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[To-day the people of Kansas]

About This Item

  • Title: [To-day the people of Kansas]
  • Date: 2 August 1858
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: per.00838
  • Source: Brooklyn Daily Times, 2 August 1858: 2. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm scan of the original issue. Microfilm of original issue held at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the journalism, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Editorial note: This piece is unsigned, as was the case for most of Whitman's journalism. However, this editorial is part of a series of texts that deal with a coherent theme that has been identified by the Whitman Archive journalism team as likely authored by Whitman. This decision is based on a combination of historical and (auto)biographical accounts, similarity to contemporary Whitman writings, a history of scholarly attribution, extant clippings retained by Whitman, computational stylometric analysis, and, in some cases, manuscript evidence in Whitman’s hand.
  • Contributors to digital file: Kaylen Michaelis Thara Michaelis Tara Ballard Stephanie Blalock Karie Cobb
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "[To-day the people of Kansas]." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 17 July 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: per.00838.xml (TEI)
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☞ To-day the people of Kansas are to decide whether the Lecompton Constitution1 as the same is presented by the English bill2 is to be accepted or rejected by them. The general impression seems to be that they will reject it by a large majority. We feel confident that they will decide wisely and well.

Notes:

1. The Lecompton Constitution of 1857 was written by pro-slavery forces in Kansas. President Buchanan supported it and it was eventually approved by the Senate, but dismissed by the House. Ultimately, Kansas held another local election which resulted in the Constitution’s final rejection. [back]

2. Perceived by some to be a bribe, the English Bill was presented on 23 April 1858 by Democratic representative William H. English in effort to make compromises regarding the Territory should the Lecompton Constitution be accepted by the Kansan voters. [back]

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