The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-12-31
Gen. CRss' letter in Reply TO Gov.
walker.

WASHINGTON, Dc. 23.-Among the docu-
ments tled, was Cass reply TO Walker,
dated
STATE DEPARTMENT., Dec. lS, 81
Sir On Wednesday last received your
communication of the 10Th inst, rendering your
resignation rs Governor OF Kansas. This res
gndtion is accompanied by a long argument on
the affairs OF that territory generally, to which
you are well aware it would be impropet for
this department to reply. If every officer of
the Government, who feels himself constrained
TO refuse obedience to the instructions of the
President shall pursue this unusual course, and
thus place on the files of the appropriate depart
ment criticism on the policy Of the Administra-
tiou, no person knows better than yourself to
what consequences this might lead. --
The Department must either cause charges
and arguments against the President to be filed
among the public aachives of the country with
out contradiction or reply, or it must spend the
time which ought to be devoted to the public
service in controversies with subordinate Off
GERS, who may disapprove Of the Presidents
policy. Whilst duty, therefore, forbids me to
enter into controversial discussion with you
upon the various topics embraced by your ar
gument it is proper | should make remark
upon single point. You state that the Prcsi-
dent has changed his policy in regard to Kan
sas. Aud why this allegaton7 Simply be-
cause the Convention Of Kansas have, in the
exercise of the rights belonging to them, deci-
ded that they would not submit the whole cousti-
tuition to the people, although they had submit
ted the all important and dangerous question Of
slavery, (which threatened to couvulse the Union,
and wus alone prominent in the minds OF the
people throughout every State-he had not treat
ed the submission Of this momentous question
as mere nullty.
Under these circumstances it was his mpera-
tiva IutN- md thia in ptrirt m 4
with those instructions, to take care that fair
elections be held on this vital question:, and
thus give peace to the Union. Had he acted in
any other manner, merely because he preferred
the submission of the constitution originally,
to the people, his responsibility would have
been of the gravest character. lie never imt-
mated or expressed an opinion that the conven-
ton were bound to submit any portion of the
constitution to the people, except the question
OF slavery, much less that that portion would
be invalid without such opinion. This would
have been in opposition to the numerous pre-
cedentS which have occurred since the adoption
of the federal constitution by the different States.
The QUESTION Of slavery was the all absorbing
question, and you were sent to Kansas with the
full confidence Of the President, to carry out the
principles of the Kansas and Nebraska act
With the question whether Kansas was to be a
free or slave State, you were not to interfere
1Ou were 10 secure 10 the people OF hanSaS =
free and fair election to decide the question foi
Themselves. The President was therefore hap.
py to learn from your dispatches 10 this depars
ment, of July 18th last, that in all your speech
es you had refrained from expressing any opin
ion as TO whether.t should b. a slave or Ire,
! State.
lam instructed to inform you that your res
ignation of the office OF Governor OF Kansas hu
been accepted.
am, sir, your obedcnt servant,
LEWIS CASS.