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 



