Isabella Carter
The Lecompton Constitution was a pro-slavery document drafted in 1857 in Lecompton, Kansas, by pro-slavery advocates. It was one of four proposed constitutions for Kansas, which was on the path to statehood following the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. The Kansas-Nebraska Act stated that the state constitution would decide the issue of slavery in the state, depending on what the territorial voters approved. The Lecompton Constitution was approved in a rigged election in December 1857, but it was overwhelmingly rejected in a second vote in January 1858. Despite the majority opposing the Lecompton Constitution, President James Buchanan supported it, alienating many Democrats who felt it violated popular sovereignty.
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What You'll Learn
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854
The Kansas Territory was flooded with ideologically inspired Northern and Southern migrants, who hoped to shape the future of the West. The Free-State and pro-slavery factions quickly moved to define the path to statehood through legislative conventions where state constitutions could be constructed. An 1855 election—characterized by voter fraud on the part of pro-slavery Missourians who crossed the border to cast their ballots—resulted in a largely pro-slavery legislature.
The Lecompton Constitution, drafted in 1857, was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. It was strongly pro-slavery and included provisions to protect slavery in the state and to exclude free people of colour from its bill of rights. It was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution of James H Lane and other free-state advocates. The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included clauses protecting slaveholding and a bill of rights excluding free blacks. It prevented the legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and full compensation.
The Lecompton Constitution was rejected by Kansas voters in January 1858 by a decisive margin, suggesting that Free-State supporters overwhelmingly outnumbered the pro-slavery element. The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution, and the subsequent admittance of Kansas to the Union as a free state, highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts by pro-slavery Missourians. Despite these objections, President James Buchanan's support for the Lecompton Constitution never wavered, and he staked his administration on the passage of Kansas statehood under this document.
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The role of President James Buchanan
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas and exclude free people of colour from its bill of rights. It was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution.
President James Buchanan's role in the Lecompton Constitution was significant. He was a pro-Southern Democrat and supported the pro-slavery document, endorsing it before Congress. Buchanan's long-standing policy was to appease the slave states, and he appointed many Southerners to his cabinet. He also showed his Southern leanings in the matter of "Bleeding Kansas".
Buchanan's support for the Lecompton Constitution was unwavering, despite the objections of many, including Senator Stephen Douglass, who threatened to oppose him publicly if he continued his support. Buchanan demanded that Congress approve it and admit Kansas as a slave state, even though a clear majority of Kansans did not approve of it. This alienated many Democrats, including Stephen Douglas, who felt the constitution violated popular sovereignty.
Buchanan's appointee as territorial governor of Kansas, Robert J. Walker, a strong defender of slavery, opposed the injustice of the constitution and resigned rather than implement it. Buchanan ignored the pleas of his own appointed governor and asked Congress to admit Kansas as a slave state.
Buchanan's actions regarding the Lecompton Constitution had far-reaching consequences. The debate over the proposed constitution ripped apart the Democratic Party, and his insistence on Kansas being admitted as a slave state indicated to many the slave power manipulating Northern Democrat politicians.
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The impact of fraudulent voting practices
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. It was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. It was submitted to Congress in 1857 and endorsed by President James Buchanan, a pro-Southern Democrat.
The Lecompton Constitution was enabled by suspicious voting practices, voter fraud, and voter intimidation. In the 1855 election, pro-slavery Missourians crossed the border to cast their ballots, resulting in a largely pro-slavery territorial legislature based in Lecompton. This was followed by the Free-Staters, led by James H. Lane, initiating their own convention in Topeka, offering the first proposed constitution in December 1855, which would have effectively banned slavery in Kansas. However, despite the fraudulent voting practices, President Franklin Pierce supported Lecompton and denounced the Topeka Constitution.
The Lecompton Constitution was ultimately rejected by Kansas voters in January 1858 by a decisive margin, suggesting that Free-State supporters outnumbered pro-slavery advocates and that Lecompton's previous popularity was due to nefarious voting practices. This rejection highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts to create a state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery. The referendum suffered serious voting irregularities, with over half of the 6,000 votes deemed fraudulent.
