RIVAL GOVERNMENTS IN KANSAS
=The Free-state Plan.= The free-state people decided to ignore the
proslavery government, and since they were really made outlaws by the
“Bogus Legislature” they organized another government and sought the
admission of Kansas as a state. To accomplish this it was necessary to
draw up a state constitution, which must be approved by the people of
the Territory and by Congress.
=Free-state Leaders.= A number of meetings were held for the purpose
of getting the free-state people interested and willing to work
together. The leaders in these efforts were Dr. Charles Robinson, of
Lawrence, ex-Governor Reeder, who had come back to Kansas as a
tireless worker in the free-state cause, and James H. Lane, a man of
much experience, who had recently come to Kansas. Lane became one of
the most radical of free-state men and played an important part in
Kansas affairs for many years.
[Illustration: JAMES H. LANE.]
=The Topeka Constitution, 1855.= In the fall of 1855 a convention was
held at Topeka, and a state constitution which said, “There shall be
no slavery in this State,” was drawn up. When a little later the
Topeka Constitution was submitted to a vote of the people it carried
by an immense majority. Only free-state people voted, of course, for
the proslavery people did not recognize any of these acts as having
any force. Later in the winter state officers were elected under the
Constitution, Dr. Charles Robinson being made Governor and James H.
Lane a United States Senator. In the spring of 1856 the Constitution
was sent to Congress with a request that Kansas be admitted to the
Union, but the bill making Kansas a state failed to pass.
=The Wakarusa War, 1855.= These were not the only events occurring in
the Territory. It had become evident early in the fall of 1855 that
with the people divided into these two groups, each governing itself
and denying the authority of the other, there would be a conflict. The
proslavery people had committed several outrages that added to the
irritation of the free-state people, but the real trouble came with
the murder of a free-state man. This brought on what was called the
Wakarusa War.
=The Beginning of the Trouble.= A proslavery man named Coleman shot
and killed a young free-state man named Dow. This occurred about ten
miles south of Lawrence. Coleman then fled to Westport, Missouri,
where he appealed for protection to a man named Jones, who, although
he lived in Missouri and was the postmaster at Westport, had been
appointed by the “Bogus Legislature” as sheriff of Douglas County.
Jones was a border ruffian of the lowest and most dangerous type, and
had made himself obnoxious to the free-state people by his leadership
in the fraudulent elections.
=The Arrest of Branson.= In the meantime a friend of Coleman declared
that his life was threatened by Jacob Branson, an old man with whom
young Dow had made his home. Thereupon Sheriff Jones arrested Branson,
but a party of free-state men, indignant because of such high-handed
proceedings, rescued him and took him to Lawrence.
=Proslavery Hatred of Lawrence.= Of all the settlements in Kansas,
Lawrence was the most hated by the proslavery people, for it was the
hotbed of free-state principles and the gathering place of those who
scorned the Territorial Legislature. There had come to be a general
proslavery conviction that nothing less than the destruction of this
town could bring them peace and safety.
=Sheriff Jones Gathers an Army.= Lawrence had nothing to do with any
of this trouble with the sheriff, but when the rescued Branson was
taken there it gave the enemy an excuse to threaten the destruction of
the town. When his prisoner was taken from him, Jones sent a call to
Missouri for help and asked Governor Shannon for three thousand men to
“carry out the laws.” The result was that fifteen hundred Missourians
assembled for the destruction of Lawrence, and camped on the banks of
the Wakarusa River about three miles south of the town.
=Lawrence Prepares for Defense.= Meanwhile, although Branson and his
rescuers had left Lawrence and there was not a man in the town for
whom Jones had a warrant, his army continued to gather, and Lawrence
prepared for defense. The surrounding settlers came in and the six
hundred men built fortifications and drilled.
=End of the Wakarusa War.= The army of Jones, “an unwashed, braggart,
volcanic multitude,” was living off the surrounding country, rifling
cabins and stealing horses and cattle. The people of Lawrence were
feeling the burden of the siege also, for with the large number of
those who had come in from the outside their supplies were being
rapidly exhausted. Finally two men succeeded in getting through the
lines of the enemy and reaching the Governor, who was being deceived
about conditions. Governor Shannon then came to Lawrence, and,
learning how things really were, took an active part in arranging a
treaty between the opposing forces, and, to the disgust and
disappointment of Sheriff Jones, dispersed the proslavery army.
Without battle or bloodshed, what has since been known as the Wakarusa
War was over.
SUMMARY
Instead of submitting to the proslavery Territorial
Government, the free-state people decided to set up another
government. They held a convention at Topeka and drew up a
constitution prohibiting slavery. This constitution was
adopted by the free-state people of the Territory, and then
sent to Congress with a request that Kansas be admitted to
the Union. The bill failed to pass. These rival governments
within the Territory brought on the Wakarusa War, the
principal events of which were as follows: Coleman shot Dow
and fled to Jones, sheriff of Douglas County, for
protection. Jones arrested Dow’s friend Branson, who was
rescued by free-state men and taken to Lawrence, the town
most hated by the proslavery people. Jones then gathered an
army of Missourians for the purpose of destroying Lawrence.
While both sides were preparing for the struggle, two
free-state men succeeded in reaching Governor Shannon, who
came to Lawrence, and, on learning the real condition,
succeeded in arranging a treaty of peace, and dispersed the
proslavery army.
REFERENCES
Prentis, History of Kansas, pp. 88-92.
Spring, Kansas.
Holloway, History of Kansas.
Tuttle, History of Kansas.
Gihon, Geary and Kansas.
Andreas, History of Kansas, pp. 101-120.
Historical Collections, vol. VI, p. 291; vol. VII, p. 521; vol.
IX, p. 540; vol. X, p. 457.
QUESTIONS
1. Explain what is meant by “rival governments in Kansas.”
2. What was the purpose of the Topeka Constitution?
3. Was Kansas admitted under this Constitution?
4. Who was Charles Robinson? James H. Lane?
5. What event brought on the Wakarusa War? Why was it so named?
6. Name five persons connected with this war, and tell something
of each.
7. What did Lawrence have to do with the trouble?
8. Give the events of the Wakarusa War. How was it ended?