THE TROUBLES IN KANSAS. 241 



The opening of the territory of Kansas a part 

 of the region which had been protected from slavery 

 by the Missouri Compromise was the signal for a 

 movement in New England and the Northwest, hav 

 ing for its end the settlement of this prospective 

 State. Societies for aiding emigrants were organ 

 ized in several of the Eastern States. Seeing that, by 

 the influx of these Northern emigrants Kansas was 

 likely to become a Free State, the slave-holding in 

 habitants of the Missouri border endeavored to pre 

 vent this by means of invasion and violence. Pass 

 ing over into Kansas, they seized the ballot-boxes, and 

 filled them with spurious votes, thereby constituting 

 a territorial legislature which would be willing to ex 

 ecute their behests. While these things were taking 

 place, one of the numerous colonies from the North 

 ern States was organized in New Haven. It was 

 composed of sober and respectable men ; and, on 

 the evening prior to their departure, a meeting was 

 held in the North Church, where many of them had 

 worshipped, to bid them farewell. Their leader, who 

 had been a superintendent of the Sunday-school, 

 gave an account of the equipment of the company, 

 by which it appeared that they had been unable to 

 provide themselves with rifles or any other species 

 of fire-arms. It being necessary to supply this want, 

 which existed even if there had been no Missouri 

 invaders to fear, it was proposed that a subscription 

 be made on the spot. At the urgent request of 

 others, Professor Silliman spoke a few words in 

 favor of the proposition. The rifles were contributed 

 by individuals present. This harmless affair, being 

 depicted in blazing colors in some of the news- 



VOL. II. 16 



