The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 18, July 1914 - April, 1915 Page: 54

The Southwestern Historical Quarterly

his vote by saying that Texas, in accepting the resolutions of
annexation, recognized the Missouri Compromise, and that he
therefore considered himself bound to vote with the North in main-
taining it.23
The Texas press watched closely the development of the trouble
between the anti- and pro-slavery factions in Kansas. The sit-
uation was fully and freely discussed. The anti-slavery element
was designated as "blood thirsty free-soilers," and extracts from
letters telling of atrocities committed by the free-soilers upon the
peace-loving pro-slavery men who dared protect their property were
reprinted from other Southern papers. During the summer of
1856, a circular addressed to the Southern states by the managers
of the Lafeyette Emigration Society of Missouri was published in
the newspapers. It advocated prompt and decisive action, if
Kansas was to be saved to slavery.24
When the men active in public affairs of the state met again
in convention at Austin in 1856, they further expressed the senti-
ments of the party in regard to the Kansas situation as well as in
regard to slavery. The members of the convention maintained
that the abolitionists of Kansas, fostered, supported and en-
couraged by the abolitionists of the Union, attempted to control
the government, and that this course was at war with the prin-
ciples of the constitution, and subversive of free government. They
further sympathized with the citizens of the slaveholding states
in their efforts to induce real settlers to become citizens of the terri-
tory, and asserted that the citizens of Missouri who had immi-
grated into the territory deserved the gratitude and warm support
of all the friends of the Union and the Constitution.25
Lorenzo Sherwood, of Galveston, was rejected as a delegate by
the convention because of a speech he delivered in the house of
representatives a short time before. It was considered anti-South-
ern in sentiment, for he had asserted that slavery was an evil
in the abstract, although the institution was the best that could
be devised for white and black. He also thought Congress had
a right to deal with slavery in the territories.26 His own con-
281bid., December 4, 1855.
"SHtate Gazette, May 10, 1856.
2"State Gazette, January 26, 1856.
2"Galveston News, January 26, 1856.