Kansas Pro-Slavery Publication Criticizing Kansas-Nebraska Act

New York: Greeley & McElrath, ca. 1856. A printed booklet on the pro-slavery movement in Kansas, following the controversial Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.16pp, measuring 5.75" x 8.75".  The booklet has light toning and foxing throughout. Dampstaining at the right upper corners. Overall very good.

With articles entitled "The Border Ruffian Code In Kansas", "Toombs' Kansas Bill Dissected: Letter from W.Y. Roberts, Lieutenant-Governor of Kansas", and "Presidential Platforms for 1856". A map printed on the last page entitled, "Freedom and Slavery, and the Coveted Territories", which includes data on the number of slaves vs. slaveholders in the U.S., postage & mail transportation costs between the North and South, and Congressional Representation in relation to pro- or anti-slavery.

Highlights from the booklet include:
"The character of the Code of pretended Laws enacted by the bogus Territorial Legislature of Kansas - a Legislature notoriously forced upon the people of that Territory, at the hands of invading ruffians from Missouri, using the persuasive arguments of the Bowie-Knife and Revolver - may be judged from the following extracts, which are taken from Executive Document No. 23, submitted to Congress by the President of the United States…We commence with the following, which will be found commencing on page 604, and which will provoke its own comments…An Act to Punish Offences against Slave Property.
1. Persons raising insurrection punishable with death
2. Aider punishable with death
3. What constitutes felony
4. Punishment for decoying away slaves
5. Punishment for assisting slaves
6. What deemed grand larceny
7. What deemed felony
8. Punishment for concealing slaves
9. Punishment for rescuing slaves from officer
10. Penalty on officer who refuses to assist in capturing slaves
11. Printing of incendiary documents
12. What deemed a felony
13. Who are qualified as jurors"

Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas, or the Border War was a series of violent political confrontations in the United States between 1854 and 1861 involving anti-slavery "Free-Staters" and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian" supporters in Kansas. At the heart of the conflict was the political and ideological debate over the legality of slavery in the proposed state of Kansas. The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 called for popular sovereignty, leaving the decision in the hands of the territory's settlers rather than by legislators in Washington. However, pro-slavery settlers came to Kansas mainly from neighboring Missouri. In opposition, abolitionist settlers moved from the East expressly to make Kansas a free state. Territorial governors attempted to maintain the peace, but the area became such a hostile environment that it eventually degenerated into brutal gang violence and guerrilla warfare.

After much conflict and violence, a Congressional investigation was finally conducted and it became apparent that a majority of Kansans wanted Kansas to be a free state. However, this required Congressional approval and was subsequently blocked by Southern members. Kansas was finally admitted to the Union as a free state after several southern states seceded following Lincoln's election in early 1861.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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