The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-23
KANSAS AND THE NEGRO
NOTABLE STRUGGLE OF THE GREE
soILERs, RECALLED.
Ante-Be1Ium Incidents that stirred
the Country and Gave to the State
The Name OF "Bleeding."
Chicago Tribune.

ten years just previous 10 the civil war
the battle for the negros freedom was
mainly fought in the then Territory Of
Esnsas. at least so far as actual physical
violence was concerned. John Brown lived
In Ossawatomie, Kas., with his sons, and
there commenced the attacks on slavery
which ended with his capture at Harper s
Ferry. There was civil war in kansas over
the slavery question as early as 1856. Its
soil was invaded by Northern army"
and by Southern sympathizers Men were
shot. hanged. tarred and feathered on both
sides. Pitched battles were fought and
more than one Kansas town was burned to
the ground When the rebellion broke out
the State of Kansas furnished to the Union
army 23.0co men. a greater percentage Of
its population than that furnished by any
other State.
The fight for the control OF Kansas be-
came active when in 1854 Congress passed
resolutions organizing the Territory. to be
admitted later as State. with or without
slavery. Immediately body of pro-slavery
men from Missouri crossed the river and
laid out Leavenworth, the first city in the
Territory. During the next month a body
or emigrants from Massachusetts,, sent
out as an anti-slavery colony. settled at
Lawrence and organized "squatter gov
eminent" A few months later Andrew II.
Reeder, OF Pennsylvania, destined to play
many parts in the coming fight was ap-
pointed the first Governor OF the Territory.
Meanwhile. the slavery men of Missouri
were forming secret societies and planning
schemes for controlling the government OF
Kansas. When the first election for Ter
"a fr.T rrau hob how
ewarmed over the river and, by casting
hundreds Of Illegal votes. succeeded in Sc
curing the election of the pro-slavery can
didate. "A great free soil' meeting was
immediately held AT Lawrence to protest
against the outrage. The same month four
sons OF John Brown settled at Ossawato-
ME. In the spring of 1885, when representa-
ffves were chosen for the State Legislature.
loo armed men marched into the Territory
from Missouri and insisted on voting. a
Leavenworth man who ventured to protest
was carried away into Missouri and there
tarred. feathered. and ridden on a rail.
The Free-Soilers met at Lawrence in
response to this outrage and announced
that IL the men of Missouri wanted war
they were ready to meet the issue.
FREE SOILERS' DRIVEN OUT.
When the first Legislature met at Pawnee
The pro-slavery members. who had been
elected by fraudulent votes, at once drove
out the few "free-soil" members and
changed the seat OF government Mean
while. Governor Reeder had been accused
Of Official irregularities and was removed
from Office, and a convention of Free
6oilers'' met and repudiated all acts Of the
Legislature. Wilson Shannon. OF Ohio, was
and he got TO his new scene Of duty just
IN time for serious trouble. The former
Governor. Reeder, had been elected to Con-
gress by the Free Soil party, and the
ali <rnr met tn a.
clared that to decline to obey the laws
passed by the recent Legislature was trea-
son. Two or three men were killed in quar-
rels over this question, and a body of 500
Free Soil' men, including John Brown and
his four sons, enlisted 10 protect them
selves. while loo armed Missourians
ernor Shannon was able TO prevent
. collision and beth forces finally
dispersed. Amidst tremendous excitement
and much violence on both sides free
soil'' Constitution was adopted in Decem-
Der, 1855 Under this Constitution Charles
Robinson was elected Governor. But this
action was nullified by President Pierce,
recognized the first bogus" Legislature
and declared that the Robinson government
was revolutionary In order to carry out
the effects OF this message the United
States troops in Kansas were put under
command OF the territorial Governor. But
xhe free Soil Legislature met in spite of
the presidential prohibition. While they
were III session large DOQy OF slavery
men from Georgia. Alabama and South
Carolina entered Kansas and the grand
jury OF Douglas county indicted the free
Foir' Governor. Robinson. and all the lead
ers associater with him on a charge of
high treason The bitterness of feeling
which prevailed at that time is shown by
che fact that the Rev. Pardee Butler, who
had beer preaching anti-slavery sermons
at Atchison. was tied to a raft and set
adrift On the Missouri river by the pro-
slavery men whom ne had offended. When
he ventured to come back he was stripped
tarred and covered with cotton Former
Governor Reeder, who had been chosen ter
ritorial representative in Congress, and
Governor Robinson were arrested fer high
treason. The authorities arrested many
other Free Soil leaders at Lawrence and
and the Herald OF Freedom printing Office
CIVIL WAR IN EARNEST.
Then civil war broke out in deadly earn
est. Captain Pate started out with an
armed body to destroy old Brown" at Os-
sawatomie. He captured two of John
Browns sons. one of whom. John jr, was
driven insane by the inhuman treatment
which he received. John Brown the elder
organized a little body OF armed men to
follow Pate's force. and in pitched bat
tie compelled his surrender. A few weeks
later Fate and his followers sacked ana
burned the town of Ossawatomie For
more than a month the lighting continue.
and the Missouri river was closed TO the
passage of "free-soil'' emigrants
Meanwhile the national government was
taking hand I'm the struggle. A bill admit
ting Kansas as State was passed bv the
lower house OF Congress I'm June, 1856 I'm
der this bill the "free-soil'' Constitution was
recognized. On that account IL was defear-
ed I'm the Senate. When the sfree-soil''
Legislature attempted TO meet i'm topeka in
was dispersed by United States trooDs act
fng under order OF President Pierce
All over the country the fight for Kansas
was exciting great interest and MANY or
xanizations were formed 10 assist either the
Free Sellers or the pro-slavery party.
In Buffalo, N ", for instance. the sum of
$4,000 was quickly raised by the Grand
Kansas Aid Society 10 further the cause of
antt-Slavcry. The civil war In the Terri
tory continued with increasing Violence
s.F'ree Soil men seized the fort at Ossa-
watomie driving out the slavery advocates
from Georgia and other Southern States
who occupied IL. The Free Soil forces
also captured Franklin and Lanes North
ern army" consisting Of 500 emigrants
with sixty wagons. advanced into the
territory by way OF Iowa and Nebraska.
This army" was in command OF General
James H Lane. who after attaining politl-
cal prominence in Indiana, removed to
Kansas i'm 1855. and was one of the States
first United States Senators.
During the next few years events OF SEN
sational interest followed fast Governor
shannon was removed. The Territory was
ton and rebellion. A number OF pitched
battles were fought between the Free Soil
and pro-slavery forces. I'm which honors
uora almost e0ualiy divided Torriterg.l