Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/350

 -,i8 THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

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��Kansas was not in pursuance of a concerted scheme throughout the South to obtain control of the government of Kansas, for the purpose of making it a slave state ; but was largely a sudden movement, or rush, as it was called in the Northern newspapers, of the people of Missouri, on the border, after infor- mation of the chartering of the Emigrant Aid Company, not so much to secure a foothold for slavery, as to anticipate the movements of this company, and to obtain, in advance of it, control of the best lands ; and it is as true that the Emi- grant Aid Company was incorporated and organized, not so much to secure a foothold for freedom, as to secure a fortune for its stockholders. If the infor- mation given by the Emigrant Aid Company, in regard to the emigration from Missouri, was correct, it will be seen how false were the statements made by the anti-slavery leaders through which they were enabled to arouse and inflame the people of the North, and not only to give an unprecedented impetus to slavery agitation, but to incite and encourage the settlers in Kansas, from the North, to the adoption of illegal and violent measures. But notwithstanding the entry into Kansas of emigrants from the different communities and sec- tions, all eager to obtain possession of the best lands, and the antagonism of their views in regard to the institutions which should be adopted, for nearly a year, no serious difficulties occured except in the elections of a delegate to Congress in November, 1854, and of a territorial legislature, March 30, 1855. The free state settlers claimed that large bodies of Missourians, on the border, entered the territory within a few days preceding these elections, particularly the election of March 30th, without the intention of settling in the territory, claimed the right to vote as settlers, and voted in the elections. That there were such interferences, to a greater or less extent, particularly in the election of March 30th, there is no doubt. This gave the pretext for the revolutionary proceedings on the part of the free state men which followed, and which were approved and encouraged by the anti-slavery leaders at the North and in Con- gress. A ma.-s convention of the free state men was called, and held at Big Springs, September 5, 1855, at which they adopted resolves repudiating the laws made by the legislature, and the officers appointed by the legal authori- ties, and declared that they would not submit to them ; and they further resolved not to vote at the ensuing election for delegate to Congress, but ap- pointed another election for a subsequent day, which was held, and a delegate voted for. On the 23d of October they held a constitutional convention at Topeka, and formed a free state constitution. Under this was ordered the election of a legislature, which was held, and the members chosen were sum- moned to meet at Topeka, July 4, 1856. They assembled ; but were prevented from organizing by Colonel Sumner, with a military force, by order of the Pres- ident. In the words of Mr. Greeley, " Meantime the settled antagonism between the Eederal authorities and the territorial functionaries, and enact- ments recognized and upheld by them on the one side, and the great mass of her people on the other, had resulted in great practical disorders." The " Kan- sas war," as it is called, was commenced immediately after the revolutionary convention in September, 1855, and continued until November, 1856. It was, as Mr. Greeley describes it, "a desultory, wasteful, but not very bloody conflict." During this period military forces were employed. The officer in command was specially ordered, in the performance of his responsible and delicate du- ties, "to carefully abstain from encroachment in any degree upon the proper sphere of the civil authorities, and will observe the greatest caution to avoid any conflict between the civil and military power," and " in the discharge of his duty, to make no discrimination founded on the section of the country from which persons might or had come." How prudently and faithfully these duties were performed is stated in the message of the President in December,

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