The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-12-23
GOVERNOR Walkers LET
TIER OF RESIGNATION.


TER OF RESIGNATION.
Unableto make room for the whole of this
very important paper, we have made such ex-
tracts from it as will, in the main, exhibit Gov.
WIS views, and the reasons which have
prompted his course both as Governor, and in
resigning his Office. His letter win be as gen
orally read as the Presidents Message or Mr..
Douglas speech.
WAsHMGToK Cry, Dec. 10, 1857.
Hon. Lewis CAss, Secretary Of State - LNf
"Sm: i resign the Office Of Governor of
the Territory Of Kansas. II have been most
reluctantly forced to this conclusion, after anx-
ious and careful consideration Of my duty to
my country, to the people OF Kansas, to the
President Of the United States, and to my
self ., y, Fsss ,.1r,ts,- AZ y
The grounds assumed by the President IN
his late message to Congress-. and inrecent i'm
strnctions in connection with the events now.
Transporting here and in Kansas, admonish inc
that as Governor Of that Territory i will no
longer be in, my power to preserve the peace
or promote the public welfare. sia VI gs H
"At the earnest solicitation If the PresiT
dent after repeated reflsals, the last being in
writing, I finally accepted this Office upon his
letter showing the dangers and difficulties Of
the Kansas question, and the necessity Of my
undertaking the task ofits adjustment, Under
these circumstances, notwithstanding the great
sacrifices to me, personal, political and pecu-
MARY, / felt that could no more refuse such
a call from my county, through her Chief
Magistrate, than soldier in battle who is or
dered to the command Of d forlorn hope.
FL accepted, however, on the express con-
dilion that should advocate the submission
Of the constitution to q vote of the people for
ratification or rejection These views were
clearly understood by the President and all
his Cabinet They were distinctly set forth in
my letter on my acceptance of this office, of
the 26th Of March last, and reiterated in my
inaugural address of the 9th of May last, as
follows - Indeed cannot doubt that the Con-
yention, after having framed State constitu-
tion, will submit 1t for ratification or rejection
by a majority of the then actual 6onG tide
resident settlers Of Kansas a ZIG ss saei
with these views, well known to the Presi-
dent and the Cabinet, and approved by them,
| accepted the appointment of Governor Of
Kansas. Ny instructions from the President,
through the Secretary Of State, under date Of
the 30th of March last, sustain the regular
Legislature of the Territory in assembling q
Convention to form a constitution, and they
express the opinion Of the President that
when such constitution shall be submitted
to the people Of the Territory, they must be
protected in the exercise Of their right Of vot-
ing for or against that instrument and the fair
expression of the popular will must not be in
terrupted by fraud or violence. repeat, then,
as my clear conviction that unless the Conyen-
ton submit the constitution to the vote Of all
the actual resident settlers of Kansas, and the
ha fol nd ck,l he
4 Constitution will be, and ought to be rejected
by Congress
/" In that inaugural proceed further to say,
the people may, by subsequent vote, defeat
the ratification of the constitution desig-
nate this a great constitutional right, and
add that the Convention is the servant, and
not the master OF the people, In my official
despatch to you of the "a June last, O copy
| of that inaugural address was transmitted to
| you for the further information of the Presi-
dent and his Cabinet Ne exception was ever
| taken to any portion of that address; on the
| contrary, it was distinctly admitted by the
| President in his message, with commendable
| frankness that my instructions in favor of o
| submission of the constitution to vote of he
| people, were general and unqualified By
1 that inaugural and subsequent address was
| pledged to the people of Kansas to oppose, by
all lawful means, the adoption of any consti
tuition which was not fairly and fully submitted
to their vote for ratification or rejection. These
pledges / cannot recall or violate without per
sonal dishonor and the abandonment of fun.
dam.ntal principles; and, therefore, it is i'm
! possible for me to support what is called the
Lecompton constitution, because it is not sub
mitted to vote Of the people for ratification
or rejection.
sovereign as have been truly elected by tn,
people, and represent their will On reference
however, to my address of the 10th of Sep
tember last, on the day qualification question
copy Of which was Immediately TRANSMITTED
to you for the information of the President ant
Cabinet it's evident that the Lecompton Con
vention was not such body. That Convention
had vital-not technical-defects, in the very
substance of its organization under the Terri
torial law, which could only be cured, in my
| Judgment, as. set forth in my inaugural ant
other addresses by submission of the const
i tuition for the ratification Of the people. Or
reference to the Territorial law under which
the Convention was assembled, thirty -foul
regularly organized counties were named a.
election districts for delegates to the Conven
ton. In each and all of these counties it wa
required by law that census be taken and
the voters registered, and when this was com
pleted the delegates to the Convention should
be apportioned accordingly. In nineteen o
these counties there was no census, and there
fore there could be no such appointment Their
Of delegates upon such census. And in fifteel
ofthese counties, there was noregistry ofvoters
These fifteen counties, including many of tn
oldest organized counties in the Territory, wer
entirely DISTINGUISHED, and did not give, q,
no fault Of their own,) could not give soil
tary vote for the delegates to the Convention
This result was superinduced by the fact tha
the Territorial Legislature appointed all th
sherifs and probate judges in all these coun
ties, TO whom was assigned the duty by Ia,
of making this census and registry. Thes
officerswere political partizans, dissenting fror
the views and opinions Of the people of thcs
counties, as was proved by the election ]
October last These officers, from want
funds as they alleged, neglected or refused
take any census or make any registry in thes
counties, and therefore they were entirely dii