Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/773

KANSAS 753 tomology, and meteorology, and designs in time to make a complete scientific survey of the state. According to the census of 1870, there were in the state 574 libraries, having 218,676 volumes; 364, with 126,251 volumes, were private, and 190, with 92,425, were other than private, including 4 circulating libraries with 6,550 volumes. The state library in 1874 contained about 10,000 volumes. The number of newspapers and periodicals in 1870 was 97, with an aggregate circulation of 96,803 ; copies annually issued, 9,518,176; 12 were daily, cir- culation 17,570 ; 4 tri-weekly, circulation 1,840 ; 78 weekly, circulation 71,393 ; and 3 month- ly, circulation 6,000. The number of religious organizations of all denominations was 530, having 301 edifices, with 102,135 sittings, and property valued at $1,722,700. The denomi- nations were represented as follows : DENOMINATIONS. !* 1 3 Sittings. Property. 91 66 18,540 fJ-lT.'.Hl'l 85 10 4,550 45,800 43 26 8,850 152,000 Episcopal, Protestant Evangelical Association 14 2 7 8 1 7 8,280 800 1,600 57,500 6,000 18,800 2 1 800 1,500 9 fi 1,400 12,500 Methodist inn 74 28,525 816,600 Presbyterian, regular 84 10 55 7 20,660 2,150 277,900 24,500 Reformed Church in the Uni- ted States (late German 1 1 275 8.000 87 84 14,605 518,200 2 1 400 20,000 United Brethren in Christ. . 24 8 2,200 81,500 Kansas was annexed to the United States in 1803 as part of the territory bought from France under the general designation of Loui- siana. By the Missouri compromise bill of 1820 it was provided " that in all the territory ceded by France to the United States under the name of Louisiana which lies N. of lat. 36 30' N., excepting only such part thereof as is included within the limits of the state [Mis- souri] contemplated by this act, slavery and involuntary servitude, otherwise than in the punishment of crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall be and is here- by for ever prohibited." By an act of con- gress passed in May, 1854, the territories of Kansas and Nebraska were organized, and in section 14 of this act it was declared that the constitution and all the laws of the United States should be in force in these territories except the Missouri compromise act of 1820, " which ... is hereby declared inoperative and void." The question of slavery was thus left to the decision of the inhabitants of the territory. This formed the leading topic of discussion in congress, and caused a great agi- tation throughout the country. About a month previously the legislature of Massachusetts had incorporated the Massachusetts emigrant aid company, for the purpose of assisting emi- grants to settle in the new territories, by giving them useful information, procuring them cheap passage over railroads, and establishing mills and other conveniences at central points in the new settlements. In July the legislature of Connecticut granted a charter to a similar company. A large immigration into Kansas from the northwestern states had already taken place, and emigrants in considerable numbers from the free states and a few from the slave states now availed themselves of the oppor- tunities for cheap transportation offered by these companies to settle in Kansas. A party of 30 men led by Mr. Branscomb founded the town of Lawrence, and were soon after joined by 60 or 70 more led by Mr. Charles Robinson and S. 0. Pomeroy. Settlers from Missouri were at the same time passing into Kansas, in many cases taking their slaves with them. On July 29, 1854, a public meeting, called by the "Platte County Defensive Association," was held at Weston, Mo., and resolutions were adopted and published declaring that the asso- ciation would hold itself in readiness, when- ever called upon by any of the citizens of Kan- sas, "to assist in removing any and all emi- grants who go there under the auspices of northern emigrant aid societies." On Aug. 12 another meeting was held at Weston, at which resolutions were adopted, declaring in favor of the extension of slavery into Kansas. It also appears from a congressional investigation or- dered in 1856, that before any elections were held in the territory a secret society was formed in Missouri for the purpose of extend- ing slavery into Kansas and other territories. This was to be done by sending voters into the territory. Andrew II. Reeder of Pennsylvania had been appointed governor by President Pierce, and arrived in Kansas Oct. 6. An elec- tion for a territorial delegate to congress was held Nov. 29. The polls were taken possession of by armed bands from Missouri, and out of 2,843 votes cast it was subsequently estimated by a congressional investigating committee that 1,729 were illegal. On March 30, 1855, another election for members of the territorial legisla- ture was held, and the polls were again taken possession of by large bodies of armed men from Missouri, who, after electing pro-slavery delegates from every district, returned to their own homes in the adjacent state. From the investigation by the congressional committee it appeared that out of 6,218 votes cast at this election, only 1,410 were legal, of which 791 were given for the free-state or anti-slavery candidates. From six of the districts, evi- dence of the illegal nature of the proceedings having been laid before Gov. Reeder, he set aside the returns and ordered new elections in those districts, which resulted in the choice of free-state delegates, except at Leavenworth, where the polls were again seized by Missou- rians. Gov. Reeder soon after visited Wash- ington to confer with the federal authorities, and after his return his removal from the office