1855 Kansas Territory elections

Last updated

The 1855 Kansas Territory elections were a series of pivotal moments in the "Bleeding Kansas" conflict between pro-slavery individuals and "Free-Staters" in Kansas Territory. The initial elections for territorial legislature, held on March 30, 1855, were marred by widespread voter fraud, intimidation, and violence, as pro-slavery forces from neighboring Missouri crossed the border to cast ballots and suppress anti-slavery voters. In response, Kansas Territorial governor, Andrew H. Reeder, ordered new elections to be held on May 22 in certain districts. But even after the corrective elections, pro-slavery candidates still managed to win a majority of seats in the territorial legislature. When the legislature convened in July, it promptly ejected all the Free-State candidates who had won seats in the May elections. This act led to many Kansans lambasting the body as the "Bogus Legislature."

Contents

In October 1855, elections were held for a Congressional delegate to represent Kansas Territory in the House of Representatives. Pro-slavers held their elections on October 1 and choose John Wilkins Whitfield, whereas Free-Staters held theirs on October 8 and selected Reeder. Whitfield was initially seated as the lawful delegate, but after Reeder petitioned the House, the seat was vacated on August 1, 1856 and a new election was ordered.

Territorial legislature election results

Territorial Council results

1855 Council elections in Kansas Territory
March 30, 1855
May 22, 1855		1857 →
All 13 seats to the Kansas Territory Council
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Pro-slavery Free-State
Seats won103 [lower-roman 1]
Summary of the 1855 Kansas Territory Council election results
Kansas Territory 1855 Elections Council.svg
FactionMarch 30 electionsMay 22 electionsTotal seats
Pro-slavery 10010
Free-State 123 [lower-roman 1]
Source:Andreas, Alfred T. (1883). History of the State of Kansas. Chicago: A. T. Andreas. pp. 95–101.

March 30 election results

Council District 1 [2] [3]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery Thomas Johnson
Edward Chapman		900 [lower-roman 2] 79.08
Free-State Joel K. Goodwin
Samuel Newitt Wood 		27323.08
–"Scattering" votes100.84
Total votes cast1,183
Illegally cast [3] 82769.91
Pro-slavery gain [4]
Council District 2 [3]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery A. McDonald31896.36
Free-State J. A. Wakefield123.64
Total votes cast330
Illegally cast [3] 31695.76
Results abrogated; new election ordered [5]
Council District 3 [3]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery H. S. Strickler59892.71
Free-State William F. Johnson233.56
Free-State — Rice172.64
Free-State A. McDonald40.62
–"Scattering" votes30.46
Total votes cast645 [lower-roman 3]
Illegally cast [3] 54784.81
Results abrogated; new election ordered [5]
Council District 4 [3]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery A. M. Coffee
David Lykins		68079.53
Free-State M. G. Morris
James P. Fox		15818.47
–"Scattering" votes171.99
Total votes cast855
Illegally cast [3] 63073.68
Pro-slavery gain [4]
Council District 5 [3]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery William Barbee343100
Total votes cast343
Illegally cast [3] 24370.84
Pro-slavery gain [4]
Council District 6 [2] [3]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Free-State Martin F. Conway 139 [lower-roman 4] 66.51
Pro-slavery John Donaldson68 [lower-roman 4] 32.54
–"Scattering" votes20.96
Total votes cast (Election Districts 9-12)540 [lower-roman 5]
Total votes cast (Election Districts 9-10, 12)209 [lower-roman 6]
Illegally cast (Election Districts 9-12)345 [lower-roman 7] 63.89
Illegally cast (Election Districts 9-10, 12)21 [lower-roman 8] 10.04
Free-State gain [4]
Council District 7 [3]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery John W. Foreman478100
Total votes cast478
Illegally cast [3] 20743.30
Pro-slavery gain [4]
Council District 8 [3]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery W. P. Richardson23477.48
Free-State John W. Whitehead6822.52
Total votes cast302
Illegally cast [3] 16655.00
Pro-slavery gain [4]
Council District 9 [3]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery D. A. M. Grover41199.76
–"Scattering" votes10.24
Total votes cast412
Illegally cast [3] 33280.58
Pro-slavery gain [4]
Council District 10 [2] [3]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery R. R. Rees
J. J. Eastin		1,12994.48
Free-State B. H. Twombly
A. J. Whitney		66 [lower-roman 9] 5.52
Total votes cast1,195 [lower-roman 10]
Illegally cast [3] 1,044 [lower-roman 11] 86.57
Pro-slavery gain [4]

