Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-12-26
GOV. LETTER.

GUN. LETTER.
The following is a sketch of the letter of r. J.
Walker, ~resiguing the office OF Governor Of Kansas:
WAsHINcToN Cry, Dec. 18th, 1857.
Hon. LewiS CdSS, Secretary Of State, Washington
CITY: SIR; l resign the office of Governor Ut the
Territory Ut Kansas. have been most reluctant
ly forced to this conclusion after anxious aud care
iul consideration of my duty to the country, to the
people OF Kansas, to the President of the u. S. land
to myself. The grounds assumed by the President
IN ElS l@'a message to Congress. aid in recent in
stTuctlOns In connection with the events now
trans piring here in Kansas, admonish me that
as Governor OF that Territory, it will NO longer be
in my power to preserve peace or promote the pub
lie welfare. AT the earnest solicitation Of thePreS-
ldent, after repeated re!usals, the last being in
writing, l finally accepted this office upon his letter
showing the dangers and difficulties of tie Kansas
question, and the necessity OF my undertaking the
task of its adjustment. l accepted, however, on
The express condition that / should advocate a sub
mission Ut the constitution to u vote OF the people
Tor ratification or rejection. These views were
clearly understood by the President and all his
Cabinet; they were distinctly set forth i'll my let
tet OF acceptance of this Office on the Doth Of March
last. and reiterated IN my inaugural address Oh
the 9th of May last.
With these views we'll known to the President
and Cabinet, aud approved by them, l accepted the
appointment Of Governor Ut Kansas. Nj instruc-
1AOhoi iOh thO L iColAChtt NbiOpEh Al ONNASNtA "
State, under date of the 18th Ut March last, sustain
the regular legislature ot the territory in Assem-
bling IL convention to form IL Constituuou,a and they
express the opinion of thePresident that when such
u constitution shall he submitted to the people OF
the territory, they must DE protected IN the exercise
Ut their right of voting for or against that instru
ment aud the fair expression OF the popular VIII
0 must not be interrupted by fraud or violence. re-
peat then, as my clear conviction, thar unless the con
. yentiun should submit the constitution to the vote
III ,f all fla AETNA rpslHapf attlPr II ausn aud
e The election be fairly and justly conducted, the
D constitution vii. be and ought to be, rejected by
s Congress-. HIS inau ,ural most distinctly asserted
j that 1t was not the question OF slavery, merely,
which | believed to be vi little practical import
i ance then in its application to Kansas, but the en-
: tire constitution which should lie submitted to the
people for ratification or rejection.
After quotation from the Presidents inaugural,
. Governor Walker refers as follows to his course as
- Governor Of Kansas, and its good effects: The
|. power and responsibility being devclved exclusive,
ly upon me by the President Of using the Federal
u army in Kansas to suppress Instruction, the alter
native was distinctly presented to me by questions
propoundsd at Topeka for arresting revolution by
70 the slaughter OF the people, or of preventing, TO-
% getber with thatcivil war which must have extend
ed throughout the Union. My solemn assurance
II was given that the right Of the people to frame
thsir own government, SO far as my power extend
=. ed, should be maintained but for this assurance
" it is q conceded fact that the TopekusState govern
ultityl iNh ODlD III oio p'S "SN'>
= have been put into immediate actual operation, and
.Ne that sanguinary collision with the Fede'ai army
" and civil war, must have ensued,and extended, II Ia
u feared, throughout the Union. Indeed, the whole
idea OF the inaugural address originated IN the al
u arming intelligence which had reached Washington
City Of perilous and ~incipient rebellion III kausas
I This instruction was rendered still more tormid
!. able, on my reaching the Territory, by the near ap
g proach Of the assembling of the revolutionary
State Legislature, and the very numerous mass con
Z an. ..n l,. h,l - .xna stntna ~ trnth
e had to choose between arresting that insurres,ioi
at whatever cost Of American blood by the Fedora
army, or to prevent that terrible catastrophe, as
= did 10y my pledges to the people OF the exertion o
all my power to obtain n fair election, By the vot
NC of the people, for ratif alton or rejection. NV In
" augural ard other addresses were therefore reall.
u u. in the nature Of p~roclamations 80 oiten issued 10y
~ presidenta and governors with n view to prevents
-" they did in this case, civil war and insurrecticn.-
. 1 was, therefore, only performing my solemn dut
" when, as Governor Of that Territory to whose PEE
-. Pile my first obligations were due, l endeavored t
secu re to them these results.
!, The idea entertained by some that ! should sc
" the Federal Constitution and the Kansas Nebrai
" " ka Bill overthrown and disregarded and that pla,
- ing the part of a mute in a pantomime o. rum,
Nv should acquiesce by my silence in such a result
al especially where such acquiescencc involved, as a
III immediute consequence, u disastrous and sauguil
D airy civil war seems 10 me most preposterDus. NJ
a drop of blood has been shed by the federi
/ troops IN Kansas during my adinlnlstTauOn, Out
% surrection and civil war, extending,l fear, throug
out the country, were alone prevented by the cour'
VI pursued by me on those occasions and the who
ny people abandoning revolutionary violence were i
duced by me to go for tho first time into a gene
APP al and peaceful election.
These important results constitute a snficie
OF consolation for all the unjust assaults made upt
ON me on this subject. i understand that these assault
or have never received the slightest countenance fro
for. the Presidents; on the contrary his message clea
md ly indicates an approval OF my course up to q
ing present most unfortunate difference about the 6
ris- called Leeompton constitution. Inasmucb, hive
ed err as this difference is upon q vital question. j
volying practical results and new instructions.
to Is certainly much more respectful to the Presider
up on my part to resign the Office OF Governor, al
zee. give him an opportunity of filling it, as is his rig
ess under the Constitution, with one who concurs wi
re, him in his pretent opinion.
lch
The South (Richmord) takes Mr. Douglas
:, hand and shaves him with a very rough-edged 7
a. zor. Here is a specimen of it's workmanship;
Due by all the mysterious rites and solemn vo'
at appropriate to the celebration of so sigma! aposl
cy. Stephen A. Douglas renounces the faith OF &
les. Democracy and is received into the communion
the Black Republicans.
DOS 1--WE cannot affect Indifference at the treache
yhs. of Senator Douglas. He was a politician OF co
las- siderable promise. Association with Sonthel
can gentlemen had smoo,hed down the rugged vnlga
ties Of his early education. and he had come
> so be quite . decent and wsllbehsyed person.