Simone Lawson
Senator Stephen Douglass' dilemma regarding his vote on the Lecompton Constitution stemmed from his belief in popular sovereignty and his opposition to the pro-slavery constitution. The Lecompton Constitution, drafted in 1857 by pro-slavery advocates, included provisions to protect slavery and exclude free people of color from its bill of rights. Senator Douglass, a Democrat from Illinois, had authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which required a popular vote on the issue of slavery in any new territory seeking statehood. However, the voting process for the Lecompton Constitution was rigged, with free-soilers boycotting the election, and it did not represent true popular sovereignty. Facing a dilemma, Senator Douglass vehemently opposed the Lecompton Constitution, despite his initial support for popular sovereignty, as he believed it lacked fairness and true representation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Lecompton Constitution | 1858 |
| Author of the Kansas-Nebraska Act | Stephen Douglas |
| Reason for the Lecompton Constitution | Response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution |
| Location of drafting | Lecompton, Kansas |
| Provisions | Protect slavery in the state, exclude free people of color from its bill of rights, prevent the emancipation of enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and compensation |
| Voting options | "With slavery" or "with no slavery" |
| Voting irregularities | Yes, over half of the 6,000 votes were deemed fraudulent |
| Support for the Lecompton Constitution | President James Buchanan, Southern Democrats |
| Opposition to the Lecompton Constitution | Northern Democrats led by Stephen A. Douglas, Republicans |
| Outcome of Kansas statehood bill vote | Passed the Senate on March 23, 1858, by a vote of 33 to 25 |
| Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state | 1861 |
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What You'll Learn
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854
Douglas introduced the bill with the intention of opening up new lands for development and facilitating the construction of a transcontinental railroad. The bill proposed to divide the land immediately west of Missouri into two territories, Kansas and Nebraska. It advocated for "popular sovereignty," or the idea that the settlers of the new territories should decide if slavery would be legal there. This contradicted the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had outlawed slavery above the 36°30' latitude in the Louisiana territories, and left the question of slavery open in the new territories.
The act caused a violent uprising known as "Bleeding Kansas," as pro-slavery and anti-slavery activists flooded into the territories to sway the vote. The conflict aggravated the divide between the North and South on the issue of slavery, pushing the country closer to civil war. Opponents of the act helped form the Republican Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery into the territories.
The Kansas-Nebraska Act set the stage for a series of events in Kansas and Missouri, including the writing, voting on, and submission to Congress of the Lecompton Constitution by pro-slavery advocates in 1857. The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. It included provisions to protect slavery and exclude free people of color from its bill of rights. The voting process was marred by fraud and boycotts, and the pro-slavery constitution was sent to President James Buchanan for congressional approval. Amidst widespread opposition, Buchanan submitted the Lecompton Constitution to Congress, sparking further controversy.
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Voting irregularities and fraud
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 written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution.
The Lecompton Constitution was preceded by voting irregularities and fraud. In 1857, the pro-slavery legislature called for a constitutional convention at Lecompton, but the election for delegates was rigged, and free-soil voters boycotted the vote. This resulted in pro-slavery delegates dominating the constitutional convention. The convention then drafted a pro-slavery constitution and refused to submit it to a fair vote of all the settlers.
The referendum on the Lecompton Constitution suffered serious voting irregularities, with over half of the 6,000 votes deemed fraudulent. Free-soilers boycotted the referendum, as they realised that even if the constitution was approved with the prohibition of new slaves, it would still allow the continued enslavement of those already in bondage and their descendants.
The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution in a second vote in January 1858 by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts to create a state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery.
The voting irregularities and fraud surrounding the Lecompton Constitution had far-reaching consequences, including the destruction of the Democratic Party, as Northern Democrats sided with Republicans in opposition to the constitution. The debate over Kansas statehood also had national implications, with the admission of Kansas as a free state in 1861, once pro-slavery senators had withdrawn from the Senate.
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Popular sovereignty
The Lecompton Constitution, drafted in 1857 in Lecompton, Kansas, was a pro-slavery document that aimed to protect slavery in the state and exclude free people of colour from its bill of rights. It was written by pro-slavery advocates in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The drafting of the Lecompton Constitution was marred by electoral fraud, with pro-slavery Missourians crossing the border to influence the vote and ensure the protection of slavery.
The issue of popular sovereignty arose during the voting process for the Lecompton Constitution. While some argued that the voters should have the option to choose between a constitution with slavery and one without, others, including Senator Stephen Douglas, asserted that true popular sovereignty required the option to reject the constitution entirely. In the initial voting process, free-state supporters boycotted the vote due to concerns about pro-slavery influences and fraud, resulting in a pro-slavery majority. However, in a subsequent vote in January 1858, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution, demonstrating their support for a free state.
The debate over the Lecompton Constitution had significant political ramifications. President James Buchanan, a pro-Southern Democrat, endorsed the Lecompton Constitution despite its controversial nature. This decision alienated many Democrats, including Senator Stephen Douglas, who felt that the constitution violated the principles of popular sovereignty. The Kansas statehood bill, which would admit Kansas as a slave state, passed the Senate in March 1858, further exacerbating the divide within the Democratic Party.