May 22 election results

Council District 2 [4]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Free-State J. A. Wakefield127100
Total votes cast127
Free-State gain [4]
Council District 3 [4]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Free-State Jesse D. Wood21486.64
Free-State C. H. Washington3313.36
–"Scattering" votes140.84
Total votes cast247
Free-State gain [4]

Territorial House results

1855 House of Representatives elections in Kansas Territory
March 30, 1855
May 22, 1855		1857 →
All 26 seats to the Kansas Territory House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Pro-slavery Free-State
Seats won188 [lower-roman 12]
Summary of the 1855 Kansas Territory House of Representatives election results
Kansas Territory 1855 Elections House.svg
FactionMarch 30 electionsMay 22 electionsTotal seats
Pro-slavery 15318
Free-State 268 [lower-roman 12]
Source:Andreas, Alfred T. (1883). History of the State of Kansas. Chicago: A. T. Andreas. pp. 95–101.

March 30 election results

House District 1 [2] [8]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery A. S. Johnson12084.51
Free-State A. F. Powell1913.38
–"Scattering" votes32.11
Total votes cast142 [lower-roman 13]
Illegally cast [8] 65 [lower-roman 14] 45.77
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 2 [2] [8]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery Jatues Whitlock
J. M. Banks
A. B. Wade		78174.81
Free-State John Hutchison
E. D. Ladd
P. P. Fowler		25324.23
–"Scattering" votes100.96
Total votes cast1,044 [lower-roman 15]
Illegally cast [8] 802 [lower-roman 16] 76.82
Results abrogated; new election ordered [5]
House District 3 [2] [8]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery G. W. Ward
O. H. Brown		31893.26
Free-State Isaac Davis
E. G. Macy		123.52
–"Scattering" votes113.23
Total votes cast341
Illegally cast [8] 31631.09
Results abrogated; new election ordered [5]
House District 4 [2] [8]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery D. L. Croysdale36698.65
Free-State Cyrus K. Holliday 41.08
–"Scattering" votes10.27
Total votes cast371 [lower-roman 17]
Illegally cast [8] 338 [lower-roman 18] 91.11
Results abrogated; new election ordered [5]
House District 5 [2] [8]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Free-State A. J. Baker25 [lower-roman 19] 64.10
Pro-slavery M. W. McGee12 [lower-roman 19] 30.77
Free-State H. Rice0 [lower-roman 19] 0
–"Scattering" votes25.13
Total votes cast (Election Districts 7–8)273 [lower-roman 20]
Total votes cast (Election District 8 only)39 [lower-roman 21]
Illegally cast (Election Districts 7–8) [8] 209 [lower-roman 22] 76.56
Free-State gain [4]
House District 6 [2] [8]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery Joseph C. Anderson
S. A. Williams		31590.0
Free-State John Hamilton
William Margraves		3510.0
Total votes cast350
Illegally cast [8] 25071.43
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 7 [2] [8]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery W. A. Haskall
A. Wilkinson
H. Younger
Samuel Scott		68480.19
Free-State John Serpell
Adam Pore
S. H. Houser
William Jennings		15217.82
–"Scattering" votes171.99
Total votes cast853 [lower-roman 23]
Illegally cast [8] 630 [lower-roman 24]
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 8 [2] [8]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Free-State S. D. Houston12071.86
Pro-slavery Russell Garrett4124.55
–"Scattering" votes63.59
Total votes cast167
Illegally cast [8] 10 [lower-roman 25] 5.99
Free-State gain [4]
House District 9 [2] [8]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery J. Marshall34491.98
Free-State H. McCartney266.95
–"Scattering" votes41.07
Total votes cast374 [lower-roman 26]
Illegally cast [8] 32185.83
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 10 [2] [8]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery William H. Tibbs23798.75
Free-State C. Hard31.25
Total votes cast240 [lower-roman 27]
Illegally cast [8] 230 [lower-roman 28] 95.83
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 11 [2] [lower-roman 29]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery J. H. Stringfellow
R. L. Kirk		42087.5
Free-State G. A. Cutler
John Landis		5411.25
–"Scattering" votes61.25
Total votes cast480
Illegally cast [2] ––
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 12 [2] [lower-roman 29]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery J. P. Blair
T. W. Watterson		25899.23
Free-State Joel Ryan
John Fee		20.77
Total votes cast260
Illegally cast [2] ––
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 13 [2] [lower-roman 29]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery H. B. C. Harris
J. Weddell		412100
Total votes cast412
Illegally cast [2] ––
Pro-slavery gain [4]
House District 14 [2] [lower-roman 29]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery H. B. McMeeken
Archy Payne
W. G. Mathias		89793.83
Free-State Felix G. Braden
Samuel France
F. Browning		596.17
Total votes cast956
Illegally cast [2] [lower-roman 29] 90694.77
Results abrogated; new election ordered [5]

