after several conventions, the free-staters met in topeka to write a constitution. it was given to the u.s. congress, and it went to kansas voters on december 15. the "topeka constitution" won ratification by a vote of 1,731 to 46. the landslide victory was because the pro-slavery side protested the vote. president franklin pierce gave a speech january 24, 1856 saying the so-called bogus legislature was still legitimate. he called the topeka constitution and the abolitionist convention illegal. the united states house of representatives accepted the constitution by a vote of 99 to 97. it was sent to the united states senate, but the bill was stopped in committee. the house and senate went back and forth over the issue, but nothing was fixed. then president pierce sent federal troops to break up the topeka legislature on july 4. a year passed with no progress. both abolitionists and pro-slavery border ruffians started fighting a guerrilla war on the border to try to fix the issue.