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secret societies to take possession of Kansas in the interest of slavery. Within a few days after the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, hundreds of Missourians selected parcels of land, held a few meetings and then returned to Missouri.

At one of these meetings the following resolutions were adopted: "That we will afford protection to no Abolitionist as a settler of this Territory." "That we recognize the institution of slavery as already existing in this Territory and we advise slave-holders to introduce their property as early as possible."

Meantime, largely through the energy and influence of Eli Thayer, of Worcester, Mass., a movement for free State immigration into Kansas from New England, was inaugurated. Mr. Thayer was a New England man, a graduate from Brown University, a Member of Congress from Massachusetts, a forceful speaker and a fine organizer. Within a month after the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, he had organized the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society, designed to make Kansas a free State by actual settlement. He succeeded, at the very outset, in obtaining substantial financial backing for his plan. Boston merchants made very liberal contributions to the cause. Charles Francis Adams subscribed $25,000, and J. S. N. Williams $10,000, and other large sums were contributed.

Two colonies were speedily sent out and founded the City of Lawrence, but the Missourians determined to check this movement. At one of their meetings, held at Westport, Mo., early in July, 1854, they adopted the following:

"RESOLVED, That this Association will, whenever called upon by any of the citizens of Kansas Territory, hold itself in readiness together to assist and remove any and all immigrants who go there under the auspices of the Northern Emigrant Aid Societies.

"RESOLVED, That we recommend to the citizens of other counties, particularly those bordering on Kansas Territory, to adopt regulations similar to those of this Association, and to indicate their readiness to co-operate in the objects of the resolution."

These open threats and some actual deeds of violence, led the Free State immigrants to prepare to defend themselves. Meetings were held in many of the churches and public halls in New England and New York City, for the purpose of purchasing rifles for the emigrants. Neither this movement nor the organization of Emigrant Aid Societies met with much encouragement from the newspapers

that were afterward Republican, and both were denounced by the extreme Abolitionists. But Mr. Thayer was determined in his purpose, and was a man of untiring energy. In preaching his crusade and in inciting the people of the North to action, he traveled 60,000 miles, and made hundreds of speeches. The movement continued to gather in momentum, and the Anti-Slavery people soon had a majority of the actual settlers.

The Territory was formally established by the appointment, by President Pierce, of Andrew H. Reeder, of Pennsylvania, as Governor, and Daniel Woodson, of Arkansas, Secretary of the Territory. The Territorial Government was organized in the Autumn of 1854, and in November an election for Delegate in Congress was held. John W. Whitfield, an Indian Agent, the Missouri candidate, was returned as elected. He received 2,871 votes, of which 1,729 were cast by residents of Missouri. These facts were fully shown in a report to Congress, but Mr. Whitfield was seated, and was allowed to retain his seat throughout that Congress. Early in 1855, Governor Reeder ordered an election for the first Territorial Legislature, to be held on the 13th of March. The Border Missourians were on hand in force for this election. They came in wagons and on horseback, and were armed with revolvers, pistols and bowie knives. They had tents, flags and music. Nearly a thousand of them encamped in a ravine. near the new town of Lawrence, which they menaced with two pieces of cannon loaded with musket balls. Finding that they had more men than they needed to carry the Lawrence district, they sent detachments to carry two others. The result of this invasion was that the Missourians elected all the Members of the Legislature with the excep tion of two, who were chosen from a remote inland district which the invaders overlooked. Only 831 legal electors voted, though there were no less than 6,320 votes polled. It was the greatest farce of an election held in this country up to that time.

The Missouri newspapers boldly admitted the invasion and exulted in the crime. "It is a safe calculation that two thousand squatters have passed over into the promised land from this part of the State within four days," said the Western Reporter the day before election. "It is to be admitted that the Missourians have conquered Kansas," the Platte-Argus declared when the result was known. When the Missouri Brunswicker learned that Governor Reeder had refused to give certificates to certain of the men who claimed election, it said: "This infernal scoundrel will have to be hemped.”

D. R. Atchison, United States Senator from Missouri, a few weeks before one of these elections, said: "When you reside within one day's journey of the Territory, and where your peace, quiet, and your property depend upon your action, you can without any exertion, send 500 of your young men who will vote in favor of your institutions."