May 22 election results

House District 2 [4]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Free-State John Hutchison
Erastus. D. Ladd
Philip P. Fowler		28894.12
–"Scattering" votes185.88
Total votes cast306
Free-State gain [4]
House District 3 [4]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Free-State Augustus Wattles
William Jessee		127100
Total votes cast127
Free-State gain [4]
House District 4 [4]
FactionCandidateVotes%
Free-State Cyrus K. Holliday 14899.33
–"Scattering" votes10.67
Total votes cast149
Free-State gain [4]
House District 14 [4]
FactionCandidatesVotes%
Pro-slavery H. B. McMeeken
Archy Payne
W. G. Mathias		70097.90
–"Scattering" votes152.10
Total votes cast715
Pro-slavery gain [4]

Outcome

After the March 30, 1855 elections were marred by voting fraud, Kansas Territorial governor Andrew Horatio Reeder called for new elections in select districts. AReeder.jpg
After the March 30, 1855 elections were marred by voting fraud, Kansas Territorial governor Andrew Horatio Reeder called for new elections in select districts.

Initial returns suggested that voters had chosen 13 pro-slavery councilmen and 25 pro-slavery representatives. Free-state settlers immediately cried foul, citing demonstrable voting irregularities, and so the governor of Kansas Territory, Andrew Horatio Reeder, scrutinized the results: On April 6, 1855, he declared Martin F. Conway the winner of the sixth district, and he also called for new elections for Council Districts 2–3 and House Districts 2–4, and 14. These elections, held on May 22, were all won by Free-Staters with the exception of the House District 14 race. After the governor granted election certificates, the Council was consequently left with 10 pro-slavery and 3 Free-state members, whereas the House was left with 18 pro-slavery and 8 Free-state members. [9] However, when the territorial legislature met for the first time on July 2, 1855, it expelled all the Free-state men who had been elected in May. The remaining Free-State representative, S. D. Houston, would resign in protest on July 23. [10] [lower-roman 30] The legislature's decision to eject most of its Free-State members led to many in Kansas denouncing it as the "Bogus Legislature". [11]

