By now a full-fledged captain, Lyon's appearance on the Kansas prairie coincided with one of the most critical periods in American history.
That same year, 1854, Congress passed the highly controversial Kansas/Nebraska Act, creating two new territories and opening the previously slave-free region to the possibility of slavery. (Technically the bill permitted slavery in both Nebraska and Kansas, but it never took hold or became an issue in Nebraska.)
The question at hand - whether Kansas would allow slavery or remain "free soil" - was now to be decided by the citizens of Kansas. While sound in theory, the decision, which also repealed the long-standing Missouri Compromise, was a disaster in reality.
Instead of peacefully settling the slavery issue as had been hoped, the new law resulted in a vicious, undeclared war between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces on the frontier. The violence quickly earned the new territory the nickname of "Bleeding Kansas." On a larger scale, it also helped to widen the growing sectional rift between North and South.
Raised in anti-slavery New England, Lyon's experience in Mexico had strengthened his contempt for the institution in any form. But his feelings on the matter did not stem from any sympathy for the plight of enslaved black people. His hatred centered instead on what he believed was slavery's negative impact on white people.
In Lyon's opinion, "[White people] who have been associated with slaves in their labor have become more or less degraded, and have little idea of the respectable dignity, to which the honest labor of man may be raised."
He therefore opposed the spread of slavery to the Kansas frontier on the grounds that it would impede the economic and social progress of the white settlers. (It should be noted that Lyon's opinion on this matter - opposition to slavery because of the impact to free whites - was by no means unique. Many white northerners opposed the spread of slavery for the starkly simple reason that they did not want to risk living around, and competing for jobs against, black slaves.)
Almost Insane
Never one to hide his opinions or back away from controversy, Lyon also spent a fair amount of time in Kansas alienating those around him. He especially enjoyed baiting anyone whose political or religious beliefs differed from his own. Mainly, it sometimes seemed, when it was least expected or welcomed.
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Perry Cuskey's U.S. Civil War topic, please visit the Discussions page.