Fraudulent voting practices can have significant consequences on elections and the political landscape. They can influence the outcome of votes, shape public policies, and contribute to social and political divisions. In the context of the Lecompton Constitution, fraudulent voting practices not only impacted the immediate results but also had long-term repercussions on the Democratic Party and the admission of Kansas as a free state.
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The protection of slavery
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. It was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The document enshrined slavery in the proposed state and protected the rights of slaveholders. It stated that the right of the owner of a slave to such slave and its increase was the same and as inviolable as the right of the owner of any property. It also prevented the legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and full compensation.
The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. It was drafted in the city of Lecompton, Kansas, in 1857, by Southern pro-slavery advocates of Kansas statehood. It contained clauses protecting slaveholding and a bill of rights that excluded free blacks. The pro-slavery territorial legislature called for a constitutional convention to be held in Lecompton, and Free-state men refused to participate as they believed that pro-slavery influences and fraud tainted the election. Consequently, pro-slavery delegates dominated the constitutional convention.
The Lecompton Constitution was submitted to Congress by pro-slavery advocates in 1857. Despite the fraudulent voting practices that enabled the Lecompton legislature, President Franklin Pierce supported Lecompton and denounced the Topeka Constitution. President James Buchanan, a pro-Southern Democrat, also endorsed the document. He attempted to get Congress to recognize the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution, which many saw as a threat to the success of popular sovereignty in Kansas. Buchanan's support for the Lecompton Constitution alienated many Democrats, including Stephen Douglas, who felt this constitution violated popular sovereignty.
The Lecompton Constitution was rejected by Kansas voters in January 1858 by a decisive margin, suggesting that Free-State supporters overwhelmingly outnumbered the pro-slavery element. The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution, and the subsequent admittance of Kansas as a free state, highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts by pro-slavery Missourians. Despite the rejection of the Lecompton Constitution, it represented a significant step in the struggle between pro-slavery and Free-State factions in Kansas and showcased the power of popular sovereignty in shaping the future of a state.
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The response of Congress
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. It was submitted to Congress in 1857, and President James Buchanan endorsed it before Congress. However, the Lecompton Constitution did not represent true popular sovereignty as voters were not given the option to reject the constitution entirely—the true anti-slavery option.
Senator Stephen A. Douglas, a Democrat from Illinois and the author of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, vehemently opposed the Lecompton Constitution because it lacked true popular sovereignty. Despite these objections, Buchanan’s support for the Lecompton Constitution never wavered and he demanded that Congress approve it and admit Kansas as a slave state.
The Kansas statehood bill passed the Senate on March 23, 1858, by a vote of 33 to 25. However, the main battle for Kansas statehood took place in the House of Representatives, where Northern anti-Lecompton Democrats and Republicans successfully blocked the passage of the bill by a vote of 120-112, causing a stalemate. On March 29, 1858, anti-Lecompton Democrats offered Buchanan a compromise to break the stalemate—they would vote in favor of the statehood bill on the condition that Kansans could amend their constitution at any time and not wait the seven years stipulated. For some unknown reason, Buchanan rejected this deal.
A joint House-Senate Committee broke the stalemate when they adopted the English Bill proposed by Representative William English (Democrat-Indiana), which proposed that the Lecompton Constitution be sent back to Kansas to be voted on again. On August 2, 1858, Kansans overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution 11,300 to 1,788. Kansas remained a territory until 1861 when it was admitted as a free state. The response to the Lecompton Constitution by Congress and the subsequent events in Kansas highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts by pro-slavery forces.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. It was drafted in 1857 by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state.
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. It was written based on the notion of popular sovereignty, which held that the people of Kansas should decide on the issue of slavery through their vote for a constitution.
The Lecompton Constitution left the question of whether new slaves could be brought into the territory to the voters. The voters could choose between a ""Constitution with Slavery" and a "Constitution with no Slavery". However, it is important to note that the "Constitution with no Slavery" clause would not have made Kansas a free state, as it only banned the future importation of enslaved people.
The Lecompton Constitution was initially approved in a rigged election in December 1857. However, it was overwhelmingly rejected by voters in a second vote on January 4, 1858, with a margin of 10,226 to 138.
Despite the rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters, President James Buchanan continued to support it and demanded that Congress approve it and admit Kansas as a slave state. However, Congress balked, and Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state in early 1861, after approving the anti-slavery Wyandotte Constitution.