On March 19, 1856, the US House of Representatives tasked a special committee, comprising William A. Howard (O-Michigan), John Sherman (O-Ohio), and Mordecai Oliver (O-Missouri), [12] with investigating "the troubles in the Territory of Kansas." [13] Their report, "Report of the Special Committee Appointed to Investigate the Troubles in Kansas", was published later in 1856. In this document, the committee's majority contended that "each election in the Territory, held under the organic or alleged Territorial law, has been carried by organized invasion from the State of Missouri by which the people of the Territory have been prevented from exercising the rights secured to them by the organic law." [14] The majority also argued that, in their opinion, "the alleged Territorial legislature was an illegally constituted body, and had no power to pass valid laws, and their enactments are therefore null and void." [14] Finally, the committee majority argued that "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 selection of impartial judges, and the presence of United States troops at every place of election." [14]

Congressional delegate election results

John Wilkins Whitfield was elected as Kansas Territory's congressional delegate in the October 1, 1855 election. The legality of that election would later be questioned by the United States House of Representatives. John Wilkins Whitfield.jpg
John Wilkins Whitfield was elected as Kansas Territory's congressional delegate in the October 1, 1855 election. The legality of that election would later be questioned by the United States House of Representatives.

October 1 (Pro-Slavery) elections

Congressional delegate (October 1, 1855) [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Pro-slavery Democrat [17] John Wilkins Whitfield 2,72199.38
–"Scattering" votes170.62
Total votes cast2,738
Pro-Slavery Democrat selected as delegate [15] [16]

October 9 (Free-State) elections

Congressional delegate (October 9, 1855) [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Free-State Democrat [18] Andrew H. Reeder 2,849100
Total votes cast2,849
Free-State Democrat selected as delegate [15] [16]

Outcome

Following the two elections, Whitfield (the incumbent who had last been elected in 1854) [19] presented his election credentials to the 34th United States Congress and was subsequently seated as the delegate from Kansas Territory. Following this, Reeder petitioned Congress to eject Whitfield and install himself as the valid delegate. [20] [21] In response to this conflict, the House of Representatives issued the "Report of the Special Committee Appointed to Investigate the Troubles in Kansas", penned by a special committee tasked with analyzing the territory's elections. In this document, the majority agreed that "the election under which the sitting delegate, John Whitfield, holds his seat, was not held in pursuance of any valid law and that it should be regarded only as the expression of the voice of those resident citizens who voted for him." [14] However, the committee majority also argued that "the election, under which the contesting delegate, Andrew H. Reeder, claims his seat, was not held in pursuance of law, and that it should be regarded only as the expression of the resident citizens who voted for him." [14]

