Simone Lawson
The Lecompton Constitution was a document drafted by pro-slavery advocates in 1857. It included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas and excluded free Black people. The document was ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, but this election was tainted as free-soilers boycotted the vote. In January 1858, Kansas voters rejected the Lecompton Constitution by a large margin, highlighting the fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts to create a state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery. This rejection had significant political consequences, including the split of the Democratic Party and the eventual admission of Kansas as a free state in 1861.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the Lecompton Constitution | Drafted in 1857, ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, rejected by voters in January 1858, and rejected again in August 1858 |
| Drafters | Southern pro-slavery advocates of Kansas statehood |
| Content | Contained clauses protecting slaveholding and a bill of rights excluding free Black people |
| Voting process | Free-state supporters boycotted the vote, leading to a pro-slavery majority |
| Impact | Rejected by Kansas voters in two elections, highlighting irregular and fraudulent voting practices; led to Kansas being admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861 |
| Political consequences | Divided the Democratic Party, with Northern Democrats and Republicans opposing it; influenced Abraham Lincoln's victory in the 1860 election |
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What You'll Learn
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates
The Lecompton Constitution was framed in Lecompton, Kansas, in 1857 by Southern pro-slavery advocates of Kansas statehood. It contained clauses protecting slaveholding and the rights of slaveholders, with Article 7 of the constitution protecting the right to enslaved "property". It also prevented the legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and full compensation. The Lecompton Constitution prohibited any amendment for a period of seven years and required governors to be citizens for at least 20 years. It also prohibited free blacks from entering the state.
The territorial legislature, which mainly consisted of enslavers due to widespread electoral fraud, met at the designated capital of Lecompton in September 1857 to produce a rival document. Free-state supporters, who comprised most actual settlers, boycotted the vote. The pro-slavery Lecompton Convention wrote a state constitution that deviated from the pattern of previous state constitutions. The convention wanted voters to have the option of the "Constitution with Slavery" or the "Constitution without Slavery", but there was no option to reject the constitution entirely, which would have been the true anti-slavery choice.
The Lecompton Constitution was rejected by Kansas voters in January 1858, with the subsequent admittance of Kansas to the Union as a free state. This highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts to create a state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery.
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The document was ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857
The Lecompton Constitution was a document drafted by pro-slavery advocates in 1857. It aimed to protect slavery in Kansas and exclude free Black people from the state. The document was initially ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, but this election was tainted as free-soilers boycotted the vote.
The Lecompton Constitution was written in response to the 1855 Topeka Constitution, which took an anti-slavery stance. The territorial legislature, composed mainly of enslavers due to widespread electoral fraud, met in Lecompton to draft a rival document. The Lecompton Constitution included provisions to protect slavery and the rights of enslavers, and it prevented the legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their owners' consent and compensation.
The first election, in which the Lecompton Constitution was approved, was boycotted by free-soilers, resulting in serious voting irregularities. However, this initial approval highlighted the fraudulent voting practices that had been employed by bushwhackers and border ruffians to create a pro-slavery constitution in Kansas. The referendum offered voters a choice between "Constitution with Slavery" and "Constitution with no Slavery". However, the latter option would not have made Kansas a free state, but rather would have banned the future importation of enslaved people, which was deemed unenforceable.
Despite the tainted nature of the initial ratification, the Lecompton Constitution was sent to Washington for approval by Congress. President James Buchanan, a vocal supporter of enslavers' rights, endorsed the constitution and recommended Kansas's admission as a slave state. However, Buchanan's goal of quickly admitting Kansas into the Union was not realised due to the document's rejection in subsequent votes.
In January 1858, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution in a second vote, opting for a free-state path. This rejection led to Kansas's admittance to the Union as a free state on January 29, 1861. The controversy surrounding the Lecompton Constitution contributed to the growing tensions leading up to the US Civil War.
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The constitution was rejected by US House of Representatives in 1858
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas and excluded free people of colour from its bill of rights. It was ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, though free-soilers boycotted the vote.
In February 1858, President James Buchanan submitted the Lecompton Constitution to Congress, recommending its approval and the admission of Kansas as a slave state. This led to a brawl in the House of Representatives during the debate.
The Lecompton Constitution was rejected by the US House of Representatives in 1858. The House and Senate agreed to a compromise in April 1858, stating that Kansas would be admitted to the Union as a slave state if the constitution won a popular vote. However, Kansas voters rejected the Lecompton Constitution in August 1858, instead ratifying an anti-slavery constitution.
The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters in 1858, and the subsequent admittance of Kansas to the Union as a free state in 1861, highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts to create a state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery. The Lecompton Constitution was divisive and contributed to the fracturing of the Democratic Party, with the debate over the proposed constitution causing a rift within the party.
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Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. It also excluded free people of colour from its bill of rights. The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The Lecompton Constitution was ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, but this election was tainted as free-soilers boycotted the vote.
In January 1858, Kansas voters rejected the Lecompton Constitution by a large majority. 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 controversy surrounding the Lecompton Constitution and Kansas's second constitutional convention in 1857 added to the frictions leading up to the US Civil War.
Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution again in August 1858. Kansas remained a territory until 1861, when it was admitted as a free state. The admission of Kansas as a free state was facilitated by the departure of Southern legislators in January 1861. The Wyandotte Constitution, which represented the anti-slavery view of the future of Kansas, was approved in a referendum in October 1859 and Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state on 29 January 1861.
The question of which Kansans were eligible to vote led to an armed conflict period called Bleeding Kansas. The increasing emigration of Americans to the western frontier and the desire to build a transcontinental railroad connecting the eastern states with California urged the incorporation of the western territories into the Union. The inevitable question was how these territories would treat the issue of slavery when they achieved statehood.
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The rejection of the constitution exposed voter fraud
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. It also excluded free people of colour from its bill of rights. The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The Lecompton Constitution was ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, but this election was tainted by boycotts and fraudulent voting practices.
Free-state supporters boycotted the vote, and over half of the 6,000 votes cast were deemed fraudulent. Despite this, the Lecompton Constitution was sent to Washington for approval by Congress. President James Buchanan endorsed the document, causing outrage among Northern Democrats and further dividing the national Democratic Party. In response, Free-Staters in Kansas, with the support of the Republican Party, exposed the voter fraud behind Lecompton and forced a new referendum.
In this next round of voting, on January 4, 1858, Kansas voters rejected the Lecompton Constitution by a vote of 10,226 to 138. 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 rejection of the Lecompton Constitution also delayed Kansas's admission to the Union, as a new, anti-slavery constitution was drafted.
Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state on January 29, 1861, after rejecting the Lecompton Constitution for a second time in August 1858.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lecompton Constitution was a document framed in Lecompton, the Territorial Capital of Kansas, in 1857 by Southern pro-slavery advocates of Kansas statehood.
The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters in January 1858 led to Kansas being admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861.
The debate over the Lecompton Constitution divided the Democratic Party, with Southern Democrats supporting it and many Northern Democrats opposing it. This division ultimately led to the party splitting in the 1860 presidential election.
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