n it was Charles Sumner who, with a wealth
of historical learning and great skill in forensic art, put the
irrepressible conflict between slavery and freedom in its proper setting
in human history.

CHAPTER XII. KANSAS AND BUCHANAN

In view of the presidential election of 1856 Northern Democrats
entertained no doubts that Kansas, now occupied by a majority of
free-state men, would be received as a free State without further ado.
The case was different with the Democrats of western Missouri, already
for ten years in close touch with those Southern leaders who were
determined either to secure new safeguards for slavery or to form an
independent confederacy. Their program was to continue their efforts to
make Kansas a slave State or at least to maintain the disturbance there
until the conditions appeared favorable for secession.

In February, 1857, the pro-slavery territorial Legislature provided for
the election of delegates to a constitutional convention, but Governor
Geary vetoed the act because no provision was made for submitting the
proposed constitution to the vote of the people. The bill was passed
over his veto, and arrangements were made for registration which
free-state men regarded as imperfect, inadequate, or fraudulent.

President Buchanan undoubtedly intended to do full justice to the
people of Kansas. To this end he chose Robert J. Walker, a Mississippi
Democrat, as Governor of Kansas. Walker was a statesman of high rank,
who had been associated with Buchanan in the Cabinet of James K. Polk.
Three times he refused to accept the office and finally undertook the
mission only from a sense of duty. Being aware of the fate of Governor
Geary, Walker insisted on an explicit understanding with Buchanan that
his policies should not be repudiated by the federal Administration.
Late in May he went to Kansas with high hopes and expectations. But the
free-state party had persisted in the repudiation of a Government which
had been first set up by an invading army and, as they alleged, had
since then been perpetuated by fraud. They had absolutely refused to
take part in any election called by that Government and had continued to
keep alive their own legislative assembly. Despite Walker's efforts
to persuade them to take part in the election of delegates to the
constitutional convention, they resolutely held aloof. Yet, as they
became convinced that he was acting in good faith, they did participate
in the October e