Friday, March 26, 1954
LAWMAKERS—Shown are members of the Constitutional convention at Institutional hall in Topeka. (Photo from Leslie's Illustrated News and the collection of Dr. Robert Taft).
COL. SUMNER ARRIVING AT CONSTITUTIONAL HALL—This photograph, from Leslie's Illustrated News and the collection of Dr. Robert Taft, shows Col. Sumner and forces arriving at Constitutional hall, Topeka, to disperse the "Bogus Legislature."
FREE STATE PRISONERS—This photograph, taken at a camp near Lecompton, shows Free State prisoners George W. Brown, John Brown Jr. (son of the Kansas Abolitionist), Judge Smith, Gov. Charles Robinson, Gaius Jenkins, Williams (first name not known), and George W. Deitzler. Photograph is from the collection of Dr. Robert Taft, and is from a daguerrotype by Mrs. Sara T. D. Robinson.
University Daily Kansan
Page 12
THE KANSAN THANKS...
This special edition of the University Daily Kansan has been made possible through the efforts of a great many students and faculty members. Features have been written by students enrolled in the Editorial and Reporting II courses since the beginning of fall semester. A great many students have volunteered special services in connection with the edition—in particular such Kansan staff members as Letty Lennon, who has been a moving force in efforts to bring about campus observance of the birthday of Kansas; Clarke Keys, who has taken pictures and helped with copy; Jerry Knudson and Chuck Morelock, and Kansan business adviser Gene Bratton. The Kansan especially wishes to thank Harris Smith, instructor in photography, for long hours and detailed work. A great many photographs were made available through the cooperation of Dr. Robert Taft, state centennial chairman, who has done more than perhaps any other person to make Kansans aware of the significance of the past 100 years in the state's history.
Constitutions Written In Topeka, Lecompton
By BOB WORCESTER
The burning issue of slavery which caused Kansas to be the storm center of national political passion was caused by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska act 100 years ago. This time of Kansas history was of prime significance in the steps leading to the breaking out of the Civil war.
V
The "popular sovereignty" thoughts embodied within the Kansas-Nebraska act caused sectional struggle for the new territory. It resolved into a question of which of the vying forces could deliver the most immigrants in the shortest period of time.
The act provided for delegates to Congress to be elected from the new territories, and at the first election held to choose these delegates some 1700 armed Missourians invaded Kansas and proceeded to stuff the ballot boxes. This intimidation and fraud became even more pronounced in the election of a Territorial legislature in March of 1855.
The resultant legislature adopted the laws of Missouri, almost a direct copy, word for word. They included laws such as making it a felony to utter a word against slavery, making extreme pro-slavery views a qualification for office, declared death the penalty for aiding a slave to escape, and in general "legislated out" the liberties of its opponents.
The radical Free Staters thereupon began the importation of rifles. Furthermore a Free State "government" was set up. Through a series of popular conventions, it adopted in December 1855 the "Topeka Constitution," which excluded Negroes from Kansas, elected state officials, and sent a contestant delegate to Congress
The Topeka "government" was set up as a registered protest, only that, and nothing more. An impressive body, it caused much consternation both among the pro-slavery men in Kansas and Missouri and in the capital of the United States.
In June of 1857 delegates were elected to a constitutional convention. The Free State party demanded a popular vote on the proposed constitution although the election act did not so provide. Because of the apparent right to this, Gov. Robert J. Walker and President Buchanan were at first unequivocally agreed, and the governor promised fair play. Nevertheless, only the pro-slavers voted and the "constitution with slavery" carried. The document therefrom is known as the Leconton Constitution.
Ignoring the alternatives set by the Lecompton convention the Free Staters nevertheless participated in the provisional election for officers under the Lecompton constitution, capturing all offices, and prompt that same day they voted overwhelmingly against the constitution.
After further attempts in Leavenworth to have a constitution to "have and to hold" a final draft was ratified in Wyandotte in March and April of 1859, and the state was admitted to the Union in 1861.
CONTROVERSIAL COUNTRY—This map, from the collection of Dr. Robert Taft, shows the Kansas-Nebraska territories which made up the area of Sen. Douglas' controversial Kansas-Nebraska act of 1854.