The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-25
GEN. cAsss LETTER TO GOV. WALKER.

lotn DAY OF fepruary next.
GEN cAss's LETTER TO GOV WALKER.
We reprint to-day General Casss letter in reply to
Governor Walker because, by an inadvertence equal
ly Notifying and nexcnsable it was allowed to APP
pear in yesterdays Union with many typographical
errors. In now reproducing it, however, we have
the consolation Of knowing that it viii bear second
reading and Of making it the occasion of one or two
remarks with which we had intended to accompany
its first publication.
With respect to the improprety of which Gov
ernor Walker guilty, in adding to his resigna-
tion of his Office formal arraignmen of the policy
of the administration upon tho subject of Kansas
there can hardly be division of opinion among his
countrymen. His course, in this particular has been
strongly censured even by those whose general
views concerning the Lecompton convention are
fully in accordance with his own. The Presi-
dent" (says tho New York Evening POST 'has no
official concern with the opinions Mr.. Walker held
in 1888, or with any theory of State rights he may
have promulgated through the press from the
strap during any other stage Of his distinguished
political career And the Post adds that 'he could
hardly have permitted himself to be reasoned with
by his subordinaes in this way without bringing his
administration into contempt" The clear and point
ed reasoning Of General Cass has left no doubt on
this subject and his rebuke to Governor Wakeris
alike digni6ed and just
Equally triumphant is the statement of General
uass in reference to an alleged change by the Prcsi-
dent of his Kansas policy. The whole Kansas issue
at This time is admirably compressed by the dstin-
gushed Secretary into single sentence Why this
allegation, he asks, of inconsistency? Simply be-
cause the convention of Kansas having in the exer-
else of the right belonging to them, decided that
they would not submit the whole constitution to
tho people, although they have submitted the
all-important and dangerous question of slavery
which threatened to conyulse the Union, and
alone prominent in the minds of the people
throughout every State he had not treated the
submission of this momcntous question as a mere
nullity." Is not this the whole complaint against
the President on the part of Governor Walker
and his friends? IL he had treated the convention
mere nullity-f he had ignored its acton-if
he had protested against the elections which it or
dered-if he had endeavored to prevent its doings
from being presented egitimately before Congress-
then, perhaps, he might have escaped the opposi-
ton which no now meets, and the Topeka conven-
tonists might have hailed him as an ally. But in
that event, who does not see that he would have
met another and very different opposition OPP
position not only of party but of the country, not
only Of persons but of principles, not only of fac
tious discomfort, but of legal right? This lat
ter opposition he has avoided, by simply keep
ing the straightforward pathway of his official
DIN hy actin In full with nr;,.
inal policy and his first instructions to Governor
Walker-by refusing to intervene in matters with
which he had concern--by continuing to recognise
the convention as legal conveniently respecting
its acts the acts of an authorized body-and by
declining to substitute his will for the will of the
convention and to endeavor to prevent its constitr-
ton from having fair hearing in Congress-. The
Presidents views and policy this whole subject
have been wilfully msrepresentcd in some quarters,
and strangely misunderstood in other quarters
When his message was read in the Senate on the
second day of the session, the distinguished
senator from Illinois in his place and lost no
time in declaring his opposition to that part of it
which relates to Kansas. But the next day that
same senator announced to the Senate that he
had not fully understood the President, on the
very subject with reference to which he had made
his precpitate opposition. We should be glad
to hope that upon further reflection on the message
not only that senator, but others who agree with
him in his recent surprising demonstration may find
that they still misunderstood it's policy and its prin-
cipes which, so far from being opposed to the pro-
visions Of the Nebraska BILL are in direct accordance
with them, and, so far from making war upon the
principles Of popular sovereignty, clearly recognise
the right Of the people to make their own institutions
in tssir own way The position Of the President on
this subject is, we firmly believe, imprcgnable no
matter what may I've the current Of future events II
discord is renewed in Kansas, he has no respon-
sibility for IL. He has given no pretext to re.
belliop. lie has not encouraged the residents