Lecompton Constitution

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

in the territorial history of Kansas, a pro-slavery constitution framed by a convention held at Lecompton September 5 to November 7, 1857. The convention was composed of delegates chosen by an election in which the anti-slavery men refused to take part on the score of illegality. The proposed constitution contained four clauses declaring the property rights of slaveowners inviolable and prohibiting the legislature from passing acts of emancipation. December 21, 1857, the constitution was submitted to vote in the form of "For the constitution with slavery," or "For the constitution without slavery," thus making sure of adoption in one form or another. The anti-slavery voters of the state very generally remained away from the polls. The vote stood 6,143 for the constitution with slavery, with 569 votes against the slavery cause. Over half of the votes were cast in the precincts along the Missouri border, although the whole line of counties did not contain over a thousand legal voters. Excitement ran so high, and the legality of the entire procedure was so doubtful, that the territorial legislature met in special session and submitted the constitution as a whole January 4, 1858, at which date 10,226 votes were cast against it. Congress now took a hand and ordered the Lecompton Constitution submitted to a vote August 3, 1858. It was defeated by a majority of 10,000. The present constitution of Kansas was framed by a duly constituted convention July 5-27, 1859; it was adopted by popular vote October 4, 1859, and Kansas was admitted as a free state January 29, 1861.