THE PERIOD OF POLITICAL CONTESTS
=Beginning of the Political Period, 1857.= The Missourians had given
up hope of conquering Kansas by force. After the close of the period
of violence the contest became almost entirely a political struggle
between the proslavery and the free-state settlers, each side trying
to win Kansas by securing control of its government. The next few
years were filled with conventions, elections, and political schemes.
=Governor Geary Leaves the Territory.= The second Territorial
Legislature met at Lecompton in the opening days of 1857. Because of
Governor Geary’s efforts to be just to both sides, the Legislature did
everything possible to annoy and harass him. The free-state men
rallied to his support, but conditions soon became so intolerable that
one night in March, after having been in office about six months, he
made a hasty escape from Kansas. Governor Geary had found Kansas in a
deplorable condition and left it not greatly improved, but he had
attempted to do justice to all. His place was taken by Governor
Walker, who arrived in May.
=A Proslavery Constitution Prepared, 1857.= Up to this time the only
attempt to get Kansas admitted as a state was the effort of the
free-state men under the Topeka Constitution, but the proslavery
people had long been planning to draw up a constitution under which
they might secure the admission of Kansas as a slave state. The
Territorial Legislature provided for a constitutional convention,
which met at Lecompton in September, 1857, and prepared what was
called the Lecompton Constitution.
=The First Free-state Territorial Legislature.= Two important events
were to take place in the fall of 1857: the election of a new
Territorial Legislature, and the vote on the Lecompton Constitution.
When election day came, United States troops were stationed in the
different precincts to prevent illegal voting and invasions from
Missouri. Under Governor Walker’s promise of a fair election, both
parties voted for the first time since the fraudulent election in the
spring of 1855. The result was a free-state victory, and the first
time Kansas was to have a free-state Legislature. This result was not
achieved without many protests and threats from the proslavery people,
who now became afraid to submit their Lecompton Constitution to a
vote, for it was clear that the free-state people were largely in the
majority and would defeat it.
=Fear to Submit the Lecompton Constitution.= After a number of
meetings and debates among themselves, the proslavery people decided
to get around this difficulty by not submitting the Constitution at
all, but by offering instead these two statements to choose between:
“The Constitution with slavery,” or “The Constitution without
slavery.”
=Each Side Holds an Election.= This gave the free-state people no
chance to vote against the Constitution as a whole, and of course
their indignation was aroused. The election was held in December,
1857. The free-state men refused to vote, and after several meetings
and a special session of their new free-state Legislature the
free-state people appointed a day in January, 1858, for an election to
decide for or against the Constitution. This time the proslavery party
refused to vote. Thus each side held an election and carried its point
by a big majority.
=End of the Lecompton Constitution.= No attention was paid to the
defeat of the Constitution at the hands of the free-state people, and
it was sent to Congress. After a long discussion Congress attached a
number of conditions to the Constitution and sent it back to Kansas to
be voted on by all the people. Of the 13,000 votes cast at this
election, which was held August 2, 1858, more than 11,000 were against
it. This ended the second attempt to get Kansas admitted as a state.
=The Leavenworth Constitution, 1858.= While the Lecompton Constitution
was pending in Congress, the free-state people concluded that it was
time for them to try their hands at constitution making again. During
the winter and spring of 1858 they produced the Leavenworth
Constitution, but it was not favorably received by the people of
Kansas and was never voted on by either house of Congress.
=Trouble in Southeastern Kansas.= These events of Territorial history
occurred within a small area. With Lawrence as a center, a circle with
a radius of thirty miles would include virtually all of them. Another
part of Kansas, the southeastern, including what is now Miami, Linn
and Bourbon counties, came into prominence at this time and showed
that the period of bloodshed was not yet past. The southeastern part
of the Territory had been settled largely by proslavery people, but
gradually the Northerners began to come in. The proslavery people
frequently made raids on them, the free-state settlers retaliated, and
southern Kansas was soon in the midst of a guerrilla warfare. The
free-state people engaged in this warfare came to be known as
Jayhawkers.[14] Their leader was a man named James Montgomery.
=The Marais des Cygnes Massacre.= These conditions continued until in
the spring of 1858. While the Lecompton and Leavenworth constitutions
were being considered in the Territory, there occurred in Linn County
the Marais des Cygnes massacre, the most shocking and bloody event of
the whole Territorial period. A Southerner named Hamelton made up a
list of free-state men whom he planned to seize and execute. On May
19, almost two years to the day after the Pottawatomie massacre by
John Brown, Hamelton with a gang of Missourians captured eleven of the
free-state men, marched them to a near-by gulch, lined them up and
fired a volley. Five men were killed, five were wounded, and one
remained unharmed. This terrible deed created great excitement, and an
unsuccessful attempt was made to capture Hamelton and his men.[15]
=Order Restored.= Steps were taken to bring about a more settled
condition in southeastern Kansas. Though several other outrages took
place, none of them was so barbarous as the Marais des Cygnes
massacre, and order was gradually restored.
=Proslavery and Free-state Names Dropped.= During the trouble over the
Lecompton Constitution in the closing days of 1857 Governor Walker was
compelled to resign, and in the autumn of 1858 Governor Denver, who
succeeded him, voluntarily resigned. Although Denver was the fifth
Territorial Governor, he was the first one who had not been compelled
to give up his office. This was one of the indications that better
days were beginning in Kansas. Lawlessness was practically over. The
South was no longer hopeful of making Kansas a slave state. The
settlers dropped the terms proslavery and free-state, and identified
themselves with the National political parties.
