A Convention For Subvertion

The Topeka Constitution was approved December 15^th 1855 by Free State voters in Kansas.

The Free State’er met in conventions first at Lawrence, Kansas in August and then at Big Springs, Kansas in September.  The third meeting, the Topeka Constitutional Convention held in Topeka, Kansas with the delegates assembling October 23^rd 1855, to make the first effort to get Kansas a state constitution.  The Convention held by Free State’ers, voted to approve the anti-slavery Topeka Constitution on December 15^th 1855.  It passed by a wide margin of 1,731 to 46.  The convention was held in an attempt to subvert officially elected pro slavery legislature.  The Constitution banned slavery, and stated that "every civilized male Indian who has adopted the habits of the white man" should be allowed suffrage.

The United States Congress rejected the Topeka Constitution.

If you are interested in reading more about this topic, check out Kansas Constitutions