Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-12-02
CLEARFIELD, PA, DEC. 2, 1857.
THE KANSAS QUESTION.


On last Wednesday, the 25th uit., Governor
Walker, of Kansas, arrived in Washington
City. On the following day he had an inter-
view with President Buchanan. Walkers op-
position to the Kansas Constitution is not
founded on the Slavery clause, but on the re-
fusal of the Convention to permit the people
to vote on it. This he regards a violation
of the Federal Constitution, of the Kansas
Nebraska bill, of Popular Sovereignty, and
the rights of self-government. The President
is represented as feeling himself bound to sus-
tain the action of the Kansas Constitutional
Convention, whatever it may have been, if the
Convention was authorized by Congress, and
the Cabinet are said to be united in favor of
sustaining its action. 1t is thought that open
hostility is inevitable between the President
and Walker.
a correspondent of the n. Y. Times says,
SsWalker has never yet seen the Constitution,
and nobody outside knows what it is; all the
efforts Of the government to obtain copy of
it have failed. 1t is feared that its sfgners
viii be driven out of the Territory that the
Constitution win be considered spurious, and
that the State government can never be set in
motion unless by the federal arms. Walker
declares that he cannot aciuiesce in the action
of the Convention without violating the pledge
he gave, sacrificing his honest convictions,
and making himself infamous. If resistance
be made to the establishment of the State gov
ernment, the President will necessarily call on
the Governor of the Territory to exercise force
and put it down. This, with his sentiments,
resign
The Territory is said to be in state of high
excitement, and the indignation felt and ex-
pressed against the effort of the Bogus Con-
vention to force a State Constitution on Kan
sas, is not confined to the Free State party.
a committee had waited on Walker, request
ing him to call together the Territorial Legis-
lature, which he evadeti by saying it was a
question whether the old or new Legislature
should be convened and promising to look in
to the matter, but instead of doing SO he left
in the first boat and went to Washington. In
the meanwhile great public meeting was
held at LeavenwOrth, which was wrought up
TO the highest pitch of excitement by the ad-
dresses of Gen. Lane and others. but was fl
nally quieted down by assurances from Demo-
cratic speakers that they could not believe
that the President would sustain the course of
the convention. 1t can reasonably be expect
ed, that as soon as they learn that Mr.. Buchan-
an is disposed to sustain it, the excitement
Will break out with new vigor. There exists
in the Territory volunteer military organi-
Zation not less than ten thousand strong, and
it is well understood that some anticipated de-
cisive movements from that quarter quickened
the action of Walker and Stanton in rejecting
the Oxford return. An attempt to hold the
proposed election or the 2lst, may result in
serious consequences, as no doubt the people
of Kansas are determined that this infamous
Constitution shall not be forced upon them.
Near three thousand troops are said to be col
lected at Leavenworth but if their aid should
be made use of TO force through the Constitu-
tion, it may lead to a sangCinary civil war,
Matters have now assumed such a shape that
either Mr.. Buchanan must give up his disposi-
tion to uphold the action of the Convention, or
carry it through at the point of the bayonet.