As a result, the House voted on August 1, 1856 to vacate Whitfield's seat and hold a new election. [20] [21] In the subsequent election, Whitfield would again be elected, and Reeder would again contest the results. [22] In 1857, the Committee on Elections once again recommended that Whitfield be declared not entitled to the seat because non-residents had voted and because many Kansans had been disenfranchised in the 1856 election, but the House narrowly decided to table the resolution. Whitfield served provisionally from December 9, 1856, to March 3, 1857. [23]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Martin F. Conway (a Free-State councilman who was elected in March 1855), never took his seat. In July 1855, Jesse D. Wood and John A. Wakefield (who had been elected in the corrective May election) were unseated by the pro-slavery majority and their positions were filled by Andrew McDonald and Hiram J. Strickler. [1]
  2. ↑ While this number is present in Andreas (1883), [2] it is not explicitly given in the House's report. It can be derived by adding the total votes for Johnson/Chapman from the first (780 votes), fourth (78 votes), and seventeenth (42 votes) election districts. [3]
  3. ↑ This is the total number of votes cast in the third (374 votes), seventh (234 votes), and eighth (37 votes) election districts. Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 645 [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 642 in the House's report. [3]
  4. 1 2 According to initial returns, Donaldson received 395 and Conway received 142. [2] However, Gov. Reeder later disqualified all the results from the 11th Election District because the vote there had been held viva voce instead of by ballot (as required by law). The rejection of these results cost Donaldson 328 votes and Conway 3, swinging the election in Conway's favor. [6]
  5. ↑ This is the total number of votes cast in the ninth (75 votes), tenth (92 votes), eleventh (331 votes), and twelfth (42 votes) election districts. Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 540, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 538 in the House's report. [3]
  6. ↑ This is the total number of votes cast in the ninth (75 votes), tenth (92 votes), and twelfth (42 votes) election districts. [2] [3]
  7. ↑ This is the total number of illegal votes cast in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth election districts. [2] [3]
  8. ↑ This is the total number of illegal votes cast in only the ninth, tenth, and twelfth election districts. [3]
  9. ↑ This is the total number of votes cast in the thirteenth (6 votes) and sixteenth (60 votes) election districts for both Twombly and Whitney. Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 66 [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 166 in the House's report. [3]
  10. ↑ This is the total number of votes cast for Rees/Eastin in the thirteenth (233 votes) and sixteenth (896 votes) election districts, combined with the total number of votes cast for Twombly/Whitney in the thirteenth (6 votes) and sixteenth (60 votes) election districts. [2] Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 1,195, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 1,206 in the House's report. [3]
  11. ↑ This is the total number of illegal votes cast in the thirteenth (230 votes) and sixteenth (814) election districts. [7] Andreas (1883) erroneously gives the total as 1,033. [2]
  12. 1 2 In July 1855, John Hutchison, Erastus. D. Ladd, Philip P. Fowler, Augustus Wattles, William Jessee, and Cyrus K. Holliday (Free-Staters who had been elected in the corrective May election), as well as A. J. Baker (a Free-Stater who had been elected in the March elections by a technicality) were unseated by the pro-slavery majority and their positions were filled by James Whitlock, John M. Banks, A. B. Wade, G. W. Ward, O. H. Brown, D. L. Croysdale, and M. W. McGee (all of whom were pro-slavery in alignment). The remaining Free-State representative, S. D. Houston, would resign in protest on July 23. [1]
  13. ↑ This is the total number of votes for Johnson (120 votes), Powell (19 votes), and any scattering votes (3). [2] [8] Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 142, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 139 in the House's report. [8]
  14. ↑ Andreas (1883) has the number as 68. [2]
  15. ↑ This is the total number of votes for Whitlock/Banks/Wade (781 votes), Hutchison/Ladd/Fowler (253 votes), and any scattering votes (10). [2] [8] Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 1,044, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 1,034 in the House's report. [8]
  16. ↑ Andreas (1883) has the number as 812. [2]
  17. ↑ This is the total number of votes for Croysdale (366 votes), Holliday (4 votes), and any scattering votes (1). [2] [8] Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 371, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 370 in the House's report. [8]
  18. ↑ Andreas (1883) has the number as 308. [2]
  19. 1 2 3 According to initial returns, McGee received 222 votes (210 of which were from seventh election district), [8] Baker received 26 (1 of which was in the seventh election district), and H. Rice received 23 (all from the seventh election district). [2] [8] However, Gov. Reeder later disqualified all the results from the 7th Election District because the judges overseeing the vote had not been sworn in. The rejection of these results cost McGee 210 votes, Baker 1 vote, and Rice all of his votes. This swung the election in Baker's favor. [6]
  20. ↑ This number is the sum of the votes cast in the seventh (234 votes) and eighth (37 votes) election districts [2] [8] plus two scattering votes reported by Andreas. [2]
  21. ↑ This number is the sum of the votes cast in the eighth (37 votes) election districts [2] [8] plus two scattering votes reported by Andreas. [2]
  22. ↑ Andreas (1883) has the number as 211. [2]
  23. ↑ This is the total number of votes for Haskall et al. (684 votes), Serpell et al. (152 votes), and 17 scattering votes. [2] [8] Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 853, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 855 in the House's report. [8]
  24. ↑ Andreas (1883) has the number as 629. [2]
  25. ↑ Andreas (1883) has the number as 11. [2]
  26. ↑ This is the total number of votes for Marshall (344 votes), McCartney (26 votes), and 4 scattering votes. [2] [8] Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 374, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 370 in the House's report. [8]
  27. ↑ This is the total number of votes for Tibbs (237 votes) and Hard (3 votes). [2] [8] Andreas (1883) correctly gives the total as 240, [2] whereas the total is miscalculated as 242 in the House's report. [8]
  28. ↑ Andreas (1883) has the number as 228. [2]
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 Unless otherwise noted, these results are based exclusively on Andreas (1883), due to a typesetting error rendering page 33 of the House's report unworkable. [8]
  30. ↑ The Free-State councilman M. F. Conway never took his seat, officially resigning on July 3, 1855. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas–Nebraska Act</span> 1854 organic act

