Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-11-21
The Kansas Disturbance Gov. Walker.

The Kansas Disturbance Gov. Walker.
We have already expressed our dsarpro-
val of Gov. Walkers attempt to intimidato
and control the authorities of Kansas las to
the manner in which their constitution
should be submitted to Congress. Ne will
not attempt to provo"who Should decide on
this question. One thing, however, is clear
to our mind, that the General Government
or its official should not. When We say
that we are Jealous for the honor and in
terests of the South, and DESTROYS that JUS
tiee should be done to it, it is useless to
add, that We highly disapprovc of his late
high handed and unjustifable act in reject
ing the returns of the Oxford and Melee
precincts. The question is not, whether
the returns were fraudulent or whether
some technical formalities were emitted
but whether it came within the jurisdiction
of Governor Walker to decide at all on
those returns. We maintain that he had no
power to reject them, however monstrous
the frauds committed on the che side, or
the injury sustained on the other. We CON
tend that this power is vested in the Legs
latnre only, and why was it usurped by the
Governor? Can any one urge in his de-
fence that there was any earthly necessity
for tins proceeding? We think not He
had only to wait, if he really wished to act
honorably and morally, until the Legisla-
ture met, to lay the returns of the contested
elections before it, and let them be retained
or rejected accordins'to its decision, and in
accordance with the law. We have heard
it whispered bat very faiusly, that if Walk
er had not rejected the Oxford and McGec
returns, the democrats would have had the
majority in the Legislature and would have
given seats to their political friends in OPP
position to all law and justice. We answer
'te. this, that such an insinuation is an un-
worthy SANDER upon that party and upen
the popular branch of the government of
Kansas 1t is clear that Walker cannot be
justified BY the plea Of necessity But this
question las been silcneed by almost all of
the supporters of Walker acknowledging
that the Governor has ovcrstcppcd his pow
or. The 1noet jealous advocates of him and
his policy confess this, even the New York
Herald but By course of subtle sephistry
which can deceive no one but themselves
They have blinded their eyes to the magni-
tude of the offence, by reference TO the
monstrous fraud which has been committed,
aud the technical formalites which have
been omitsed-but this sort of reasoning
won't dove care not how stupendcus q
fraud has been perpctrated, Or if the cleo
'tlonh had been totally informal and illegal
We contend that it was not within the jul
risdiction of the Governor to decide upon
those returns at aH Neither was he placed
there to decide upon points Of morals which
had been overlooked by, and unknown to
the law or to overstcp his legal power.
whenever his conscience or whatever you
may term it, tells him he has moral duty
to perform beyond those limits-but he was
put there to see the laws we'll execsted not
broken. He was also restrained to some
degree by the laws Of the territory and of
the United States, and it was his duty, as
i is the duty Of every officer of the Govern
mcnt, to pat rcins on that moral enthusi-
ASA of has.
1t has been said that Catholics arc unfit
TO hold Office under our Government, be-
cause there is Potcntatc across tho Allan
tic whose laws they recognized as higher
than those Of the United States, how much
more is he unfit to hold otfiee who has
reigning within his OWN bosom 3 potentate
at whose mandate he feels bound to disre-
gard any law of the land Religious and
moral fanaticism are very harmless vices II
not very laudablc virtues in parsons and
private citizens but history informs US that
they have proved the most terrible seoarscs
with which God ever cursed sinful world
when possessed by persons in power. We
can stand border rufians and negro-stcaling
Yankees, but Heaven preserve US from
higher law rulers. Such tender conscienced
and heightened gentlemen are not fit for
hurly -burly Kansas, or to wear the shaekles
of office Suppose that President Buchanan,
now that Congress is not in session, were to
take it into his head that it was his moral
duty to establish National Bank. Would
not these very supporters of Walkers high
handed measure be the first to ery out n.
galnst such usurpation ? Would any one
listen to him when he declared he THOUGHT
1t was his moral duty that he did not think
Congress would act up to his idea Of right
When they met-that they were too thor
oughly imbued with demosratie PRINCIPLES
and corruption--that the present state of
the currency shocked his moral feeling. and
TO let the people continue to suffer as they
do at present, would be monstrous fraud ?
And yet Mr.. Buchanan has as much right
IN lsurn the apfLnri+1y ~ ~, o..a5.. -. w