ABSTRACT
Joseph Savage and Samuel Ralston shared much in common. Both were farmers. Both loved Greek and Roman literature. Both were keenly interested in politics. Despite their deep attachments to home, both wanted fresh land in the West, a region they associated with prosperity and pro - gress. In 1854, both went to Kansas. Ralston arrived after a brief horseback ride. Savage had to travel over a thousand miles, but railroad and steamboat transportation made it reasonably quick and affordable. Upon arrival, both expected to determine the territory’s future. Its original motto was “Populi voce nata,” Latin for “Born of the voice of the people” or “Born of the popular will.”1 As white adult men, Savage and Ralston enjoyed the privi lege of expressing their wills at the ballot box. Moving to Kansas meant they could transplant American self-government westward while improving their personal fortunes. It looked like a win-win.
