Charles L. Robinson
Encyclopedia
Charles Lawrence Robinson (July 21, 1818 – August 17, 1894) was the first Governor of Kansas
. He was also the first governor of a US state to be impeached
, although he was not convicted or removed from office. To date he is the only governor of Kansas to be impeached. He was educated at Hadley and Amherst Academies, at Amherst College
, and at the Berkshire Medical School, earning his medical degree from the latter in 1843.
Robinson represented California's 12th State Assembly district
from 1851 to 1852.
During the Bleeding Kansas
tragedy, Robinson angered many with his passionate support for the Free-Staters, who were promoting a fight against pro-slavery
advocates. He was illegally elected Territorial Governor of Kansas under the Topeka Constitution
in January 1856. From the spring of 1856 until September, Robinson and several other Free-State leaders, including the son of abolitionist John Brown
, were held in custody in Camp Sackett. This United States military camp
(named for Delos B. Sackett) was located about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southwest of Lecompton, Kansas
.
In 1861, he took office as Governor of the newly-admitted State of Kansas. His impeachment was due to a political rivalry with James H. Lane.
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
. He was also the first governor of a US state to be impeached
Impeachment in the United States
Impeachment in the United States is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office...
, although he was not convicted or removed from office. To date he is the only governor of Kansas to be impeached. He was educated at Hadley and Amherst Academies, at Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
, and at the Berkshire Medical School, earning his medical degree from the latter in 1843.
Robinson represented California's 12th State Assembly district
California's 12th State Assembly district
California's 12th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Fiona Ma of San Francisco.-District profile:...
from 1851 to 1852.
During the Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas or the Border War, was a series of violent events, involving anti-slavery Free-Staters and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian" elements, that took place in the Kansas Territory and the western frontier towns of the U.S. state of Missouri roughly between 1854 and 1858...
tragedy, Robinson angered many with his passionate support for the Free-Staters, who were promoting a fight against pro-slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
advocates. He was illegally elected Territorial Governor of Kansas under the Topeka Constitution
Topeka Constitution
The Topeka Constitutional Convention was held in October 1855 in the town of Topeka, Kansas Territory. The convention was held in the town's Constitution Hall...
in January 1856. From the spring of 1856 until September, Robinson and several other Free-State leaders, including the son of abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
, were held in custody in Camp Sackett. This United States military camp
Military camp
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent facility for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large campsites. In the Roman era the military camp had highly...
(named for Delos B. Sackett) was located about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southwest of Lecompton, Kansas
Lecompton, Kansas
Lecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 608 at the 2000 census. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861...
.
In 1861, he took office as Governor of the newly-admitted State of Kansas. His impeachment was due to a political rivalry with James H. Lane.