The Legislature was called to meet at Pawnee City, on the Kansas River, a hundred miles west of the border. It was immediately adjourned, over the Governor's veto, to Shawnee Mission. Among the Acts which it passed, was one extending over the Territory the laws of Missouri with others, establishing and fortifying the slave system. The Acts of this fraudulent Legislature were systematically vetoed by Gov. Reeder, but they were passed over his head. The Southerners feared, when Reeder was appointed, that he would not be sufficiently pliable for their purposes. The Presi dent was now memorialized for his removal, which was effected, and Wilson Shannon, of Ohio, was appointed in his stead. Shannon announced, on his way

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NATHANIEL P. BANKS, JR.

to the Territory, that he was for slavery in Kansas, and recognized the fraudulent Legislature as a legal assembly.

The actual settlers of Kansas held a mass convention at Big Springs on the 5th of September, in which they repudiated the laws and officers imposed on the Territory by the border ruffian election. and Legislature. They further resolved not to vote at the election for Delegate to Congress, which the bogus Legislature had appointed to be held on the 1st of October. They appointed another election for delegate and nominated Governor Reeder for the position. Then on

the 23d of October a Constitutional Convention, chosen by the Free State settlers, assembled at Topeka, and formed a Free State Constitution, under which they asked admission into the Union as a State.

It

In the Thirty-fourth Congress no party had a majority in the House and for several weeks that body remained unorganized. was finally decided that a plurality should be sufficient to elect after three more ballots. Under this rule Nathaniel P. Banks, Jr., from Massachusetts, received 103 votes to 100 for William Aiken, of South Carolina.

William A. Howard, of Michigan, was a member of the House that elected Banks Speaker. In a speech at the State Convention at Grand Rapids, May 10th, 1876, he gave interesting reminiscences of that occasion. The contest had been carried on for weeks, and the Republican members were discouraged. The night before the election was brought about a Republican caucus was held, and many members were in favor of giving up their candidate, and accepting a compromise. In fact this came to be the general feeling of the caucus. About midnight Mr. Howard took the floor and protested against any faltering. He told the caucus that he was the first man nominated to Congress on a Republican ticket. His constituents had entrusted him with the Republican Banner, and he would stand by the Flag even if alone, until he fell with it, or until he could carry it home to those who entrusted him with it. When he commenced speaking he stood alone in the middle of the floor, but before he finished 85 men had gathered around him, and the idea of compromise was abandoned. The next day Banks was elected Speaker, and the disintegration of the party was prevented.

Under a vote of the same House Mr. Howard, with John Sherman, of Ohio, and Mordecai Oliver, of Missouri, were appointed a committee to proceed to Kansas and report on the condition of affairs there. This report, written mainly by Mr. Howard, gave him a high standing among Republican Statesmen. This able document, which went thoroughly into the history of events in the Territory, arrived at eight conclusions, the only one that is pertinent to the subsequent history of the Territory being as follows: "In the present condition of the Territory a fair election cannot be held without a new census, a stringent and well guarded election law, the election of impartial Judges, and the presence of United States troops at every place of election."

The bill admitting Kansas, under her free Constitution, passed the House by 99 yeas to 97 nays. The Senate, which was strongly

Pro-Slavery, defeated it. The Legislature chosen under the Free State Constitution, was summoned to meet at Topeka on the 4th of July, 1856, but the members were dispersed by a force of regulars under order of President l'ierce. For the next three years the Territory had a double government, neither side recognizing the government set up by the other. There were frequent disturbances brought on mainly by the Missourians. They captured and sacked part of the Cities of Lawrence and Leavenworth, and committed many murders

JOHN SHERMAN.

and depredations. But

the Free State men had better staying qualities than the roving bands of border ruffians who were not making improvements, and were not attached to the soil. The Free State element in the end became the preponderating one, and another Constitutional Convention assembled at Wyandot in March, 1859. It adopted a Free State Constitution, which was afterwards ratified at an election in October. A bill for the admission of the State, under that Con

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stitution, passed the House of Congress, April 11th, 1860. The Senate, however, refused to take it up, being still Democratic. At the next session the application was renewed, and it was passed on the same day that the resignation of a number of the Southern Senators, by abandoning their seats, made that body Republican.

Thus the Territory, whose organization called the Republican party into existence, and whose history constantly stimulated Republicans to close union, became a Free State on the very day on which that party came into a clear majority in both Houses of Congress. And for a score of years thereafter it was one of the strongest Republican States in the Union.

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