In conclusion, the concept of popular sovereignty played a crucial role in the context of the Lecompton Constitution. The controversy surrounding the document highlighted the tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions and the challenges of upholding the principles of popular sovereignty in a deeply divided territory. The ultimate rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters and the admission of Kansas as a free state in 1861 underscored the importance of popular sovereignty in shaping the future of the state.
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The impact on the Democratic Party
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 written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The document was approved in a rigged election in December 1857 but was overwhelmingly defeated in a second vote in January 1858 by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory.
The voting process and the subsequent admittance of Kansas as a free state in 1861 had a significant impact on the Democratic Party. Firstly, the debate over the proposed constitution highlighted irregular and fraudulent voting practices, which had been used by pro-slavery advocates to create a state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery. This created a divide within the Democratic Party, with many Northern Democrats, led by Stephen A. Douglas, siding with the Republicans in opposition to the constitution. Douglas, a strong advocate for popular sovereignty, vehemently opposed the Lecompton Constitution as it lacked true popular sovereignty. He insisted on "fair play" for Kansas and his stance cost him the support of the South.
The Lecompton Constitution also exposed the sharp divisions within the Democratic Party, with President Buchanan's insistence on Kansas's admission under the Lecompton Constitution despite the majority of Kansans not approving of it. This was seen by Northern citizens as an indication of the slave power manipulating Northern Democrat politicians. Northern politicians, both Democrat and Republican, recognised that if Kansas became a slave state against the wishes of its citizens, it would hand the Republicans a significant advantage in the midterms and possibly the 1860 election.
The impact of the Lecompton Constitution on the Democratic Party extended beyond the immediate voting process. The debate over the constitution ripped apart the party, with Northern anti-Lecompton Democrats joining forces with Republicans to block the passage of the Kansas statehood bill. Despite Douglas's objections, the bill eventually passed the Senate in March 1858, further exacerbating the tensions within the Democratic Party.
In conclusion, the impact of the Lecompton Constitution on the Democratic Party was profound and far-reaching. It exposed and widened the divide between Northern and Southern factions within the party, cost Senator Douglas support, and ultimately ripped apart the party as Northern anti-Lecompton Democrats joined forces with Republicans. The voting process and the eventual admittance of Kansas as a free state highlighted the deep-seated issues within the Democratic Party regarding slavery and popular sovereignty.
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The role of President James Buchanan
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in 1857 by pro-slavery advocates in Lecompton, Kansas. It was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas and was named for the city of Lecompton, where it was drafted. It was strongly pro-slavery and included provisions to protect slavery in the state and exclude free people of colour from its bill of rights.
President James Buchanan played a significant role in the events surrounding the Lecompton Constitution. He endorsed the Lecompton Constitution before Congress, despite evidence that it was acceptable only to a small minority of Kansans. Buchanan was a vocal supporter of enslaver rights, which he believed were necessary to prevent Southern secession and preserve the Union. He asked Congress to admit Kansas as a slave state, even though Kansas already had a large anti-slavery majority and was ready to become a free state.
Buchanan's appointee as territorial governor of Kansas, Robert J. Walker, opposed the Lecompton Constitution and resigned rather than implement it. Buchanan also rejected a compromise offered by anti-Lecompton Democrats to break a stalemate over the statehood bill, for reasons that remain unclear to historians. This compromise would have allowed Kansans to amend their constitution at any time, rather than waiting the stipulated seven years.
Buchanan's actions contributed to the deep divisions within the Democratic Party at the time, as many Northern Democrats sided with the Republicans in opposition to the Lecompton Constitution. Despite this opposition, the Kansas statehood bill passed the Senate on March 23, 1858, by a vote of 33 to 25. However, Kansas was ultimately admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861, after the pro-slavery senators who had blocked its admission withdrew from the Senate due to their states' secession.
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Frequently asked questions
Senator Stephen Douglass, a Democrat from Illinois, opposed the Lecompton Constitution because it lacked true popular sovereignty. The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. However, voters were not given the option to reject the constitution entirely, which was the true anti-slavery choice.
The Lecompton Constitution was initially approved in a rigged election in December 1857. However, it was overwhelmingly rejected in a second vote in January 1858 by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory. Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861.
Senator Douglas broke with President Buchanan and joined the Republicans in trying to block the Kansas statehood bill. This represented a growing trend among Northern Democrats in the late 1850s, who found it increasingly difficult to defend slavery to their constituents. Despite Douglas's objections, the Kansas statehood bill passed the Senate on March 23, 1858.
President James Buchanan supported the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution and submitted it to Congress for approval. He argued that neither the president nor a territorial legislature had the authority to intervene in the election process. Buchanan's insistence on admitting Kansas as a slave state under the Lecompton Constitution was seen as an indication of the slave power manipulating Northern Democrat politicians.
