Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-06-11
Walkers Introductory Manifesto
The Herald publishes the following as a
special dispatch:
WASHINGTON, May IL, 1857

/ special dispatch:
WASHINGTON, May II, 1857
"a few days before Governor Walker
departure for Kansas his Introductory mani
festo to the people ofthat Territory wa
made known to the Cabinet. and approved
have been permitted to look over a cop,
Of this remarkable document (of some TWEEN
ty-four pages of manuscript, and find thai
its salient points are as follows:
in the outset Mr. Walker says that be
has consented to become Governor of Kan.
sas. sat the earnest solicitation Of the Presi.
dent, with the cordial concurrence of all his
Cabinet Upon this point, therefore, the
Cabinet is a unit. Next,after admitting the
terrible character of the imbrogilo on the
nigger question, Mr.. Walker proceeds to a
brief review of the history Of Slavery in the
United States. Then coming to Kansas he
falls back upon the popular sovereignty
clsp-rap Of the Kansas-Nebraska bill. The
people of Kansas, in the State Constitution
which they are sbout to frame (Pro-Slav-
ery) must, therefore, settle the question for
themselves. The President recognizes the
validity ofthe local laws PRO Slavery pro-
viding for the June election, &c. ,and in re-
gard to the stand-aloof policy adopted by
the Free State party, Mr. Walker in these
exact words, says:
Throughout our whole Unien, however,
and wherever free government prevails. those
rho abstain from the exercise of the right of
suffrage authorize those ioho do uote to act for
them IN that contingency, and The non-voters
are as much bound under the la,o ard The Con-
stitulion, as ,reH as by an ouerruiing moral
necessity, by the act Of The majority of those
irho do uote, as though all had participated in
the election
Thus, if from the stand-aloof policy of
tie Free State party in the Kansas June
election, the result should be Pro-Slavery
Constitution, it will be as binding as if
every man of the non-voters had voted.
Stick pin there.
Mr.. Walker says he has to enforce the
laws; ;be tn intkshe proceedngsor the election
very smooth and fair,and that, il there sho'd
be frauds in the election, the Convention
will be honest. But then. IS last resort
If there is wrong there is remedy in Cor
gress. He next says: Il cannot doubt that
the Convention, after houing framed State
Constitution, wiH submit it b. solemn oath
for ratification or rejection by q majority Of
the people of Kansas He enters into an
constitutional argument upon this
point, from which it is evident that the
President desires this curse to be pursue ed
sMr Walker next throws out the follow
ing ideas. Says he:
1T is true that the constitution of State,
as has 5een the case with many. may be
silent on the subject of Slavery, wh;c
case, in the absence Of any prohibition o.
the legislative power of a State, granted in
one general comprehensive clause. the Leg
sature Of the State, elected by the pc ople,
might act on the question of Slavery as they |
have done in other States, &c
He thinks that this forthcoming Consen-
lion will have the perfect right to adopt this
course of non-interveniion in their State
And you may stick another
bin there.
Then follows an appeal for general
participation in the election, &c, touching
,poD Indian titles. boundaries, homesteads.
,re-emptions, land grants. &c, dependent
iipon the early admission of Kansas as
State. I'll en- the Governor touches upon
Nebraska, soon to become S ate land upon
the great and futile slaueholdino Indian Ter
ritory on the South, soon, 1 hope, to become a
Siate, aided and encouraged By the Slate OF
Kansas" Stick two or three pins there.
Next, Mr.. Walker brings all the Pacific
silroads to bear upon Kansas and winds up
" repeating that he must enforce the laws,
md by appealing to the patriotism of the
,eople of Ksnsas ,inasmuch as the safety or
he destruction of the Union is in their
lands. This Union argument it substan-
tally the same as that in behalf OF Mr.. b.
hanan in the late Presidential campaign.
As such is the cream Of Mr.. Walkers intro
uclory Kansas manifesto