Ostend Manifesto 

**The Ostend Manifesto (1854) ‘**

 

•     In 1851 and 1853 (prior to the KS-NE Act), two attempts were made by Americans to seize Cuba for additional slave territory. Both failed.

•     Northerners were outraged.

•     Pres. Pierce authorized the ambassador to Spain to try to buy the island for $130 million.

•     In October, the U.S. Ambassadors to Spain, England and France wrote the Ostend Manifesto.

 

The Ostend Manifesto (1854)

 

•     The Manifesto urged that if Spain would not sell Cuba, then the U.S. would be “justified in wresting it from Spain.”

•     The Manifesto became public, leading to a Northern uproar.

•     Fears that a Latin America slave empire were being created fueled rumors, and Pierce had to act quickly to defuse the problem.

Sumner- Brooks (1856)

 

•     Violence occurred sporadically between factions in KS, and led to an assault in Congress.

•     On May 22, 1856, Senator Charles Sumner (D-MA) was attacked by Rep. Preston Brooks (D-SC).

•     Sumner had attacked the KS-NE Act, and insulted Stephen Douglas and Brooks’ uncle, a senator from SC.

•     He was beaten so badly it took him three years to recover.

Enter: John Brown

 

•     Following an attack on anti-slavery Lawrence, KS on May 22, which burned a hotel, two newspapers, and ransacked several homes and buildings, a reprisal attack was launched on the 24th in Pottowatomie, led by abolitionist John Brown.

**Pottawatomie**

 

•     Brown, 4 of his sons, and a group of abolitionist followers (which were part of an organized abolitionist militia) set out to avenge the sacking of Lawrence.

•     5 pro-slavery men were hacked to death with broadswords in what became known as the "Pottawatomie Massacre."

Bleeding Kansas

 

•     Brown and his men escaped; he then headed back to the Northeast to raise funds for future efforts.

•     Additional attacks were made intermittently through the rest of the year.

•     From 1854-1856, more than 200 people were killed in what became known as ***__"Bleeding Kansas__***__"__