The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-12-25
Gov. Walkers Resignation.

ALDEN JACkSON,
3w5O Secretary VI State.
Gov. Walkers Resignation.
Gov Walker has ut last been forced int
Q resignation Of the Office Of Governor o
Kansas His letter. addressed to the Score
tary Of State, Hon. Lewis Cas-, is datet
Dec. Is, 1857. The letter is long, writer
with great ability, and states that he resign
because he cannot carry out the policy o
the President in relation to the Lecomptol
CONSTITUTION. He stands with Mr.. Dougla
in demanding that the people Of Kanul
shall have an opportunity to vote upon al
the provisions Of the constitution, and that
all attempts TO deprive them Of their righu
u pass upon the whole Of their organic Law
is an infringement If the graf doctrine o
popular sovereignty and that his assent to tn
Presidents policy would violate his pledges
to the people OF Kansas and involve him IL
personal dishonor.
The Boston Advertiser in publishing hi
letter says with great truth:
HIS consummate ability in tho use Of Ian
qua! was never employed to better purpost
than in unfolding the right and justice Of
this Kansas question. The argument Is moi
marred by single flaw even in matter OIL
detail, or weakened by a single inielicitous
illus ration. The points OF the case which
with US have become familiar from reitera.
ton, are stated anew with cogency. tina,
has never been surpassed. Besides these,
many new points which demand the atten-
ton Of the public, are presented in q light
" clear that they can no longer escape
notice.
For instance, it has been o frequent ar
gument to assume that the people Of Kansas
are somewhat to blame for not generally
voting ut the election for delegates to the
Lecompton Convention and it Is almost
universally assumed by the administration
presses that they are just rs much response
Bile Tor the action oil the Convention as IL
they had participated in the election of its
delegates. But Mr.. Walker shows that in
~ cut of "a counti,s there was no census,
previous to the election, and in Is out of
"a there was no registry Of voters, although
such census and registry were made by law
necessary precedents to voting. The census
and the registry were deliberately neglect
ed by the pro-slavery officials whose duty it
was to prepare them. In these counties,
the people could not possibly vote, however
strongly they desired to exercise the free
mans privilege; and the counties thus DIS
fnnchised are among the most populous OF
the territory and probably con ain together
majority OF the whole number Of voters.
What adds to the enornity Of this act of IN.
justice to half the entire population, is the
fact that in some Of the neglected counties,
the people by voluntary Efforts supplied the
census and registry, and elected delegates,
and all those thxs elected ipere unSsdted -
Thus tho pretence that the non-voters have
'assented" by silence to the acts Of the L..
compton faction, and are bound thereby, is
utterly demolished. Their assent, in half
the territory, was compulsory not voluntary.
We repeat that Gov. Walker deserves the
thanks Of the world, for this able and lumin.
GUS exposition Of the treachery avowed by
the President of the United States, to the
principles Of free government.
The letter commences us follows:
WASHINGTON Crrr, Dec. Is, 1857.
To Hon. LeSis Cas-, Secretary of STATE:
Sir: l resign the Office OF Governor Of
the Territory Of Kansas. have been most
forced to this conclusion after
anxious and careful consideration Of my
duty to my country-to the people OF Kan.
ias-to the President Of the United States,
and to myself.
The grounds that are assumed by the
President in his late message to Congress,
with events now transporting here and in
Kansas, admonish me that rs Gov. Of that
Territory 1t will no longer DO in my power
to preserve the peace or promote the public
welfare.
Mr.. Walker then says he accepted tho
Office Of Governor Of Kansas Eat the earnest
solicitation Of the President" and ION the
express condition that should advocate the |
submission Of the constitution to o vote Of
The people for ratification or rejection"-l
md that in his inaugural and subsequent
address he was pledged to the people Of
Kansas to oppose by all lawful means, the
adoption Of any constitution which was not
airly and fully submitted to the vote for
ratification or rejection" Considerable
pace is devoted to an argument in defence
Unpopular sovereignty, and in stating the
Inference between the positions occupied BY |
The President and himself. Passing by this |
portion Of the letter We content ourselves
with giving 30 much Of the letter a. relates
70 election Of delegates to the Lecompton
Convention, and the disfranchissment Of o
arge number Of the Citizens Of Kansas.
Mr.. Walker ays:
As all free government, rs stated by Mr..
Jefferson. depends upon "the consent Of the
how can IL DO known whether
The people would assent to the Constitution
unluss ID DO Submitted 20 their vote for rsti.
6cation or rejection. But il acqulescenoe
can be presumed in any case surely IL can
not be in that Of Kansas, where - many OF
the delegates violated their pledge to submit.
the Consultation itself 10 vote Of the peot
pie. where the delegates who signed the
20 stitution represented scarcely one-tenth
Of the people, and where nearly one-half Of
the counties Of the Territory were disfran.
,hised. and that BY no fault Of theirs, and
aid not and could not give single vote at
the election of delegates to the convention.
I have heretofore discussed the subject
mainly on the question that oonventions ara
rot sovereign, and cannot rishtfally mako .
State Constitution without il submission ~
! vote Of the people for ratification or 10
ection. Yet surely even those who di6sr