Chapter 456: One State, Two Prefectures

Kansas is located in the middle states at the junction of the North and the South, and is the heartland of the United States. It is also the center of the vortex.

With the development of the West, Kansas has gradually become a major transportation route for immigrants from the North and the South to the new states.

Both the immigration companies in the South and the North regard the Kansas region as an important transit station for immigrants heading west.

Therefore, the population of Kansas, which was originally sparsely populated, has gradually increased, gradually reaching the standard for establishing a new state.

As southerners and northerners cohabited in Kansas, conflicts ensued. This made the Kansas region the focal area of ​​the conflict between the North and the South.

Neither the North nor the South has an absolute advantage in Kansas, but is in a 50-50 balance.

Kansas and Nebraska are the two new states that the United States wanted to establish in 1854.

After consultation, the US Congress introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act with difficulty, which declared the Missouri Compromise, which was passed in 1820 and used for 34 years, invalid.

The abolition of the Missouri Compromise means that the dividing line between slave states and free states at 36 degrees and 30 minutes north latitude in the compromise is abolished.

There is no doubt that the Kansas-Nebraska Act is in favor of the South.

If the border between the North and the South is divided at 36 degrees and 30 minutes north latitude according to the Missouri Compromise, most of Kansas will belong to the North.

However, considering that California became a free state before, Texas ceded land to establish a new state, which made the South full of resentment.

In order to take care of the emotions of the southern states, Fillmore believed that it was necessary to introduce the Kansas-Nebraska Act, otherwise the South would never give up.

However, this also made the staunch abolitionists in the North deeply dissatisfied.

According to the new Kansas-Nebraska Act, the choice of Kansas to become a free state or a slave state after the establishment of the state will be decided by the local people.

When Kansas officially joins the United States as a state, its state constitution needs to determine whether it is a slave state or a free state.

The final political choice of the state constitution will depend on the results of the first vote of the members.

If the southern congressmen had the upper hand, Kansas would become a slave state, otherwise, Kansas would become a free state.

On March 30, 1855, Kansas held its first congressional election.

David Atchison, the former federal senator of Missouri, a fanatical slaveholder, wanted to maintain slavery in Kansas at all costs, even if it meant using force.

On the 30th, Atchison led 1,500 like-minded Missourians into Kansas with guns and even two cannons.

Atchison took control of all polling stations with this group of fanatical slaveholders without the northerners being prepared, and stuffed tens of thousands of fake ballots into the ballot boxes for candidates who supported slavery.

When the immigrants in the free states heard the news, they were furious and quickly formed an armed force determined to drive away these unwarlike Missourians.

In the town of Lawrence, they confronted the Missourians.

The two sides were on the verge of a fight, and the well-prepared Missourians showed their cannons to intimidate these northerners.

However, due to insufficient preparation, the free state immigrants were poorly equipped, they had no cannons, and they did not have an advantage in numbers.

In the end, under the Missouri's guns and cannons, these free state immigrants still shirked.

Faced with the Missouri people manipulating the election, they could do nothing but condemn these Missourians for openly trampling on the American Constitution and say some harsh words like "wait and see, let's wait and see".

They could only watch the Missouri people manipulate the election.

Soon, the slaveholders won seats in almost all constituencies in Kansas and quickly formed their own parliament.

The new parliament moved the entire set of Missouri laws as Kansas laws, and added a lot of new regulations involving black slaves.

This behavior was equivalent to rubbing the free state immigrants in the Kansas area on the ground and pouring a hot pee on their faces. It was a naked humiliation!

After successfully forming the Congress, the slaveholders quickly formed the so-called Kansas State Government in Leconton.

This government is also called the Leconton Government or the Territorial Government.

The establishment of the Leconton Government made the slaveholder groups in the southern states excited.

They shouted that this was the greatest victory achieved by the South since the failure of the California statehood dispute in 1850 and the shame of the Texas cession.

They welcomed Kansas, the new partner, to join the big family of southern slave states.

However, things are obviously not that simple. The establishment of the new state needs to be recognized by Congress and the federal government.

Congress needs no further explanation. Representatives of both parties are unlikely to make compromises and reach a consensus on this issue involving fundamental interests.

As for President Fillmore, he knew very well that on the Kansas issue, as long as his words and deeds were not careful, he would not only be caught by his political opponents, but also expand the conflict and even turn it into an uncontrollable civil war.

He was caught in a dilemma.

The Kansas issue was the most difficult issue since Fillmore took office as president.

Unwilling to accept defeat, the free state immigrants quickly fought back, with the support of the ruling group in the northern states.

The free state immigrants in the Kansas region also quickly established their own government in Topeka, which was also called the Freedmen's Government.

The pattern of one state and two cities in Kansas was formally formed.

One state has two governments, a strange phenomenon unique in American history.

Both the Leconton and Topeka governments claimed that they were the only legal government in Kansas and that the other party was an illegal government.

Both require federal recognition of their own legitimacy by the federal government.

Faced with requests from the Leconton and Topeka governments, Fillmore chose to remain silent.

In addition to remaining silent and not expressing his position in any public forum, Fillmore has no other better choice.

When the absurd stories of one state and two governments in Kansas reached New York, Lincoln, who was serving as the chief counsel for the Atlantic Railroad Company, was greatly indignant.

Lincoln held a speech in the Crystal Palace Plaza, the most densely populated area in New York.

He condemned any attempt to divide the United States and unceremoniously rebuked former Missouri U.S. Senator David Atchison for blatantly trampling on the Constitution and manipulating elections. He expressed with great regret that the United States has reached its most dangerous moment.

This time, the enemy of the United States was not the British from outside, but the perverse Southern slave-owning group from within.

If America wants to get out of the crisis, it must dig out these cancers!

Unlike those timid MPs.

Lincoln's speech was sharp in words and clear in attitude.

He stood firmly on the side of the Topeka government, leaving no room for maneuver.

Lincoln's firm stance and attitude quickly won the applause and support of the New York audience.

More and more New Yorkers gathered in the Crystal Palace Plaza to listen to Lincoln's speech.

New York State is the stronghold of free states, and Lincoln's speeches are obviously very marketable here.

At the end of his speech, Lincoln wanted to show that he was not just a talker.

He donated all his savings: $23,432 and 35 cents to the Topeka government, allowing the Topeka government to use the money to purchase weapons to defend the freedom of Kansas and the majesty of the American Constitution.

This move greatly won the favor of New York citizens, who listened to Lincoln's speech in Crystal Palace Square and donated generously.

They ultimately raised $63,521 to support the Topeka government.

Although Lincoln lost his savings during this speech, he made the entire New York City people remember his name.