Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-08-07
]Dolitieal.
Inc Kansas Invasions of '54.5k
REPRoT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL couurrp

'su l" ioi'o"ihg tue ehafqes.
l. That the New England Aid Society Of
Boston was then importing in the Tsrriotry large
OF men, merely for the purpose Of con.
rolling the election. That they came without
somen' children or baggage, went into the Ter
i'orV' voted and returned again.
III, That men were hired in the E,s,e,r a.,
Sorihern States, or induced to 90 to shs Teri.
ory, soely % vote, and not to settle. and by 70
'oiag 70 make i Free STATE.
Ill. That the Governor Of the TERRITORY pu,.
'os'y postponed the day Of election to aIlow
ms emigration to arrive, and notified the E.,i.
grant Aid Society, and persosn ia the Ea.,s,,
e'a'es' OF the day of election, before be uave
notice to the people of Missouri and the Terri.
tory.
na' 'hese charges were industriously circu.
'a'ed ; that grossly exaggerated sta,emen, wsrs
maze In regard to them; that the newspaper
press and leading men in pnblic meetings in
" esteru Missouri, aided in one case by a Chan.
IAN Oh the United States Army, gave currencv
and credit to them, and thus excited the ueoDls.
ana induced many wel-meaning citizens of Mia.
s0url to march into the Territory to meet and
repe the alleged Eastern paupers and Aboli,;ss.
lists, is fully proven by many witnesses.
But these charges are not sustained bv N.
proof.
In April 1854, the General Assembly Of
massachusetts, Emgrant Aid Society,"" The oh.
Ject OF the Society, as declared in the first .eo.
'lon OF this act, was for the purpose of ass;s..
ing emlsr-n,s to settle in the West" The mon.
eyed capital of the corporation was not to ex.
eeed hve millions Of dollars, but no more than
'ouf per cent euld bs assessed during the
year 1854 and no more than 10 per cent in any
one year thereafter. No organization was per-
fected' Or proceedings had, under this law.
on the 24lh day of July, 1854, certain persons
In Boston. Massachusetts,, concluded articles Of
agreement and association for an Emigrant Aid
Society, The purpose of this Association was
declared to be " assisting emigran,s to settle 10
the West" Under these articles of association
each stockholder was individually liable. To
AVOID this dfhculty, an application was made to
the General Assembly of Massachu setts for an
act of Incorporation, which was granted. On
the 2lst day of February, 1886, an act was
p'ss'd to incorporate New England Emigrant
AID Company. The purpose of this act were
declared to be directing emigration wcstword,
" aud aiding and providing accommodation for
the emigrants after ARRIVING at their place of des-
tination.' The capital siock of the corporation
was not to exceed one million of dollars Under
this charter company was organized.
Your Committee have examined some of its
circulars and records to ascertain what has been
done by it, The public attention at that time
was directed to the Territory of Kansas, an en-.
grafton naturally tended in that direction. To
ascertain its character and resources this Gonna.
ny sent its agent into it. and the information
thus obtained was published. The company
made arrangements with various lines of trans.
portatlon TO reduce the expense of emigration
into the Territory, and procured tickets at the
reduced rates. Applications were made to the
Company by persons desiring to emigrate, and
when they were numerous enough to form
party of convenient size, tickets were sold 70
them at the reduced rates. An agent acquainted
with the route was selected to accompany them.
Their baggage was checked, and all trouble and
danger of loss to the emigrant in this way
avoided.
Under these arrangements, companies went
nto the Terroryin in the Fall of 1854, under
the articles of association referred t.. The Com.
pany did not pay any portion Of the fare, or
furnish any personal or real property to ,hs
emigrant. The Company during 1855, sent in
to the Territory from eigh. to ten saw mills. pur-
chased one hotel in Kansas City, which they
subsequently sold, built one hotel at Lawrence;
and owned one other building in that place. 10
some cases. to induce them to make improve
nents town lots were given TO ths i, ewn as
sociaiicas 10 this Territory. They held no prop
erty Of any kind or description. They imposed
no condition upon their emigrants, and did not
inquire into their political, religious, or social
opinions. The total amount expended by thsn,.
including the salaries of their agents and officers
and the expenses incident to all organizations,
was less than 100000.
Their purposes, as far as your Committee can
ascertain, were lawful and contributed to supply
those wants most experienced in the se,,lemen
of a new country.
The only persons or company who emigratsd
into the Territory under the auspices of the
Emigrant Aid Society, in 1855, prior to the
election in March, was party of l59 persons
who came under the charge Of Charles Robin.
son.
In this party there were 81 women and chill!
dren They came as actual settlers, intending
to make their homes in the Territory, and for nc
other purpose. They had about their person
bu, little baggage usually suficien, clothing in
carpet sack for a short time. Their persona
effects, such as clothing, furniture. &c., wa
put into trunks and boxes and for convenience
in celecting and cheapness in transporting, wa
marked " Kansas party baggage, care B. Sls
ter, St. Louis" Generally this was consigned a,
freight in the usual way to the care of com
mission merchant. This party had. in addition
to the usual allowance Of one hundred pounds 4
each passenger, large quantity of baggage o
which the respective ow ners paid the usual ex
ira freight. Each passenger or party paid hi
or their own expenses and the only benef
they derived from the Society, no. shared by a
the people Of ths Territory. wee lhs reducat