The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-12-29

lent returns from OXFORD anu Mc0oo' 0n
overwhelming majority of the people OF
Kansas have no faith in the validity OF
these returns, and therefore will not vote.
Indeed, disguise it as we may to ourselves
under the influence of the present excite
ment, the facts will demonstrate that any
attempt by Congress to force this Constltu-
ton upon the people of Kansas, will be an
effort to substitute the will of a small mi
nority for that of an overwhelming MAORI
ty; that it will not settle the Kansas ques-
ton or loealze the issue; that it will, fear,
be attended by civil war, extending per-
haps, throughout the Union; thus bringing
this question back again upon Congress
and before the people in its most danger
GUS end alarming aspect.
The President takes a different view of
the subject in his message; and, from the
it is evident that the question is passing
from theories into practice; and that, as
Governor of Kansas, should be compel
led to carry out new instructions. differing
on a vital question, from those received at
the date of my appointment. Such in
structions could not execute, consistently
with my views of the Federal Constitution,
of the Kansas Nebraska bill, or with my
pledges to the people of Kansas. Under
these circumstances, no alternative is left
me but to resign the office Of Governor OF
the Territory of Kansas.
No one can more deeply regret than my
self this necessity; but it arises from no
change of opinion on my part. On the
contrary 1 should most cheerfully have re-
turned to Kansas to carry out my original
instructions, and thus preserve the peace
of the Territory, and finally settle the Kan
sas question by redeeming my pledges to
the people. 1t is not my intention to dis
cuss, at this time, the peculiar circum-
stances and unexpected events which have
modified the opinions of the President upon
a point so vital as the submission of the
Constitution for ratification or rejection by
a vote of the people-muoh less do | desire
any controversy with the President on this
subject; yet. however widely my views may
differ from those entertained by him on this
transformations which l have held all my
life, and which, as involving fundamental
principles of public liberty and of the Con-
stitution, are unchangeable-yet, as re-
CARDS all those great democratic measures
which. trust, will constitute the policy of
his administration in other respects, it will
give me pleasure, as private citizen, to
yield my cordial support.
have said that the slavery question as
a practical issue had disappeared from
Kansas long before my arrival there, and
the question of self government had been
substituted in it's place. On some future
occasion l shall dissipate the delusion
which has prevailed on this subject, and
show that after three years experiment,
when I arrived in Kansas there were less
than three hundred slaves there, and the
number constantly diminishing; that, as
proved by the official records Of Congress,
published and authenticated by those dis
tinguished Southern statesmen, John G.
Calhoun and jefferson Davis, the winter
climate, even of Eastern Kansas, is colder
than that of New England, and that the
pro slavery Territorial Convention of Kan
sas, consolidated with the slavery Ter
ritorial Legislature, on the 4th of January.
1857, nearly five months before my arrival
there, did distinctly abandon the slavery
issue, because, as set forth by one of their
number, 1.-THE pro- slavery party was in
small and admitted minority and the CO.
operation of the free State Democrats was
invited, as the only hope of success, not to
make Kansas a slave State, which was con-
ceded to be impossible, but to make it a
conservative democratic free State" Even
as late as the 3D. of July, 1857, when the
Democratic Territorial Convention assem-
bled at LecomptOn, in consequence of the
laws of climate and the well known will of
the people, none commended that slavery
could be established there. Nor was it
until my southern opponents interferrcd in
the affairs of Kansas, and by denunciation,
menace and otherwise, aided at a critical
period, by several federal office holders of
Kansas, including the surveyor general,
(the President of the Convention,) with
his immense patronage, embracing many
hundred employees, interviewed, and, as /
believe, without the knowledge or appro-
baton of the President of the United
States, produced the extraordinary paper
called the Lecompton Constitution. Yet
this act of intervention by federal off GERS
to defeat the will of the people seems to be
sustained by my opponents; whilst my in
tervention, as it is called, in obedience to
my duty and oath of office to support the
federal Constitution, and to take care that
our organic law should be fairly executed
by endeavoring to secure to the people OF
Kansas their rights under that act, is de-
nounced and illuminated. 1t is still more
extraordinary, that the hypothetical re-
marks made by me as regards climate in
connection with its influence upon the ques-
ton of slavery in Kansas, after that issue
had been abandoned there, which views
were consolidating the union between con-
servative Free State, and pro- slavery Dem
ocrats, SO as to prevent the confscation of
the small number of slaves then held in
Kansas, have been denounced by many
distinguished Southern Senators, who. when
the Kansas n Nebraska bill was pending in
Congress, and when such remarks from
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