The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 was a territorial organic act that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. It was drafted by Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas, passed by the 33rd United States Congress, and signed into law by President Franklin Pierce. Douglas introduced the bill intending to open up new lands to develop and facilitate the construction of a transcontinental railroad. However, the Kansas–Nebraska Act effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, stoking national tensions over slavery and contributing to a series of armed conflicts known as "Bleeding Kansas".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1856 United States presidential election</span> 18th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1856 United States presidential election was the 18th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 4, 1856. In a three-way election, Democrat James Buchanan defeated Republican nominee John C. Frémont and Know Nothing nominee Millard Fillmore. The main issue was the expansion of slavery as facilitated by the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854. Buchanan defeated President Franklin Pierce at the 1856 Democratic National Convention for the nomination. Pierce had become widely unpopular in the North because of his support for the pro-slavery faction in the ongoing civil war in territorial Kansas, and Buchanan, a former Secretary of State, had avoided the divisive debates over the Kansas–Nebraska Act by being in Europe as the Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence, Kansas</span> City and County seat in Kansas, United States

Lawrence is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas, United States, and the sixth-largest city in the state. It is in the northeastern sector of the state, astride Interstate 70, between the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 94,934. Lawrence is a college town and the home to both the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free Soil Party</span> Precursor to the US Republican Party

The Free Soil Party was a short-lived coalition political party in the United States active from 1848 to 1854, when it merged into the Republican Party. The party was largely focused on the single issue of opposing the expansion of slavery into the western territories of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleeding Kansas</span> Violent slavery-related confrontations in Kansas territory in latter half of 1850s

Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas, or the Border War was a series of violent civil confrontations in Kansas Territory, and to a lesser extent in western Missouri, between 1854 and 1859. It emerged from a political and ideological debate over the legality of slavery in the proposed state of Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas Territory</span> Territory of the United States between 1854 and 1861

The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the free state of Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James W. Denver</span> American politician and Union general (1817–1892)

James William "Jim" Denver was an American politician, soldier and lawyer. He served in the California state government, as an officer in the United States Army in two wars, and as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from California. He served as secretary and Governor of the Kansas Territory during the struggle over whether or not Kansas would be open to slavery. The city of Denver, Colorado, is named after him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Border ruffian</span> Proslavery Missourian raiders within Kansas Territory

Border ruffians were proslavery raiders who crossed into the Kansas Territory from Missouri during the mid-19th century to help ensure the territory entered the United States as a slave state. Their activities formed a major part of a series of violent civil confrontations known as "Bleeding Kansas", which peaked from 1854 to 1858. Crimes committed by border ruffians included electoral fraud, intimidation, assault, property damage and murder; many border ruffians took pride in their reputation as criminals. After the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, many border ruffians fought on the side of the Confederate States of America as irregular bushwhackers.

The Wyandotte Constitution is the constitution of the U.S. state of Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topeka Constitution</span> 1855 proposed constitution of Kansas Territory

The Topeka Constitutional Convention met from October 23 to November 11, 1855 in Topeka, Kansas Territory, in a building afterwards called Constitution Hall. It drafted the Topeka Constitution, which banned slavery in Kansas, though it would also have prevented free blacks from living in Kansas. The convention was organized by Free-Staters to counter the pro-slavery Territorial Legislature elected March 5, 1855, in polling tainted significantly by electoral fraud and the intimidation of Free State voters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">34th United States Congress</span> 1855-1857 U.S. Congress

