So from Missouri, which was a slave state and bordered upon
the Kansas Territory, thousands of slave owners came over the border
and settled in Kansas.
They too found several towns, and there began a fierce struggle
for the upper hand.
March 30th, 1855 was appointed by the Governor for the election of
a council and House of Representatives for the Territory.
The "Free Staters" were already to vote in force. But the election
was a farce. For when the day came, five thousand Missourians marched
across the border. They were a wild, sunburned, picturesque mob.
They had guns on their shoulders, revolvers stuck in their belts
and bowie knives in their big top boots.
They took possession of the polling booths, and if the judges would
not do as they wished, they were turned out.
"Do you live in Kansas?" asked a Judge
"Yes, I do," replied the Missourian, without a moment's hesitation.
"Does your family live in Kansas?" asked the judge, who knew the
man was not speaking the truth.
"It is none of your business," replied the Missourian. "If you don't
keep your impertinence to yourself, I'll knock your head from your
shoulders."
So the judge gave it up, and every one who liked voted.
There were not three thousand voters in the Territory, but over six
thousand votes were recorded, three-quarters of them being those
unlawful votes of the Missourians.
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