Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-12-24
WALKERS RESIGNATION
HIS MANIFESTO.

GOVERNOR WALKERS RESIGNATION.
HIS MANIFESTO.
Gov. R. J. Walker, late of Kansas, has re-
signed his office, and simultaneously issued his
manifesto and explanation of the causes leading
him thereto. He enters into long discussion
of the questions lately raised with regard to
Kansas, contending that the Lecompton Con-
vention should have submitted the whole Con-
stitution to the people, not only because to do
SO would have been right and proper, in accord
ance with the principles of the Kansas and Ne
braska act, and in fuflment of all public pledges
and promises given on the subject, but, in fact,
to cure a radical defect in the Lecompton Con-
vention itself, which Convention, he says, was
not chosen by majority of the people of Kan
sas. He then goes on:
"By my oath Of office was sworn to support
the Constitution of the United States, which l
have shown, in my Judgment, required the sub
mission of the Constitution to the vote of the
people. l was sworn, Also to take care that
the Kansas and Nebraska bill should be faith
fully executed which bill, in my judgment, as
heretofore stated, required that the Constitution
should be submitted to the vote Of the people,
duty, when, as Governor of the Territory to
whose people my first obligations were due, 1
endeavored to secure to them these results
The idea entertained by some that should see
the Federal Constitution and the Kansas Nebras-
ka bill overthrown and disregarded, and that
playing the part of mute in a pantomime of
ruin, should acquiesce by my silence in such
a result, especially where such acquiescence in
nIyynd DC or ,nfo
trous and sanguinary civil war, seems to me
most prepostereus. Not a drop of blood has
been shed by the federal troops in Kansas dur
ing my administration. But instruction and
civil war, extending, fear, throughout the coun-
tfy, were alone prevented by the course pursued
by me on those occasions, and the whole people,
abandoning revolutionary violence, were induc-
ed by me to go, for the first time into general
and peaceful election
These important results constitute sufficient
consolation for all the unjust assaults made up
on me on this subject. l do not understand
that these assaults have ever received the light
est countenance from the President: on the con-
trary, his message clearly indicates anapproval
OF my course up to the present most ,unfortu-
nate difference about the so-called Lecompton
Constitution. Inasmuch, however, as this diff
ference is upon vital question, involving prac-
tcal results and new instructions, it is certainly
much more respectful to the President on my
part to resign the Office of Governor, and give
him an opportunity of filling it, as is his right
under the constitution, with one who concurs
with him in his present opinions, rather than 60
to Kansas and force him to remove me by dis
obedience to his instructions. This latter course,
in my Judgment, would be incompatible with
proper respect for the Chief Magistrate of the
Union, inconsistent with the rules of moral rec
titude or propriety, and could be adopted with
no other view than to force the President to re-
move me from office. Such course, it is al
legged, would present me to the public as po-
litical ii the defence of the great princi
pealtt, but to go to Kansas
any such purpose, or with certain knowled
that such result must follow, would be alike
unjust and improper. My only alternative, then,
is that of respectful resignation, in the hope
that Kansas and our beloved country may be
shielded from that civil war with which | fear
both are threatened, by, any attempt to force the
so-called Lecompton constitution upon the peo-
pie Of Kansas.
I state it as fact, based on a long and init
mate association with the people Of Kansas, that
an overwhelming majority of that people are
opposed to that instrument and my letters state
that but one out of twenty of the press of Kan
sas sustains it. Some oppose it because so
many counties were disfranchised and unrepre-
sented in the convention. Some who are op-
posed to paper money, because it authorizes a
bank of enormous capital for Kansas, nearly I'M
limited IN its issues, and in the denomination of
its notes, from one dollar up and down. Some
because of what they consider a Know Nothing
clause, by requiring that the Governor shall
have been twenty years a, citizen of the United
States Some because the elective franchise is
not free, as they cannot vote against the consti-
tuition, but only on the single issue, whether any
more slaves may be imported, and then only
upon that issue by voting for the constitution to
which they are opposed. They regard this as
but mockery of the elective franchise, and a
perilous sporting with the sacred rights of the
people. Some oppose it because the constitu-
ton distinctly recognizes and adopts the Oxford
fraud in apportioning legislative members for
johnson county, upon the fraudulent and fcti-
tious returns, SO falsely called, from that pre-
cinct, which recognition of that fraud in the
constitution is abhorrent to the moral sense of
the people. Others oppose it because, although
in other cases the presidents of conventions have
been authorized to issue writs of election to the
regular Territorial or State officers with the
usual judges, with the established precincts and
adjudication of returns, in this case unpreceden-
ted and vice-regal powers are given to the pre-
sident of tho eonvention to make the precincts
the judges, and to decide finally upon the re-
turns. ~
From the grant of these unusual and enor-
nous powers, and from other reasons connect
ed with the fraudulent returns of Oxford and
MCGEE, an overwhelming majority of the ,peo-
pie of Kansas have no faith in the validity of
these returns, and therefore will not vote. In
deed ;. disguise it as we may to ourselves under
the influence Of the present excitement, the facts
viii demonstrate that any attempt by Congress
to force this constitution upon the people of
Kansas, will be an effort to substitute the will |
of small majority for that Of an overwhelming
majority of the people Of Kansas that it will
not settle the Kansas question or localize, the /