"The Crime Against Kansas"

"The Crime Against Kansas" is a speech delivered by Senator Charles Sumner in 1856, protesting a bill that allowed Kansas to hold a vote on slavery. Sumner strongly criticized pro-slavery forces and their influence in Kansas, condemning their violent tactics and moral wrongs. The speech highlighted the growing tensions between pro- and anti-slavery supporters in the lead-up to the Civil War. Sumner’s passionate words and the subsequent beating he received in Congress drew national attention to the deepening divide over slavery and underscored the severe conflicts over this contentious issue.