struct a boarding house or receiving house, in which three hundred persons can receive temporary accomodations on their arrival; and that the number of such houses be enlarged as necessity may dictate. The new comers or their families may thus be provided for in the necessary interval which elapses while they are making their selection of a location.

"3. It is recommended that the directors procure and send forward steam saw-mills, grist-mills and such other machines as shall be of constant service in a new settlement, which cannot, however, be purchased or carried out conveniently by individual settlers. These machines may be leased, or run by the company's agents. At the same time, it is desirable that a printing press be sent out, and a weekly newspaper established. This would be the organ of the company's agents, would extend information regarding its settlements, and from the very first an index of that love of freedom and of good morals which it is to be hoped, may characterize the State now to be formed.

"4. It is recommended that the company's agents locate and take up for the company's benefit, the section of land in which the boarding houses and mills are located and no others. And further, that whenever the Territory shall be organized as a free State, the directors shall dispose of all their interests there, replace by the sales the money laid out, declare a dividend to the stockholders, and

"5. That they select a new field and make similar arrangements for the settlement and organization of another free State of this Union.

"II. With the advantages attained by such a system of effort, the Territories selected as the scene of operations, would, it is believed, at once fill up with free inhabitants.There is reason to suppose that several thousand men of New England origin, propose to emigrate under the auspices of some such an arrangement this very summer. Of the whole emigration from Europe, amounting to some four hundred thousand persons, there can be no difficulty in inducing some thirty or forty thousand to take the same direction.Applications from German agents have already been made to meinbers of the company. We have also intimations in correspondence from the free States of the West of a wide spread desire there among those who know what it is to settle a new country, to pass on, it such an organization can be made, into that now thrown open. An emigrant company of those in

tending to go has been formed in Worcester county, and others in other States.

"In view of the establishment by such agencies of a new free State in that magnificent region, it is unnecessary to dwell in detail, on the advantages which this enterprise holds out to the country at large.

"It determines in the right way the institutions of the unsettled Territories in less time than a discussion of them has required in Congress. It opens to those who are in want in the Eastern States a home and a competence, without the suffering hitherto incident to emigration. For the Company is the pioneer, and provides, before the settler arrives, the conveniences which he first requires. Such a removal of an over-crowded population is one of the greatest advantages to Eastern cities. Again, the enterprise opens commercial advantages to the commercial States, just in proportion to the population which it creates of freemen, who furnish a market to our manufactories and imports. Whether the new line of States shall be free States or slave States is a question deeply interesting to those who are to provide the manufactories for their consumption. Especially will it prove an advantage to Massachusetts, if she create the new State by her foresight, supply the first necessities to its inhabitants, and open in the outset communications between their homes and her ports and factories."

The report then sets forth how the investments of the Company will bring handsome returns to the stockholders, and concludes as follows:

"It is impossible that such a region should not fill up rapidly. The Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company proposes to give confidence to settlers by giving system to emigration, by dispelling the fears that Kansas will be a slave State. The Company will remove the only bar which now hinders its occupation by free settlers. It is to be hoped that similar companies will be formed in other free States. The enterprise is of that character that for those who first enter it, the more competition the better..

"It is recommended that the first settlement made by the directories shall receive the name of that city in this commonwealth which shall have subscribed most liberally to the

capital stock of the company in proportion to its last decimal valuation, and that the second city be named by the next city so subscribing."

The organization was never perfected under this charter, nor stock issued on account of some provisions of the law being objectionable to capitalists. On the 13th of June, the company organized under private articles of association, of which Amos Lawrence, John S. Williams and Eli Thayer were constituted Trustees. It then proceeded to operate as suggested in the foregoing report.

The articles under which this company was organized not proving satisfactory on account of the individual liablity to which it subjected the directors, on application a charter was obtained from the Legislature of Massachusetts under the title of the "New England Emigrant Aid Society." The object of the society, as set forth in this charter, was "for directing emigration westward and aiding in providing accommodations for the emigrants after arriving at their places of destination," Its capital stock was limited to one million dollars. It was under this charter that the Society operated. The Emigrant Aid Society of New York and Connecticut organized on the 18th of July, 1854, under a charter granted by the Legislature of the former State. A board of twentyseven Trustees controlled its affairs, who appointed an executive committee of three for immediate action. The capital stock was limited to $5,000,000, to be raised in shares of five dollars each. Its objects were the same as the former company.

About the same time, the Union Emigration Society was organized at Washington "by such members of Congress and citizens generally who were opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and the opening of Nebraska and Kansas to the introduction of slavery." This society appointed agents in several States to organize auxiliary societics and to call the attention of the people to its movements.

Other societies of a similar character were formed in differ

ent parts of the free States, but these were the most important. None of them ever accomplished much or carried out its programme, except the New England.

The primary and chief object of these societies was to make Kansas a free State by settling her lands with a population adverse to slavery. The question occurs were the design and character of this action wrong on the part of the people opposed to the extension of this institution of the South? There can certainly be nothing objectionable in the design of promoting emigration to this newly opened Territory with a view of securing it to Free Labor. The idea of ventilating the great Eastern cities by removing its surplus population to the inviting fields of industry in the West, and of opening the channel for the vast tide of foreign emigration in the same direction, is worthy of a philanthropist. To do this for the purpose of accomplishing an ulterior object, divests the action of its beautiful garb of benevolence, but leaves it clad in its original vestment of justice, and opposition by all lawful measures to the extension of slavery. The act of Congress, therefore, referring "the vexed question of slavery" to arbitrament by the two conflicting interests of our Union in settling Kansas, called into being these societies and legalized their purpose. It is not the design in this place to examine and see whether these societies did any thing unjust or improper, but merely to inquire into the rightfulness of their motive and plan of operation. The works which they did will all be examined in the order of events.

CHAPTER XI.

FREE STATE EMIGRATION.-HOSTILE PREPARATIONS AND THE BEGINNING OF DIFFICULTIES.

About the first of July emigration began to arrive from the north-western free States. A little settlement th us effected in the neighborhood of the present City of Lawrence, having assembled on the first of August at Judge Miller's on what was then called "Back Bone Ridge," for the purpose of enacting squatter regulations, was suddenly interrupted by the intrusion of a band of Missourians under the leadership of an Indiana lawyer by the name of Dunham, who also acted as their spokesman. Seeing that they were unable to effect anything on account of the presence of these invadthe free State men adjourned the meeting. The Missourians hurrying out of the house to "liquor," the convention arranged it to retire for a short time until the former disappeared. In the course of a couple of hours the little band of free soilers collected again, resumed their deliberations, adopted a constitution and by-laws and elected officers under them. Hon John A. Wakefield was constitutued Chief Justice, and Brier W. Miller, Recorder.

ers,

Under this simple and primary government, justice and equity were dealt out to all parties; unanimity and good will pervaded the little community. At one time having met at the call of the Executive Committee, to remodel their constitution, the Missourians again presented themselves to take part in the proceedings. For a time violence seemed immi