1855

Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era | 2004 | Nicole Etcheson

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Before when free-soil men invoked the right of revolution in defense of their political rights, proslavery men condemned them for defying the legitimate government. But proslavery men feared the loss of their right to own slaves as much as free soilers feared the loss of the right to exclude slavery.

At Hickory Point, [Kansas] a squabble over land claims ignited these political quarrels. A settler named Franklin M. Coleman had been squatting on land abandoned by some Hoosiers, who subsequently sold the claim to Jacob Branson, another Hoosier. In late 1854, when Branson informed Coleman of his legal claim and attempted to move into Coleman’s house, Coleman held him off with a gun. A group of arbitrators later awarded part of the claim to Branson, but the boundaries between his land and Coleman’s were not determined. Branson invited in other men, including a young Ohioan named Charles W. Dow. Branson belonged to the free-state militia, a connection he used to intimidate Coleman, although Branson later testified that there had been no problems between Dow and Coleman – until the day of Dow’s murder.

On the morning of November 21, 1855, Dow went to the blacksmith shop at Hickory Point to have a wagon skein and lynchpin mended. While there he argued with one of Coleman’s friends, but left unharmed. As he walked away, he passed Coleman on the road. Coleman snapped a cap at him. When Dow turned around, he received a charge of buckshot in the chest and died immediately. His body lay in the road until Branson recovered it four hours later. Coleman claimed that Dow had threateningly raised the wagon skein (a two-foot piece of iron) as they argued over their claim dispute, forcing him to act in self-defense. Fearing that he could not get fair treatment at the free-state settlement of Hickory Point, Coleman and his family fled to Missouri.

Nicole Etcheson, “Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era”

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed. To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

150 years ago today the Civil War had been over for several months. 160 years ago today the Civil War was still over five years off. I have decided to use the latter date to begin this series rather than something like 155 years for a couple reasons. I like the tidiness of the even 10 years and this gives me an opportunity to learn a little about the era. My knowledge of pre-Civil War history as well as that of the war itself is even more deficient than my knowledge of World War II history was before I started my previous project. This way I can take a much more in-depth look at the period before the shooting starts. One of my regrets about the WWII project was that I was so busy putting the threads together ahead of the calendar that I didn’t have time to read most of the material I was posting, let alone additional background material. For example, I have 2 books on the battle of Midway that I still haven’t read.

As you can tell by the title of this thread I don’t plan on posting very much, at least for a good long while. As mentioned previously, Harpers Weekly is available on line from 1858 on. I have downloaded the first year for posting beginning 2018. Since there will be long periods between 160-year-old news posts I thought we could fill the time by comparing notes on books about the period and discussing the history that led up to the “Bleeding Kansas” affair. I will attempt to lay out the basic facts now.

A real look at the history of slavery in the United States would go back to the 17th century at least and could go as far back as the age of the Torah, but I will start with the Compromise of 1820 (Missouri Compromise). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Compromise That was devised by Henry Clay, an icon of the Whig party (of which A. Lincoln was a member). The compromise was intended as a solution to disputes of whether newly organized territories and states of the U.S. would allow slavery or not. It set a dividing line at 36° 30’ north latitude. Slavery would be prohibited in territory north of the line and allowed south of it. The exception was Missouri, which was north of the line but was admitted as a slave state.

By 1854 members of Congress were eager to start settling the vast farmlands of the new territory and it was necessary to first organize the region. One member most active in this effort was Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. He wanted to get on with the building of a transcontinental railroad, with the eastern head at Chicago. The plan was blocked because he couldn’t get a measure passed in the Senate establishing new territories of Kansas and Nebraska under the terms of the Missouri Compromise. Southern Senators insisted that Kansas (north of 36° 30’ latitude) be open to slavery under popular sovereignty, that is, it would be left to a popular vote of the citizens of the new territory to decide whether slavery would be permitted or prohibited. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, introduced by Douglas, overturned the Compromise of 1820 and mandated popular sovereignty in the two new territories. With overwhelming southern support the measure passed both houses of Congress in May 1854. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas%E2%80%93Nebraska_Act The troubles in Kansas began immediately.

This is all covered in detail in “Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era,” by Nicole Etcheson.

The excerpt I started off with come from chapter 4, “We Are But Slaves: The Free-State Movement.” Chapter 1 covers Douglas’s effort to get the Kansas-Nebraska Act through Congress. Chapter 2 is about the migration of both slavery proponents and free-soilers to the new territory after its passage. Chapter 3 covers the unbelievably flawed process used to elect the first territorial legislature. That was all-important since that body would vote on whether Nebraska was to be a slave or free state.

