Jonah Patel
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 color from its bill of rights. The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. The vote on the Lecompton Constitution was tainted by voter fraud and boycotts from free-soilers, resulting in a pro-slavery convention. Despite being rejected in a territorial election in January 1858, President James Buchanan, a vocal supporter of enslaver rights, recommended statehood for Kansas under its provisions. Congress initially balked at this recommendation, but a compromise was offered, and Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861.
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What You'll Learn
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates
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 which desired to become a state. This led to a series of events in Kansas and Missouri, culminating in violence and becoming known as "Bleeding Kansas". One of the most controversial events was the writing, voting on, and submission to Congress of the Lecompton Constitution by pro-slavery advocates in Lecompton, Kansas, in 1857.
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted and signed in 1857 in Constitution Hall, Lecompton, Kansas. The building is now a National Landmark and a museum. The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. Named for the city of Lecompton, Kansas, where it was drafted, it was strongly pro-slavery. It never went into effect.
In June 1857, free-state men boycotted the election for convention delegates as they believed that pro-slavery influences and fraud had tainted the election. Consequently, pro-slavery delegates dominated the constitutional convention. The Lecompton Convention waited to act until after the territorial legislative vote in October, which the pro-slavery forces initially won. However, the election was marred by widespread voter fraud, with border ruffians from Missouri stuffing ballot boxes. Governor Walker threw out the fraudulent ballots, giving anti-slavery forces control of the territorial legislature. This intervention infuriated the pro-slavery settlers, and Walker resigned and left Kansas in November 1857.
Between October 19 and November 8, 1857, the pro-slavery Lecompton Convention wrote a state constitution that deviated from previous state constitutions. The Lecompton Constitution prohibited any amendment for seven years and enshrined slavery in the proposed state, protecting the rights of enslavers.
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It contained clauses protecting slaveholding
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in 1857 by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. It contained clauses that protected slaveholding and a bill of rights that excluded free blacks. This added to the tensions that led up to the US Civil War.
The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution of James H. Lane and other free-state advocates. The territorial legislature, which consisted mainly 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 Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. It was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state. Slavery was the subject of Article 7, which protected the "right" to enslaved "property". It prevented the legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and full compensation.
The Lecompton Constitution was rejected in a territorial election in January 1858, but President James Buchanan still recommended statehood for Kansas under its provisions. Congress refused, and a compromise was offered, calling for the resubmission of the constitution to the territory's voters. Kansas again rejected it and was admitted to the Union as a free state in January.
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It excluded free Black people from its bill of rights
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in 1857 by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. 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 of James H. Lane and other free-state advocates. The Lecompton Constitution contained clauses that protected slaveholding and a bill of rights that excluded free Black people.
The exclusion of free Black people from the bill of rights in the Lecompton Constitution was a direct reflection of the pro-slavery stance of its drafters and supporters. They wanted to ensure that slavery was protected in Kansas and that the rights of enslavers were upheld. By excluding free Black people from the bill of rights, the drafters of the Lecompton Constitution were denying them the same rights and protections afforded to other citizens. This provision sent a clear message that free Black people were not considered equal members of society in Kansas.
The bill of rights in the Lecompton Constitution was designed to outline the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens of Kansas. By excluding free Black people from this document, the drafters were effectively denying them the same rights and protections enjoyed by other Kansans. This exclusion could have had far-reaching implications for the lives and opportunities of free Black people in the state. It could have affected their ability to own property, vote, receive an education, or access the same legal and social rights as their white counterparts.
The exclusion of free Black people from the bill of rights also highlights the racial tensions and inequalities that existed in Kansas at the time. The state was deeply divided between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, and this division often led to violence and conflict. The Lecompton Constitution, with its pro-slavery provisions, only served to exacerbate these tensions and contributed to the frictions leading up to the US Civil War. It represented the efforts of pro-slavery advocates to solidify and protect slavery in Kansas, even as the nation was moving towards a more anti-slavery sentiment.
The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters in January 1858 demonstrated their opposition to the exclusion of free Black people from the bill of rights and the protection of slavery. Despite President James Buchanan's support for the Lecompton Constitution and his recommendation for statehood for Kansas under its provisions, the majority of voters in Kansas Territory overwhelmingly defeated it in a second vote. This rejection highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts and demonstrated the strong anti-slavery sentiment in the state. Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state in January, marking a significant victory for the anti-slavery movement and the expansion of equal rights for all citizens.
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It was supported by President James Buchanan
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in 1857 by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas and to exclude free people of colour from its bill of rights. It was ratified by Kansas voters in December 1857, but overwhelmingly defeated in a second vote in January 1858 by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory.
President James Buchanan supported the Lecompton Constitution, despite the fact that it was unpopular with many Northern Democrats, including Stephen A. Douglas, who felt it violated popular sovereignty. Buchanan was a vocal supporter of enslaver rights, which he believed were necessary to prevent Southern secession and preserve the Union. He endorsed the Lecompton Constitution before Congress, demanding that they approve it and admit Kansas as a slave state.
Buchanan's support for the constitution may have been influenced by his quest to achieve Kansas's admission into the Union. He persuaded Senator Robert Walker to serve as the territorial governor, on the condition that any constitution written must be voted on entirely by all the residents of Kansas. However, free-state men refused to participate in the election for convention delegates as they believed pro-slavery influences and fraud tainted the election. Consequently, pro-slavery delegates dominated the constitutional convention.
Despite warnings from Walker that the Lecompton Constitution did not fulfil the promise of popular sovereignty and could lead to violence, Buchanan's support for it never wavered. His insistence on admitting Kansas as a slave state under the Lecompton Constitution alienated many Democrats and indicated to Northern citizens that the slave power was manipulating Northern Democrat politicians.
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It was rejected by Kansas voters
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted in 1857 by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state of Kansas. It was a highly controversial document that contained clauses protecting slaveholding and a bill of rights excluding free blacks. The constitution was rejected by Kansas voters in a territorial election in January 1858.
The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, there was widespread opposition to the document from free-state supporters, who comprised most of the actual settlers in Kansas. These free-state supporters boycotted the vote, refusing to participate in the election process. They believed that the election was tainted by pro-slavery influences and fraud. As a result, pro-slavery delegates dominated the constitutional convention, and only a pro-slavery constitution was presented to voters.
Another factor contributing to the rejection of the Lecompton Constitution was the resignation of Robert J. Walker, President James Buchanan's appointee as territorial governor of Kansas. Walker, a strong defender of slavery, opposed the blatant injustice of the constitution and resigned rather than implement it. His resignation and public criticism of the constitution likely influenced public opinion and encouraged further resistance to the document.
Additionally, the Lecompton Constitution was seen as a violation of popular sovereignty. Voters were not given the option to reject the constitution entirely and choose a truly anti-slavery path. This prompted Senator Stephen Douglass (Democrat-Illinois), the author of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, to vehemently oppose the constitution. He argued that it lacked true popular sovereignty and threatened to oppose President Buchanan publicly if he continued his support for it. Despite these objections, Buchanan's support for the Lecompton Constitution remained unwavering.
The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by Kansas voters had significant consequences. It highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier elections in the territory. It also led to a compromise offered by Congress, calling for the resubmission of the constitution to the territory's voters. Kansas voters again rejected the constitution in August 1858, and the state was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state on January 29, 1861.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state. It was supported by President James Buchanan, who recommended statehood for Kansas under its provisions. Some congressmen may have supported it for the same reason.
The Lecompton Constitution was rejected in a territorial election in January 1858. Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state in January 1861.
The Lecompton Constitution added to the frictions leading up to the US Civil War. It highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts by bushwhackers and border ruffians.