The 34th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1855, to March 4, 1857, during the last two years of Franklin Pierce's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1850 United States census. The Whig Party, one of the two major parties of the era, had largely collapsed, although many former Whigs ran as Republicans or as members of the "Opposition Party." The Senate had a Democratic majority, and the House was controlled by a coalition of Representatives led by Nathaniel P. Banks, a member of the American Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections</span> House elections for the 34th U.S. Congress

The 1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections were held in 31 states for all 234 seats between August 4, 1854, and November 6, 1855, during President Franklin Pierce's term. Each state legislature separately set a date to elect representatives to the House of Representatives before the 34th Congress convened its first session on December 3, 1855.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Kansas

The Kansas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a bicameral assembly, composed of the lower Kansas House of Representatives, with 125 state representatives, and the upper Kansas Senate, with 40 state senators. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, senators for four-year terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pawnee, Kansas</span> Ghost town in Geary County, Kansas

Pawnee is a ghost town in Geary County, Kansas, United States, which briefly served as the first official capital of the Kansas Territory in 1855. Pawnee was the territorial capital for exactly five days – the legislature met there from July 2 to July 6 – before legislators voted to move the capital to Shawnee Mission, which is located in present-day Fairway. It may be the shortest-lived capital of any U.S. state or territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Wilkins Whitfield</span> American politician

John Wilkins Whitfield was a territorial delegate to the United States House of Representatives who represented Kansas Territory from 1854 until 1856. He was an officer in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, being commissioned as a brigadier general on May 9, 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Horatio Reeder</span> American politician

Andrew Horatio Reeder was the first governor of the Territory of Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pardee Butler</span>

Pardee Butler was a farmer and Restoration Movement preacher who arrived in Kansas in 1855 and was involved there in the run-up to the American Civil War. He is remembered in Kansas history for being set adrift on the Missouri River on a raft by pro-slavery men for his abolitionist beliefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">78th New York State Legislature</span> New York state legislative session

The 78th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 14, 1855, during the first year of Myron H. Clark's governorship, in Albany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel J. Jones</span> American frontier settler

Samuel Jefferson Jones was a pro-slavery settler who held the position of Douglas County sheriff in Kansas Territory from late 1855 until early 1857. He helped found the territorial capital of Lecompton and played a prominent role in the "Bleeding Kansas" conflict.

Under U.S. law, a state requires a constitution. A main order of business for Territorial Kansas was the creation of a constitution, under which Kansas would become a state. Whether it would be a slave state or a free state, allowing or prohibiting slavery, was a national issue, because it would affect voting in the polarized U.S. Senate. Because of tensions over slavery, four quite different constitutions of Kansas were drafted.

References

  1. 1 2 Andreas (1883), pp. 102–103.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 Andreas (1883), p. 96.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Howard et al. (1856), p. 31.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Andreas (1883), p. 101.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Andreas (1883), pp. 97–98.
  6. 1 2 Andreas (1883), pp. 96–98.
  7. ↑ Howard et al. (1856), pp. 30–31.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Howard et al. (1856), p. 32.
  9. ↑ Andreas (1883), pp. 97–101.
  10. 1 2 Andreas (1883), 102–103.
  11. ↑ Roe, Jason. "The Contested Election of 1855". Civil War on the Western Border . Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kansas State Historical Society (1881), pp. 146–147.
  13. ↑ Howard et al. (1856), p. 1.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Howard et al. (1856), p. 67.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Andreas (1883), p. 111.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Admire (1891), p. 193.
  17. ↑ Schwab, Scott (June 28, 2018). "Election Security Shouldn't Hinge on Personalities". Kansas City Star . Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  18. ↑ Socolofsky (2021), p. 34.
  19. ↑ House of Representatives Historian. "Whitfield, John Wilkins: 1818 – 1879". Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  20. 1 2 United States Congress (1950), p. 255.
  21. 1 2 Bartlett (1865), pp. 185–203.
  22. ↑ "KS Territorial Delegate – Special Election". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  23. ↑ Hinds (1907), pp. 1076–1078.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.