I have found “Bleeding Kansas” to be quite readable for a non-scholar like me; well organized, plenty detailed, and straightforward in style. The time period covered is 1854 to 1864, so it should provide background for almost the whole period of this forum.

The other book I have started is a biography by David Herbert Donald called simply “Lincoln.” I picked that one from the vast selection of such works base on reading a few reviews at Amazon.

I hope to acquire more Lincoln bios over the course of the next few years but I wanted to start with a well-regarded, single volume book. I have only gotten to 1856 in the chronology but have enjoyed the book so far. It starts with descriptions of some of Abraham’s ancestors in Virginia and moves to the primitive frontier boyhood I remember from long-ago. His early days in New Salem, Illinois are covered, as he decided what to do with his life. He won a seat in the Illinois state legislature in 1834 and studied to be a lawyer. He balanced his political activities with the law. He was junior partner in two different firms before becoming senior partner when he joined with William “Billy” Herndon. That association continued until Lincoln went to Washington. By 1855 the firm was thriving, with railroad cases the most lucrative. In 1842 Lincoln married Mary Todd and they started a family in Springfield. After two terms in the Illinois legislature he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Whig. He had to master the Illinois political game to accomplish that. He attempted to work that system to be selected as U.S. Senator from Illinois in January 1855. But that was a longshot proposition and he lost out to Lyman Trumbull. The book explained some about the Whig party and also the Know Nothings. I always wondered about that name and now know it stems from the fact that membership was supposed to be secret. So if an outsider asked what they were up to the member supposedly replied, “I know nothing.” Why a political party should remain a secret I didn’t figure out. Initially the Republican party had an abolitionist tilt, which was considered radical – even in the north. So mainstream politicians – including Lincoln – steered clear of it. By 1854, however, with the future of the Whigs looking grim, Republicans were ready to organize as a free-soil alternative to the Democrats. Lincoln enthusiastically jumped in to advise the non-lawyers in that pursuit.

Lincoln was out of office in 1854 during the Kansas-Nebraska Act debate. I was interested to learn that he shadowed Sen. Stephen A. Douglas (D-Il) as that man traveled the state promoting his measure. Douglas gave a speech in Springfield on October 3 and Lincoln spoke in rebuttal the following day. They repeated the exercise October 16 in Peoria. They didn’t appear together on the same stage but those events seem a notable preview to the celebrated Lincoln-Douglas debates four years later.

That covers the highlights, I think. I recommend both these books and hope to read other recommendations of books covering the pre-Civil War period.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Photos! (From “Lincoln”)

Maps! (Also from “Lincoln”)

Lincoln first lived in New Salem (top of first map) when he settled in Illinois. Vandalia (same map) was the original state capital. Lincoln was one of the key players in getting it moved to Springfield. That was one of his earlier hard-ball political fights. He took right to that kind of action.

[Patton@Bastogne]

Thanks ...

[Utilizer]

“I have downloaded the first year for posting beginning 2018.”

So... you’re from the future then.

Welcome back.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

As you can see, I got too impatient to wait for 1858 + 160 years to roll around. I plan a slow motion, low volume ping schedule for a while just to see how it goes. I won’t blame anybody that doesn’t want to sign on this early. I will post this using the WWII ping list + people that already indicated they are ready to go on the final post from the war (9/3/45). I will probably do that for a while and then drop everybody that doesn’t indicate to me by normal or private reply they want to be on a “Civil War” ping list. You can see the new list on my profile just below the original WWII class roster. I put the quotes around “Civil War” because it will be 2021 before the real shooting starts and it seems like tempting fate to assume we will all still be doing this by then.

As the thread title suggests this will be the only thread from now through December. As I learn interesting new information from my reading I will post it here as replies but will not ping the whole list, so check in from time to time for updates if you wish. The idea is for everybody to contribute so I am thinking my only exceptional role is to provide the venue. I am not doing a daily newspaper post but if anyone else is moved to do that I’m sure everyone would appreciate the effort.

What the heck happened to the formatting on FR over the last 6 weeks?

[Homer_J_Simpson]

First of many errors on this series. I was supposed to use the old ping list initially to give everyone a chance to opt in or out of the 1855-1865 series. Let me know.

[henkster]

Count me in!

[Vermont Lt]

Did you get to the part where Lincoln started killing vampires.

[TADSLOS]

Please add me to the list. Thanks.

[laplata]

Thank you very much, Homer.

[kanawa]

Add me please.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Count me in!

I'm glad that you are willing but in your case I made an exception and simply reactivated you from the reserve list w/o consulting you.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Did you get to the part where Lincoln started killing vampires.

No I'm only up to ch. 7. I think the undead don't make an appearance until ch. 18.

[rdl6989]

Opt me in, thanks.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Added, added and added.

