Border Ruffians of Missouri.
The crack of the rifle was soon to be heard on the plains of Kansas.

The first election in Kansas was held in November, 1854, when, by
fraud and violence, Whitfield, a pro-slavery man, was elected
delegate to Congress. Non-residents from Missouri cast the majority
of votes at this election. Though not of the requisite population,
this was regarded as the opportune time for Kansas' admission as
a slave State. Douglas in his report so recommended.

The House, the political complexion of which had changed at the
recent election, appointed Howard of Michigan, Sherman of Ohio,
and Oliver of Missouri a special committee to investigate the Kansas
outrages and election frauds.

A majority of this committee, July 1, 1856, reported, showing in
a most conclusive way that frauds and outrages had been perpetrated
to control the several Kansas elections.

From this report it appeared that in February, 1855, the total
population of Kansas was 8501; slaves 242, free negroes 151. A
lengthy debate ensued over the report and over Kansas affairs,
Wade, Seward, Sumner, and others participating.

Presidents Pierce and Buchanan successively appointed governor
after governor of their party--Reeder, Shannon, Geary, Walker,
Stanton--all of whom resigned or were removed because they each
failed to support or endorse the determined and fraudulent efforts
to make Kansas a slave State against the will of the majority of
the resident people. Hon. J. W. Denver of Ohio, a sensible, quiet
man, was the last of this long line of governors. One of them,
Andrew Reeder, who was indicted with others for high treason on
the ground of their participation in the organization of a free
State government under the Topeka Constitution, for fear of
assassination fled the territory in disguise. Robert J. Walker,
though himself pro-slavery, firmly refused to participate in forcing
the Lecompton Constitution on Kansas, even after President Buchanan,
at the demand of his pro-slavery party friends, had decided Kansas
should be admitted under it without its submission to a vote of
the people. This Constitution was framed at Lecompton by fraudulently
elected delegates to a pro-slavery convention, and it provided for
perpetual slavery in the State. In Governor Walker's letter of
resignation, December 16, 1857, he said:

"I state it as a fact . . . that an overwhelming majority of the
people (of Kansas) are opposed to the Lecomp