Kansas Territory - Bleeding Kansas

Bleeding Kansas

James H. Lane became involved in the Free-State movement in Kansas in 1855. He was often called the leader of "Jayhawkers" movement in Kansas. The first Free-state convention was held in Lawrence on the evening of June 8, 1855, in response to a call signed "Sundry Citizens," "for the purpose of considering matters of general interest to the Territory." Whereas they stated, certain persons from the neighboring State of Missouri have, from time to time, made irruptions into this territory, and have fraud and force driven from and overpowered our people at the ballot-box, and have forced upon us a Legislature which does not represent the opinions of the legal voters of this Territory. Many of its members not being even residents of this Territory, but having their homes in the State of Missouri.

These people used violence toward the persons and property of the inhabitants of the territory. The convention resolved in favor of making Kansas a free Territory, and as a consequence, a free State; the convention looked upon the conduct of a portion of the people of Missouri in the late Kansas election as a gross outrage on the elective franchise and rights of freemen and a violation of the principles of popular sovereignty. The convention members did not feel bound to obey any law of illegitimate legislature enacted and opposed the establishment of slavery. The convention reserved the right to invoke the aid of the General Government against the lawless course of the slavery propaganda with reference to the Territory.

There was held in the public hall in Lawrence a "Ratification Convention." It was a general ratification of all that had been done and showed most conclusively that thereafter there was a united force in Kansas pledged to freedom which no opposing powers could intimidate nor inward dissensions divide.