Popular Sovereignty Effects for Anti-slavers
- Individuals desiring freedom in Kansas combated proslavery emigrants--free-state supporters from Missouri also went to Kansas, however goal was to make it a free state
- Extreme abolitionists such as John Brown also traveled to Kansas to combat proslavery presence
- John Brown was very influential and controversial in entire struggle over slavery--always intended and was willing to resort to violence in any situation fighting over slavery he deemed warranted it
- John Brown and fellow violent abolitionists traveled to Kansas along with proslavery individuals (Reynolds 139)
- Organization set up in New England in order to assist individuals to travel to Kansas and to vote against slavery
- New England Emigrant Aid Company (NEEAC) “offered both opportunity for economic advancement on the frontier and the satisfaction of participating in the holy cause of saving Kansas for freedom…assisted with travel” (Etcheson 36)
- Estimated NEEAC emigration to Kansas in 1855 was 1,000 people, and according to the 1855 Kansas territorial census, New Englanders only accounted for 4.3 percent of the population
- Controversially, the NEEAC armed its settlers (Etcheson 37)--willingness to fight if and when necessary was evident
- From fervent abolitionists to passionate slaveholders and many intermediate views, conflict between each group escalated as time went on
- Both saw the new territory as opening economic opportunity, and suspected motive for each other’s migration to Kansas
- Both accused the other of being a tool of slave owners and abolitionists respectively (Etcheson 39)