. A history of the United States . eroundabout way through Iowa. The settlers who opposedslavery were soon in the majority; but as all the settlerswere near the Missouri boundary, the pro-slavery party wasreinforced by men from the latter state, who crossed the lineand voted more than enough ballots at every election tocounterbalance the free vote; sometimes, indeed, the numberof ballots counted was more than the whole number ofvoters in the territory. The free settlers declined to recog-nize legislatures so chosen or laws made by them, but, hold- TROUBLES IN KANSAS. 261 ing elections of their
. A history of the United States . eroundabout way through Iowa. The settlers who opposedslavery were soon in the majority; but as all the settlerswere near the Missouri boundary, the pro-slavery party wasreinforced by men from the latter state, who crossed the lineand voted more than enough ballots at every election tocounterbalance the free vote; sometimes, indeed, the numberof ballots counted was more than the whole number ofvoters in the territory. The free settlers declined to recog-nize legislatures so chosen or laws made by them, but, hold- TROUBLES IN KANSAS. 261 ing elections of their own, chose legislatures and framed con-stitutions in accord with their own views. Of course, thepro-slavery element refused to acknowledge these actions,and unfortunately the trouble did not stop with words andelections. Men were attacked and shot, and houses andwhole villages were destroyed by the Border Ruffians, asthey were called. The settlers from the East and North,feeling that their just rights were invaded, met force with. VOTING-PLACE IN KANSAS, 1855. force, and retaliated with a severity perhaps quite equal tothat which they themselves experienced. The whole terri-tory was in a state of actual war. The administration atWashington generally sided with the pro-slavery party; butthough governor after governor was sent out, it seemedimpossible to preserve peace. It was not long before thefree settlers had so increased in numbers as to be warrantedin asking that the territory should be admitted to the Unionas a state, but though petitioning Congress more than once,their request was not granted until 1861. CHAPTER XIV. INCREASE OF SECTIONAL General. — James Schouler, History of the United States, v. 335-512;James F. Rhodes, History of the United States, ii. 131-502; Bryant andGay, Popular History of the United States, iv. 418-447 ; W. Wilson, Divisionand Reunion (Epochs of American History), pp. 194-218; James G. Blaine,Twenty Years of Congress, i. 13
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