As the new year begins, so does the celebration of the sesquicentennial of the Kansas territory and the founding of Lawrence. Throughout 2004, there will be various events and activities to bring to the fore the history of the past century and a half here in our home city and state. Many people have been busy during the past several years preparing to mark this important anniversary. In the next 12 months I hope to contribute in a small way to these efforts by devoting a number of columns to the subject of Kansas — and Lawrence — history. I believe that a good way to start is to remember back to the turbulent beginnings of our city and state.

Although it may not be as famous as Quantrill’s Raid in 1863, most Kansans are familiar with the “Sack of Lawrence” by pro-slavery forces in 1856. It is a subject that has been the subject of numerous books and articles. There are famous engravings of the devastation wrought on the city by the pro-slavery forces.

Although by modern standards the losses were relatively small, contemporaries, both in Kansas and out, were shocked at the violence of this event. History is usually written by the victors. However, in this case, those who won the day in 1856 and destroyed Lawrence were not the ultimate victors. The pro-slavery forces, of course, saw the attack on Lawrence not as a devastating act of terrorism, to put it in modern terms, but a justifiable defense of their rights and an attempt to expel Eastern troublemakers from Kansas. Luckily for all of us, the pro-slavery sympathizers did eventually lose in Kansas and the attack on Lawrence has gone down in history as an atrocity.

But how much damage did the pro-slavery forces actually cause? Can we discover an answer to this question today? To do this, I turned to a copy of the New York Daily News published on the morning of June 9, 1856, only a short time after the Lawrence attack. This account is quite useful, for although printed in New York, it is based upon the account published in the May 24 issue of the Lecompton Union, a pro-slavery paper. Thus, it gives us a pro-slavery version of the attack, and, arguably, the damages it reports were not exaggerated to make them look worse than they were. There was no need to do so. The following are two sample quotes from this contemporary article:

“… appeals were made to Sheriff Jones (a leader of the pro-slavery forces) to save the Aid Society’s hotel (the Eldridge). This news reached the Company’s ears, and was received with one universal cry of No! No! Blow it up! Blow it up!

” … He (Jones) ordered two companies into each printing office to destroy the press. Both presses were broken up and thrown into the streets — the type thrown into the river, and all the material belonging to each office destroyed.”

This wanton violence continued for hours and the damage throughout the city was great. This newspaper article also lists monetary estimates of some of the losses suffered by the residents of Lawrence. The dry goods store of G.W. & W. Hutchinson suffered losses they estimated at $4,600, a fortune at the time. Miss Hunt lost jewelry and clothing worth $100. The Emigrant Aid Society lost property they estimated at $30,000 and G. & T. Eldridge estimated their losses at $40,000 in the destruction of the hotel.

James Cracklin lost his means of livelihood, paints and brushes valued at $50. O.D. Smith lost his horse worth $70 and Joseph Kelley lost a table and stand worth $18. Mrs. Mandell lost her clothing valued at $300 and Miss L.S. Hall suffered the loss of her cow worth $70. R.G. Elliot lost his printing works, which he valued at $6,000 In all, the losses suffered by the people of Lawrence, according to this newspaper article, amounted to more than $100,000.

These extraordinary losses suffered by ordinary people who had come to Lawrence to make better lives for themselves and to ensure that Kansas would not become a slave state must have felt almost as devastating as if they had lost their lives. Many people lost goods and supplies that they could not replace.

One can imagine that many folks, in the face of such violence and loss and continuing threat, would have given up. But the people of Lawrence did not give up. They simply rebuilt. They survived and, in surviving, they conquered the forces arrayed against them. They stayed their course and helped keep Lawrence and Kansas free.

Lawrence was born in violence and suffering, but the people of Lawrence did not give up. The legacy that they have left us is a great one. It is a legacy of moral righteousness and bravery in the face of frightening loss. It is one that each of us here today should treasure.

Mike Hoeflich is a professor in the Kansas University law school.