with Woodson, that
petitions were sent to Washington to appoint him for governor.
The free soil men decided to set up their
own legislature in Topeka, at which a state constitution was adopted, one
part saying "slavery shall not exist in the state." This Constitution
was submitted to the people for ratification, and it received a very popular
vote.
A week later a caucus meeting was held in
Lawrence to nominate state officers under the Topeka Constitution. At this
meeting, Dr. Charles Robinson, received the nomination for governor and
was subsequently elected. A committee was appointed to make a code of laws for
the future state of Kansas. Andrew Reeder and James H. Lane were elected
United States Senators, to take their seats when the new state would be admitted
into the Union. The Legislature then adjourned until the following 4th of July.
Sheriff Samuel J. Jones, was
present at the caucus. Robinson and others who were active in the movement,
through Jones' instrumentality, were arrested and held in confinement for a
period of four months, on the charge of high-treason. Judge Lecompte, hearing
that James H. Lane was marching with a large army to set them at liberty,
consented to discharge them upon bail. The district attorney, entered nolle
prosequies in their cases, and they were discharged.
Meanwhile, a large United States force,
under command of Col. E. V. Sumner, including seven companies from Fort
Leavenworth, and four companies from Fort Riley, had bivouacked close to Topeka,
both to the north and the south of the town. Acting Governor Secretary Woodson,
accompanied the troops, as well as United States Marshal, Israel B. Donalson.
On the evening of the July 2nd, a
committee of free-state men had been appointed to correspond with Col. Sumner,
and "ascertain the object of this extraordinary warlike demonstration on
the part of the United States." On the July 3rd, the committee the
following letter
"Head Quarters, First Cavalry
"Camp at Topeka, K. T., July 3, 1856.
"Gentlemen : In relation
to the assembling of the Topeka Legislature (the subject of our conversation
last night), the more I reflect on it the more I am convinced that the peace
of the country will be greatly endangered by your persistence in this measure.
Under these circumstances I would ask you and your friends to take the matter
into grave consideration. It will certainly be much better that you should act
voluntarily in this matter, from a sense of prudence and patriotism, at this
moment of high excitement throughout the country, than that the authority of
the general government should be compelled to use coercive measures to prevent
the assemblage of that Legislature.
"I am, gentlemen, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
"E. V. Sumner,
"Col. First Cavalry
Commanding."
On the morning of the 4th the
convention again assembled, when they were visited by Marshal Donalson,
accompanied by ex-judge Elmore. He read a proclamation of President Pierce, in
which he declared "that the laws of the Legislative Assembly as adopted
at the Shawnee Mission, should be sustained and enforced by the entire force of
the government, and concluded by delivering a proclamation to the same effect
from the secretary of the territory, the acting-governor." After which
the marshal and judge took their departure.
All the citizens of Topeka, were
assembled in and about the legislative hall. A short time before the hour
appointed for the meeting, Colonel Sumner, at the head of about two hundred
soldiers, was seen approaching at a rapid rate. Having posted two canons, he
drew his forces up in front of the hall and entered the building, and informed
the citizens that under the proclamation of the President, he had come to
disperse the Legislature. The members decided to obey his orders.
The two sides finally clashed late that
fall, but pro-slavery Governor Wilson Shannon negotiated with free soilers
leader James Lane, to prevent bloodshed. Most of the northern settlers
were not abolitionists, but members of the Free Soil movement, a group of
homesteaders who wanted to keep slave holders and blacks, whether free or
enslaved, from competing with them for land. The Kansas-Nebraska Act which led
to the birth of the Republican Party, promoted an antislavery interpretation of
the Constitution. Abolitionists found a home within this larger political
organization that was not abolitionist in nature, but was against the spread of
slavery. Nebraska was considered so far north that its free state status was
never in question. But Kansas was next to the slave state of Missouri. In the
era that would be known as "Bleeding Kansas," the Kansas territory
would become a battleground over the slavery question.
