The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-04-04
Kansas and its New Govern or.

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nounces the appointment Of Robert J. Walk
err Of Mississippi to he the Governor of Kan.
sas and his acceptance Of the office. Second
in Importance and responsibility only to the
Presidential Chair must be ranked. Just now,
the office of Governor in Kansas Tcrrto ry
and all eyes will be anxiously turned thither-
ward to learn what line of policy the new
President has determined to pursue in the
settlement of the question at issue, whether
Kansas shall be free or slave State. Will
he follow the example of his predecessor and
suffer the Border Ruflians to invade the Ter
rtory and repeat ;heir savage deeds of MUIR
der and rapne, or will he confront them at
once, with the ample power at his control
,nd protect the peaceabe and honest settlers
in the enjoyment of their rights and the un-
disturbed possession Of their Claims? We
wait to see, and until we DO see, shall not pre-
judge his intentions or consider the appoint
ment which he has ust made as quite deter
mining what he purposes to do in the matter
But who is this Robert j. Walker upon
whom has been devolved this unsougbt otli-
cial burden and responsible trust? What
are his antccedents, is the inquiry upon many
! lips. and of what stuff is he made
Robert j. Walker is native of Prnnsyl-
van;a, born at Northumberland. in 1901. lie
graduated at the University of Pennsylvania
IN 1919. with the first honors of his class.
Subsequently he settled at Pittsburgh where
he studied law and was admitted to practice
III 1921. lie soon became an active polit-
elan, and was a leading agent in procuring
the nomination of Gen. jackson for the Pres
iIeney in 1924. In 1926 he removed to
Mississippi and was there jealous advocate
Of the measures Of Jackson's administration
In 1885 lie was elected to the United States
Senate, and in 1911 reelected for second
term. From this pest he was called togeth.
er with MIR Buchanan in 1915 to a seat in
the Cabinet of President Polk, where he
confined az Secretary of the Treasury dur
ing that administration. Since that period
he has taken no active part in political mat
;ers, devoting himself to other pursuits. and.
in the meantime, has made protracted Wis
it to England, from which he ha. but recent
" returned In the Senate and in the Cab
met and as a politician, he has given ample
proof of energy, tact and talent. Whatever
qualifications he either has, or wants for the
post now assigned him, must be fully known
to the President, from an intimate and conf
dental intercourse Of MANY wears. We re-
loice that this is so, for whatever he shall
do, or fail to do. as Governor of Kansas we
shall be assured of one thing, of which we
have sometimes, heretofore, been in doubt,
and that is, that the Governor OF Kansas rep
resents the wishes and purposes of him who,
at Washington, sits at the helm of State.
We shall judge them both by his acts, and
Suhii w S'hN Ill Tux lCtUIC management VI
Kansas affairs to Judge better of the present,
than we bave been compelled to Go, of the
past administration.
That we have not mi>judged that, that the
people of the Free States did not misiudce
it, in their decisive condemnation at the No.
vemher election, is abundantly proved, if
needed proof. from Gov. Geary's revelations.
We commend his statements to the special
notice of Democratic Editors and hope they
will spread them before their readers, as an
instructive commentary upon their repeated
decIarat ions heretofore, that the Free State
settlers of Kansas were suffering no injustice
at the hands of the administration. Will
they do it? We wait to see.