Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/48

THE BUFORD EXPEDITION TO KANSAS By the Kansas-Nebraska Act passed by Congress in 1854, the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska were organized and thrown open to settlement with the proviso that all questions relating to slavery were to be decided by the people of each territory when it should be ready for admission into the Union as a state. The South conceded and the North was sure of the admission of Ne- braska as a free state. In the case of Kansas it was doubtful if the anti-slavery party would ever be strong enough to control the elec- tions, but the leaders at the North intended to make a fight to secure Kansas. Consequently there was great excitement in differ- ent sections of the country, especially at the North, where, almost before the bill became a law. Emigrant Aid Societies were formed whose object was to assist emigrants opposed to the institution of slavery to go to the territory and settle in order to be ready to vote at the proper time. In this movement of importing men the North had nearly two years the start, the South being confident that no exertion would be necessary in order to secure Kansas as a slave state. So there was very little pro-slavery emigration into this "debatable land" before late in 1855 except from the neighboring state of Missouri. The first territorial elections were in favor of the Southern party, but the Emigrant Aid Societies in the Northern states kept pouring men and arms into the territory until late in 1855 the outlook was gloomy for the pro-slavery cause. Pro-slavery Emigrant Aid Societies were now organized in Missouri, and soon other similar societies were formed in the re- maining Southern states. Missouri appealed to her sister states in the South to come to her assistance. For two years she had borne the burden alone and would still do her utmost for the integrity of the South. ' ' But the time has come when she [Missouri] can no longer stand up single-handed, the lone champion of the South, against the myrmidons of the North. It requires no foresight to perceive that if the ' higher law ' men succeed in this crusade, it will be but the beginning of a war upon the institutions of the South, which will continue until slavery shall cease to exist in any of the states, or the Union is dissolved. "The great struggle will come off at the next election in October, 1856, and unless at that time the South can maintain her ground all will (38)