Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-09-11
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
WI, ,,,xcToN. NJ c., MONDAY, SEPT. z, 1857.
r,ros,dent Buchanan and Gov. WaIker-The Case MS IL


Stands.
The Richmond South quotes passages from Governor
Walkers Topeka Speech delivered on the 9th OF June
last and from the recent reply of the President TO the
memorial of forty New England Divines, to show that
the notion taken by Walker is not that approved OF
nv the President The South evidently maintains Its
case, thus
Mr. Walker in his Topeka speech before referred to,
says:
Mv doctrine is this that the future, when the Const
tion shall be submitted the vote of the citizens of Kan
do not those who are now registered under the
rial law do not mean those aco ere residing here on the
18th of March last but mean The ChOe people Of Kansas,
moi o those ocho here nooo but those 1cho eoM be here
mert faA actual TesidenSthat they the people over
orty of their votes shall decide themselves what shall
be their constitution and what shall be their socia lnS1'u
tons
Mr. Buchanan, in his recent letter, speaking OF the
position of things in Kansas and the steps leading to
the movement for State Constitution, says:
Gin the opinion of the territorial legislature of Kansas
the time arrived for entering the Union and they accord
ingy passed law to elect delegates for the purpose of
framing State Constitution. This law fair and just in
its provisions 1t conferred the right Of suffrage on every
ing fraud and the intrusion of citizens OF near or distant
States most property confined thus right to those arho had
resided therein three months precious TO The eectIO Here
fair opportunity presented for all the qualified resi-
citizens Of the Territory to whatever side they might
have previously belonged to participate III the eIeco ana
to express their opinions at the ballot box ON the queson
Of slavery But numbers Of lawess men still continued 10
resist the territorial government They rUSed elF 10 0e
registered or 10 cote and the members Of me COceh0n tGTe
eIeced legally and property ,ohon TIER !ntercentlon- Inc
of framing constitution for themselves and their poserty
and in the state OF ncpent rebellion which still exists ID
Kansas my imperative duty to employ the troops OF the
United States should this become necessary in defending
the convention against violence whilst framing the cons
tuon and in protecting the bona fde inhabitants quail
fed under the provisions of 6s instrument in the free
exercise of the right of suffrage when shall De submitted
tn Thnn1f fort hniru nhatiO Or
It is evident then that the President does not approve
of the opinions expressed in the Topeka speech upon the
question of suffrage. He does not go Gov. Walker
did for demanding that the constitution shall be submit
ted to all the actual resident settlers who may be IN
Kanzas when the vote is taken, Mr.. Walker did in
his inaugural.
In regard to submitting the constitution to a vote of
the legally qualified citizens have never been able to
join with those opposed to that submittal When the
news of Gov Walkers speeches reached us, we were a
preaching the time when the people of North Carolina
were to exercise their right at the ballot box, OF ratyng
Orrejecting amendment to their constitution Could we
desire to refuse the people OF kanzas right we claimed
for ourselves? When we went up to deposit our ballot
of Approved" and some others theirs of OF Approx
cd the majority of which, one side or the other was to
decide whether certain change should be made III our Or
ganc law, how could range ourselves against SINH
lar course being pursued in Kansas, when the bona tide
citizens came to act upon their constitution AS
matter of opinion then have always favoured the sub
initial of the Constitution of Kanzas to vote of the
tua bona fde legally registered citizens. But we have
at the same time warmly condemned the threat by Gov
enOr Walker that if the convention did not pursue
particular in this matte the Constitution would
be- and ought to rejected by Congress" Governor Walk
er now says that he meant that any but actual c
zens legally qualified under the existing territorial laws,
should have the right of voting on the constitution of
Kanzas We are glad to sec that he has got right on
this point
His argument against slavery in Kanzas could not
have been misunderstood and cannot be explained away
An argument for it, would have been equally wrong
He was there to hold the scales between cOnendne
particshe was not there counsel for side or the
other
We don't think the whole matter has amounted tC
anything The convention will do what they deem right
Mr. Walker under the orders of the President will carry
out the law and make fewer speeches. and whatever may
be the action of the people at the polls it will be cheeruy
submitted to by the country whenever convinced thai
such action embOdies the will of majority of the PEG
pie Of the territory, legally expressed.