[PeterPrinciple]

Historical Events for Year 1855

Interesting year, lots of rabbit holes to investigate:

http://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1855

Jan 9th - Clipper Guiding Star disappears in Atlantic, 480 dead

Jan 23rd - The first bridge over the Mississippi River opens in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota, a crossing made today by the Father Louis Hennepin Bridge.

Jan 28th - The first locomotive runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean on the Panama Railway.

Jan 31st - Western railroads blocked by snow

Feb 3rd - Wisconsin Supreme Coutt declares US Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional

Feb 4th - Soldiers shoot Jewish families in Coro, Venezuela

Feb 5th - British government of Palmerston forms

Feb 8th - The Devil’s Footprints mysteriously appear in southern Devon.

Feb 10th - US citizenship laws amended; all children of US parents born abroad granted US citizenship

Feb 11th - Kassa Hailu is crowned Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia, by Abuna Salama III in a ceremony at the church of Derasge Maryam.

Feb 12th - Michigan State University was established.

Feb 14th - Texas is linked by telegraph to the rest of the United States, with the completion of a connection between New Orleans and Marshall, Texas.

Feb 24th - US Court of Claims forms for cases against government

Mar 2nd - Aleksandr Romanov becomes tsar of Russia

Mar 3rd - US Congress approves $30,000 to test camels for military use

Mar 3rd - US Congress authorizes registered mail

Mar 6th - Gustave Flaubert writes goodbye to Louise Colet

Mar 7th - 17th Grand National: John Hanlon aboard Wanderer IRE wins

Mar 8th - 1st train crosses 1st US railway suspension bridge, Niagara Falls

Mar 15th - Louisiana establishes 1st health board to regulate quarantine

Mar 24th - Manhattan Kansas founded as New Boston Kansas
Physician and Geologist Abraham GesnerPhysician and Geologist Abraham Gesner

Mar 27th - Abraham Gesner patents kerosene

Apr 21st - 1st train crosses Miss River’s 1st bridge, Rock Is Ill-Davenport Ia

Apr 26th - Composer Gioacchino Rossini leaves Italy

Apr 28th - 1st veterinary college in US incorporated in Boston

May 3rd - Antwerp-Rotterdam railway opens

May 5th - NYC regains Castle Clinton, to be used for immigration

Jun 1st - US adventurer William Walker conquers Nicaragua, reestablishes slavery

Jun 2nd - The Portland Rum Riot occurs in Portland, Maine.

Jun 5th - Anti-foreign anti-Roman Catholic Know-Nothing Party’s 1st convention

Jun 13th - Opera “Les Vêpres Sicilenne” is produced (Paris)

Jun 17th - Heavy French/British bombing of Sebastopol, Crimea: 2,000+ killed

Jun 20th - Commissioners appointed to lay out SF streets west of Larkin

Jun 28th - The Sigma Chi Fraternity was founded at Miami University

Jul 4th - In Brooklyn, New York, the first edition of Walt Whitman’s book of poems, titled Leaves of Grass, is published.

Jul 20th - 1st train from Rotterdam to Utrecht in Netherlands

Jul 31st - Hottest July in Stockholm since at least 1756 (21.4°C avg)

Aug 1st - Castle Clinton in NYC opens as 1st US receiving station for immigrants

Aug 3rd - Rotterdam-Gouda railway opens

Aug 4th - John Bartlett publishes “Familiar Quotations”

Aug 9th - Battle of Acapulco during Mexican Liberal uprising

Sep 3rd - Indian Wars: In Nebraska, 700 soldiers under American General William S. Harney avenge the Grattan Massacre by attacking a Sioux village, killing 100 men, women, and children.

Sep 8th - Crimean war - assault of Malakof Tower under Patrice de Mac-Mahon, Duke of Magenta

Sep 8th - British and French troops capture Sevastopol from the Russians, effectively ending the Crimean War.

Sep 27th - George F Bristow’s “Rip Van Winkle”, 2nd American opera, opens in NYC

Oct 9th - Isaac Singer patents sewing machine motor

Oct 9th - Joshua Stoddard of Worcester, Massachusetts, patents first calliope

Oct 17th - Bessemer steelmaking process patented
Composer/Pianist Franz LisztComposer/Pianist Franz Liszt

Oct 18th - Franz Liszt’s “Prometheus,” premieres

Nov 17th - David Livingstone becomes the first European to see Victoria Falls in what is now Zambia and Zimbabwe.

[jjotto]

1855 - Karl Marx was living in London. His daughter Elanor was born on January 16 and eventually played a role in British politics and theater.

[X-spurt]

Man it would be nice if he told us what happens next year.

[Chgogal]

Hi there Homer!

I will opt in. You do such a great job. : )

Thank you.