Jonah Patel
In Washington, President James Buchanan supported the Lecompton Constitution, a pro-slavery document that was drafted in 1857 and named for the city of Lecompton, Kansas, where it was written. The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed state constitutions for Kansas, and it aimed to protect slavery in the state and exclude free people of color from its bill of rights. Despite evidence that the Lecompton Constitution was only acceptable to a small minority of Kansans, Buchanan asked Congress to admit Kansas as a slave state. His unwavering support for the constitution and its passage in Congress alienated many Democrats, including Stephen Douglas, who felt it violated popular sovereignty.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | James Buchanan |
| Position | President |
| Party | Democrat |
| Supported the Lecompton Constitution | Yes |
| Reason for support | Believed it was necessary to prevent Southern secession and preserve the Union |
| Outcome of support | Divided the Democratic Party, alienated many Democrats, and fueled accusations that Democrats supported pro-slavery forces |
Explore related products
$22.95
What You'll Learn
President James Buchanan endorsed the Lecompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state and exclude free Black people. It enshrined the right to own slaves as "property" and prevented the legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and full compensation. It was approved in a rigged election in December 1857, but this vote was boycotted by free-soilers and marred by serious voting irregularities.
Despite the questionable nature of this first vote, President Buchanan supported the Lecompton Constitution and asked Congress to admit Kansas as a slave state. He believed that supporting enslaver rights was necessary to prevent Southern secession and preserve the Union. Buchanan's unwavering support for the constitution alienated many Democrats, including Stephen Douglas, who felt it violated popular sovereignty. Douglas and the Republicans tried to block the Kansas statehood bill, arguing that the process had been fraudulent and undemocratic.
In January 1858, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution by a vote of 10,226 to 138. Despite this clear majority opposing the document, Buchanan continued to demand that Congress approve it. His insistence on admitting Kansas as a slave state under the Lecompton Constitution contributed to the growing tensions over slavery and highlighted the irregular voting practices that had marked the process.
Constitution Rules: What Are They Named?
You may want to see also
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates
The Lecompton Constitution was submitted to Congress by pro-slavery advocates in 1857, and it was the subject of a message to Congress by President James Buchanan in February 1858. The document was drafted in the context of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which required people to decide on the issue of slavery through their vote for a constitution for any new territory that desired statehood. This act, based on Stephen Douglas' notion of popular sovereignty, led to a series of events in Kansas and Missouri that became known as "Bleeding Kansas" and was a prelude to the Civil War.
The Lecompton Constitution was strongly pro-slavery and included clauses protecting slaveholding and a bill of rights that excluded free black people. It 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 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 to create a state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery.
Despite the rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters, President James Buchanan, a vocal supporter of enslaver rights, endorsed the Lecompton Constitution before Congress. Buchanan believed that these rights were necessary to prevent Southern secession and preserve the Union. In Congress, the administration and the southern leadership mustered enough votes to approve the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution. However, this decision was met with opposition from Northern Democrats, led by Stephen A. Douglas, who sided with the Republicans in rejecting the constitution as fraudulent.
Marriage and the Constitution: Where's the Connection?
You may want to see also
The vote was boycotted by free-soilers
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in 1857 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. The vote on the Lecompton Constitution was boycotted by free-soilers, who comprised most of the actual settlers in Kansas. The referendum suffered serious voting irregularities, with over half of the 6,000 votes deemed fraudulent.
The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed constitutions for Kansas. The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The territorial legislature, which, because of widespread electoral fraud, mainly consisted of enslavers, met at Lecompton in September 1857 to produce a rival document. The Lecompton Constitution enshrined slavery in the proposed state and protected the rights of enslavers. It stated that any person who "shall maliciously dismember, or deprive a slave of life, shall suffer such punishment as would be inflicted in case the like offense had been committed on a free white person". It also included a clause that Free negroes shall not be permitted to live in this state under any circumstances."
The vote on the Lecompton Constitution was boycotted by free-soilers because they opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories of the United States. The Free-Soil Party, which existed from 1848 to 1854, was a minor but influential political party in the pre-Civil War period of American history. The party was led by Salmon P. Chase of Ohio, John P. Hale of New Hampshire, and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. The Free-Soilers strongly opposed the Compromise of 1850, which temporarily settled the issue of slavery in the Mexican Cession. They also opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which repealed the long-standing Missouri Compromise and allowed voters in a territory to decide whether their new state would be free or slave.
The boycott of the vote by free-soilers highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts by bushwhackers and border ruffians. In January 1858, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution by a vote of 10,226 to 138. The admission of Kansas as a state with the Lecompton Constitution was rejected by the United States, and Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state.
Primary Care Agreements: Insurance Alternative?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Straight Outta Compton [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/816ep1p76PL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The referendum suffered serious voting irregularities
The referendum on the Lecompton Constitution suffered serious voting irregularities. 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 referendum on the Lecompton Constitution was held in December 1857 and only a handful of people voted, with the result being an overwhelming victory for slavery. However, there was no option to reject the constitution entirely, which would have been the true anti-slavery choice. This meant that the vote did not represent true popular sovereignty.
The referendum suffered from widespread electoral fraud, with over half of the 6,000 votes deemed fraudulent. Free-state supporters boycotted the vote, and the main culprits of the fraud were border ruffians who poured over the border from Missouri to stuff the ballot boxes. The referendum was also boycotted by free-soilers, who believed that the "Constitution with no Slavery" clause would not have made Kansas a free state. This clause would merely have banned the future importation of enslaved people into Kansas, something deemed unenforceable.
The referendum was preceded by a series of events in Kansas and Missouri that culminated in violence and became known as "Bleeding Kansas". This was a prelude to the US Civil War. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 required people to decide on the issue of slavery through their vote for a constitution for any new territory that desired to become a state. This led to a chain of confusing and controversial events, including the writing, voting on, and submission of the Lecompton Constitution to Congress by pro-slavery advocates in 1857.
The referendum on the Lecompton Constitution was rejected by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory in January 1858. Kansas voters had the opportunity to reject the constitution altogether in this referendum and overwhelmingly rejected it by a vote of 10,226 to 138. The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts by bushwhackers and border ruffians.
Constitution Party: Core Beliefs and Values
You may want to see also
Congress rejected the admission of Kansas with the Lecompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in 1857 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 ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, but this election was tainted as 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. However, the US House of Representatives rejected the admission of Kansas with the Lecompton Constitution in 1858. The debate over the proposed constitution divided the Democratic Party, with Southern Democrats supporting Buchanan and many Northern Democrats siding with the Republicans in opposition to the constitution.
The Lecompton Constitution was strongly pro-slavery and included clauses protecting slaveholding. It was drafted in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. 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 Kansas statehood bill passed the Senate on March 23, 1858, by a vote of 33 to 25. However, a new referendum over the fate of the Lecompton Constitution was proposed, and Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected the constitution in January 1858. Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state on January 29, 1861.
The UN Charter: A Constitution for All Nations
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
President James Buchanan supported the Lecompton Constitution.
James Buchanan was a vocal supporter of enslaver rights, which he believed were necessary to prevent Southern secession and preserve the Union.
James Buchanan's support for the Lecompton Constitution led to a divided Democratic Party, with many Democrats, including Stephen Douglas, opposing it as they felt it violated popular sovereignty. Despite this, the Lecompton Constitution was approved by the Senate by a vote of 33 to 25. However, in August 1858, the people of Kansas rejected it by a significant margin, and Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state.
![Straight Outta Compton [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71COGVODP-L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
