Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-12-25

no alternative is left me but to resign the Office of
governor of the Territory CT Kansas.
No one can more deeply regret than myself this
necessity; but it arises from change of opinion
on my part. On the contrary, should most cheer
fully have returned to Kansas carry out my or
iginaI Instructions and thus preserve the peace of
the Territory, and finally settle the Kansas guess
ton by redeeming my pledges to the people. 1t
il not nv intention discuss at this time the pes
culisr circumstances and une xpected events which
have modified the opinions of the President upon
a point so vital as the submission OF the constu~
ton for ratification r fiction by the vote OF the
| peopl,-much less do 1 desire any controversy
! with the President this subject; vt, However
widely my views may differ from those entertained
| by him o. this qu-stion-vi~ws which have heli
/ all nv life and which, as involving fundamental
principles of public barty and of the constitution,
uncha ngeahle-yet, as rngar 3 all those great
| democratic measures which, trust, will constitute
! the policy Of hi administration in other respects,
| il will give me pleasure, as q private citz'n, 70
| yield nv cor al support
have said that the slavery question as pracu-
cal isaue hai disappeared from Kansas long before
nv arrival there and the QUESTION Of selt-1oVern-
ment had reen substituted in its place. ON some
future occasion shall dis iplt the drlu~ion winch
| has prevailed upon that sutirc', md show mat
! afr three Years experiment., wh1u l arrlV I'D
Kansas there were less han three hundred slaves
there and the number Constants Diminishing, that
as proved by the olicl records of Congress,
puF shei AMI authenticated by thosa aietinguis leo
| Southern Statesmen, John G Calhoun, and J"ffer-
| son D wis the winter climate, cv'n Of stern
| Kansas is colder than that of New England ana
that the proslavery Territorial convention OF Kan
sas, consolidated with the pro-slavery Territorial
| legislature on the 9Th of Jauu ny, 1857, nearly
five months before arrival there, did distinctly
abandon the slavery issue, because, as set totth oy
| one of their number, ''the prO-savery party was
in a small admitted minority" land the cooper
alton of the Free State democrats Invited, As
| he only oF
| slave State which conceded TO be Impossible,
but to make it a conservative democrat free State
! Even IS late as the Sd of July, 1851 when the
democratic Territorial convention assembled at Lee
! compton, in consequence of the laws OF climate
and the well known will of the people, none con-
tended that slavery could be established there. Nor
| was it until my southern opponents interiered IN
the affairs of Kansas, and by denunciatiOn, menace
and otherwise aided at critical period, by several
| federal Ofice-hOldeTs of Kansas, including the
surveyor general; 1.-THE president Of the cOnventiou)
! including his immense patronage, embracing many
hundred employees, ntervened and, as l believe
! without the knowledge or appreciation oil the Pre-
sdent of the United States, produced the eXtFaor-
| binary paper called the LecomptOn constitution
Yet this act of intervention by federal officers to
defeat the will of the people TO be sustained
| by my opponents; while my Intervention, as It Is
called, in obedience to my duty and oath OF othcr
| to support she federal Constitution, and TO take
care that organic law should be fairly execut-
| Kansas their rights under that act, is denounced
| and illuminated. Il is still more extraordinary
! that the hypothetical remarks made by me as re
| gtrds climate in its connection with its influence
upon the question of slavery in Kansas, after that
issue had been abandoned there, which views were
| consolidating the union between conservative Free
State, and prO-slavery democrats, to prevent
the conhscatOn of the small number of slaves
then held in Kansas, and have been denounced by
many distinguished Southern Senators, who when
the Kansas aud Nebraska bill pending in Con-
gress, and when such remark from them, If ever,
| might affect southern emigration, then loud
est in Procsiming that, because of its climate,
| Kansas could never become Slave State. Indeed,
| it seems that all persons In and out Of Kansas,
whether in public or in private lite, NAV publish
what opinions they please in regaT to these ques-
| tOns, except the governor of that Territory, who
| has so little power and no patronage.
And DOW be pleased TO express to the President
my deep regret as regards unfortunate differ
! ence Of opinion in relation 20 the LecOmPton con-
/ sttution, and to say to him, that iutthoility
| does not belong to man, however exalted his in-
tellect, purity OF intention position, yet if he
has committed any in this respect, may they
| be overruled by a experimenting Providence, for
ment of the honor and interests of our beloved
! country.
| III now dissOlving my official connection with
| your department, beg leave TO tender to you my
| thanks for your constant courtesy and kindness
Most respectfully, your obi serv't,
! r. J. WALKER.