reaties had been quietly
made with a half score of Indian nations in Kansas, by which the greater
part of the soil for 200 miles west was opened. In June, within a few days
after the act had been passed, hundreds of Missourians crossed into Kansas,
took up quarter-sections and claimed the right of pre-emption upon the
eastern region. In Massachusetts and other Eastern States, societies were
meanwhile formed for the purpose of making Kansas a free State. All the
Northwest was eager to furnish squatters. In the East, Eli Thayer organized
immigration to Kansas. When the country was thrown open to settlement, the
company which he had organized took up claims at Lawrence. A population of
8,000 pressed in from the North. Meetings were held in Missouri in the
slave interest, which pledged that State to send men to Kansas and remove
all the Free State immigrants. A bloody election was held in Kansas. The
pro-slavery Legislature made it a felony to circulate anti-slavery
publications, or to deny the right to hold slaves. Reeder, the newly
appointed first Governor, arrived. An election was ordered to choose a
delegate for Congress. Armed Missourians from across the border took
possession of the polls, and by methods of intimidation elected Whitfield,
a slave-holding delegate, to Congress. At a second election 13 State
Senators and 26 members of a Lower House were declared elected. For this
purpose 6,320 votes were cast--more than twice the number of legal voters.

[Sidenote: Mexican adjustment]

Foreign affairs for a short while served to distract attention from the
all-engrossing subject. Mexican boundary disputes were further ended by a
repeal of the obligation of Guadeloupe Hidalgo which required the Mexican
frontier to be defended against the Indians. For this release the United
States paid to Mexico $10,000,000.

[Sidenote: Reciprocity with Canada]

A reciprocity treaty was made with Great Britain which opened to the United
States all the frontiers of British America except Newfoundland, and gave
to the British the right to share the American fisheries to the 36th
parallel. Commerce in breadstuffs, fish, animals and lumber between the
United States and the British provinces was made free. The St. Lawrence and
Canadian Canals were opened to American vessels. All future differences
were to be settled by arbitration.

[Sidenote: Fremont in California]

During this year news arrived of the safe arrival of Fremont's fifth
e