=The Wyandotte Constitution, 1859.= In the summer of the next year,
1859, a fourth constitutional convention was held at Wyandotte. There
was less hard feeling now between the two factions, and the members of
this convention were from both political parties, Democrat and
Republican. It was generally conceded by this time that Kansas was to
be a free state, and the new Constitution contained the words, “There
shall be no slavery in this State; and no involuntary servitude,
except for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”
This was called the Wyandotte Constitution, and when it was submitted
to the people in the fall a large majority of the votes were cast in
favor of it.
=Kansas Admitted to the Union, January 29, 1861.= But the question was
not yet settled, for Congress had to vote on the admission of Kansas
under the Wyandotte Constitution. These events took place in the
closing days of 1859, only a little more than a year before the
beginning of the Civil War. Relations between the North and the South
had become strained almost to the breaking point. The Congressmen from
the South had given up hope of making Kansas a slave state, but they
were certainly not anxious to admit it as a free state, and
consequently a year passed before the Wyandotte Constitution of Kansas
was acted upon. Finally, in January, 1861, some of the southern states
seceded from the Union and their representatives and senators withdrew
from Congress, leaving a free-state majority. The bill for the
admission of Kansas under the Wyandotte Constitution was at once
called up and passed. The next day it was signed by President
Buchanan, and on January 29, 1861, Kansas became a state.
=First State Officers.= In December, 1859, shortly after the people
had voted to adopt the Wyandotte Constitution, they held an election
to choose state officers to act whenever Kansas should be admitted to
the Union. For Governor they chose Dr. Charles Robinson, who had so
faithfully served the free-state cause throughout the long but
successful struggle. The first United States senators from Kansas were
two other well-known free-state men, James H. Lane and Samuel C.
Pomeroy. The Wyandotte Constitution designated Topeka as the temporary
capital. An election was held in November, 1861, for the purpose of
selecting a permanent capital. Topeka received 7996 votes, Lawrence
5291, and all other places 1184. Thus Topeka became the capital of
Kansas.
SUMMARY
The first two and a half years of the Territorial period
were spent in the warfare which was practically closed when
Governor Geary sent “the 2700” home. The last four months of
the two and a half years formed the “period of violence.”
The next three years were given to the political struggle
which ended with the adoption of the Wyandotte Constitution.
During the remaining year the people went about their work,
while this Constitution was pending in Congress. In 1857,
early in the political period, the free-state people
succeeded, for the first time, in electing the Legislature.
The proslavery people prepared the Lecompton Constitution,
but submitted to the people only two statements concerning
it. The free-state people refused to vote, but held another
election, at which the proslavery people refused to vote.
After the Lecompton Constitution was returned from Congress
it was voted on by both factions and defeated. In the
meantime the free-state people submitted the Leavenworth
Constitution, which was defeated. During the last six months
of the political period the Wyandotte Constitution was
prepared, adopted, and sent to Congress. This was in 1859.
More than a year passed before Congress acted on the matter;
then, January 29, 1861, Kansas became a state.
REFERENCES
Spring, Kansas.
Robinson, The Kansas Conflict.
Mrs. Robinson, Kansas――Its Interior and Exterior Life.
Holloway, History of Kansas.
Prentis, History of Kansas, pp. 107-143.
Muzzey, American History, pp. 379-412.
Andreas, History of Kansas, pp. 155-179.
Ingalls, Writings, pp. 443-465.
Historical Collections, vol. VI, p. 365; vol. VIII, pp. 331, 443;
vol. X, pp. 169, 216; vol. XI, p. 47; vol. XII, p. 331.
QUESTIONS
1. How long was Kansas a territory? Into what periods may this
time be divided?
2. Was Lecompton a proslavery or a free-state town? Of which
faction was the second Legislature? How did the Legislature
treat Governor Geary? Who succeeded him?
3. What was the result of the election for a third Territorial
Legislature?
4. When and by whom was the Lecompton Constitution made? Why was
it not submitted as a whole? What became of it?
5. Give an account of the Leavenworth Constitution.
6. Within about what area did all these events occur? Show this
on a map of Kansas.
7. Give an account of the troubles in southeastern Kansas. Who
were the Jayhawkers?
8. Give an account of the Marais des Cygnes massacre.
9. What were the conditions in Kansas by the opening of 1859?
10. What was the last constitution made in Kansas? When and by
whom was it made?
11. When was Kansas admitted to the Union?
12. Who was the first State Governor?
13. How was the State capital selected?
THE HOMES OF KANSAS
The cabin homes of Kansas!
How modestly they stood,
Along the sunny hillsides,
Or nestled in the wood.
They sheltered men and women,
Brave-hearted pioneers;
Each one became a landmark
Of Freedom’s trial years.
The sod-built homes of Kansas!
Though built of mother earth,
Within their walls so humble
Are souls of sterling worth.
Though poverty and struggle
May be the builder’s lot,
The sod house is a castle,
Where failure enters not.
The dugout homes of Kansas!
The lowliest of all,
They hold the homestead title
As firm as marble hall.
Those dwellers in the cavern,
Beneath the storms and snows,
Shall make the desert places
To blossom as the rose.
The splendid homes of Kansas!
How proudly now they stand
Amid the fields and orchards,
All o’er the smiling land.
They rose up where the cabins
Once marked the virgin soil,
And are the fitting emblems
Of patient years of toil.
God bless the homes of Kansas!
From poorest to the best;
The cabin of the border,
The sod house of the west;
The dugout, low and lonely,
The mansion, grand and great;
The hands that laid their hearthstones
Have built a mighty State.
――SOL MILLER.