The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-12-26
Ottaba frtt Grabtr
OTTAWA, DECEMBER &c, 1857.

OIIAN a, DECEMBEh 70, 1901.
Gov. Walkers Letter OF Resignation.
What with the Presidents Message, Gov.
Stanton's Message, and Senator Douglas
Speech, our columns for the last few weeks
have been taken up SO largely with the dis
cussion of the new phase of Kansas Affairs,
that VIC are constrained to omit The publica-
ton Of Gov. Walkers lengthy. and very able
letter of resignation. The document, howe
We. contains some points Of such import
ance and strength in the discussion. that we
cannot in justice omit to name them.
Gov. w. shows, in the first place, that he
accepted the Office Of Governor of Kansas
only on the express condition, and that his
instructions from the President made it
clearly and Enthusiastically his duty, that he
should promise to the people of Kansas, and
promulgate in al bis official acts the doc
trine, that the Dhols constitution framed by
the Lecompton Convention, should be fairly
and honestly submitted to q vote Of the peo-
pie, and in case of q failure of such submis-
sion that he should oppose its reception by
Congress.
That when he entered the Territory, it
was actually on the eve Of rebellion, and
that an open conflict was only averted by his
distinct and emphatic pledges to the people
(given with the appreciation Of the Presi-
deaD that they should have full and fair
opportunity to vote on the constitution
about to be framed by the Lecompton Con-
vention.
That - the President had receded from
these views, and as he Gov. w. in case he
returned to Kansas, must 60 with a new set
of instructions conflicting with his first in
and his solemn pledges to the
people Of Kansas, the only honorable course
left him to pursue is to resign his Office.
Gov. w. then enters into . somewhat
lengthy disquisition on the true nature Of
popular sovereignty" showing that &C.
cording to the theory Of our free institu-
tons, sovereignty was inherent in the peo-
pie, that it is a unit and indivisible in its ma.
ture, not capable of being either delegated
by the people to a convention or Of being
divided with any such body. He quotes
from numerous former letters and speeches
Of his own to show that this was always mis-
own view on the subject, we'll understood
and approved by the President when he was
rendered the appointment to Kansas; and he
also proves by quotations from the speeches
of Senators on the Nebraska bill that this
was the sort Of popular sovereignty" Con-
gress understood at the time of its passage to
be the distinctive feature of that bill.
But even assuming that the people in any
case we're capable of delegati.s their sove-
reignty to q convention (Which under the
constitution and the Nebraska bill he devises
that they couldD yet in the case Of Kansas
there certainly had been no such action on
the part Of the people that in fact or by con-
struction could be held to be such a delega-
ton Of power. In the first place not more
than One-tenth Of the people voted for dele
gates to the Lecompton Convention, and
this, in the case of more than one half of the
voters Of the Territory was not in conse-
quence of any neglect or fault of their own.
The territorial law calling the convention re-
quired registry to be taken of all the
voters. In nineteen out of the thirty-four
in the territory no such registry
was taken, not, As has been maintained, in
of the neglect or refusal of the
voters to be registered, but because the Off
GERS appointed by the Legislature to make
The registry being partisans opposed in poll
tics to the inhabitants, neglected the duty
to make the registry. That in the appor-
tionment and election of delegates to the
these 19 counties, embracing a
arge majority of the people Of the Terrific
w we're wholly unrepresented, had no
voice in the framing ofthe constitution, and
had therefore in no sense delegated any
power to that convention.
In conclusion, Gov. W. states his solemn
that so far from the notion being
correct that the admission of Kansas with
The Lecompton constitution would settle the
Kansas question and localize the quarrel, it
would be the signal for the commencement
If civil war in the Territory, which would
hence extend throughout the country, and
bring itself back upon Congress in the most
dangerous and alarming aspect. It is a
great mistake, be contends, that the great
subject of contention in the territory is
larery. That question, as practical issue,
lad disappeared from Kansas long before his |
Irrival there, and the question of selfgo-
had been substituted in its place. |
lie concludes:
,ate the delusion which has prevailed upon |
his subject, and show that after three years
xperinent, waen arrived in Kansas, there
vere less than three huadred slaves there.
nd the number constantly diminishing
hat, - proved by the official records of
congress, published and authenticated by
hose distinguished Southern statesmen.
ohm C. Cathoan and Jefferson Davis, the
inter climste even of eastern Kansas is
older than that Of New England, and that
he Pro-Slavery Territor al Convention of
KANSAS. consolidated with the Pro Slavery
territorial Legislature on the 4th of Janua.
', 1857, nearly Eve months before my arri-
al there, did abandon the Slavery issue be-
ause, as set forth by one Of their number,
ne Pro Slavery party was in q small and
Omitted majority, and the cooperation Of
ne Free State Democrats was invited as the
NV hope Of success, not to make Kansas
slave State, which was coaceded to be i'm.
ossible, but to make it a conservative De-
,ocratic Free State. Even as late as the Sd
July. 1857, when the Democratic Terri.
rial Convention assembled at Lecompton,
consequence Of the laws of the climate
I'd the elLknown will of the people, none
that slavery could be established I
Iere, nor vas it until my Southern oppo- i
.nts iuterfersd IN the affairs Of Kansas, and
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