Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-06


pie Posterity would have pointed to his ad
mlnlstratiOn as a mo el and example to all gen.
eTatiOns: Pennsylvania would have had no
cause 10 have been ashamed Of her once favorite
son. No my fellow eOuntymen; but he did
not stop here. As if for the purpose of sccu.
mulating pledge upon pledge, as If for the pu--
| pose Of piling up pyramid of promises upon
/ tlis question what did he do next He looked
around TO see whom he should get 10 90 to Ken
sas for the purpose of settling the vcxed ques-
| tion which had rendered Kansas, what it has
/ been graphically termed ''the graveyard OF
| Governors" He sought for no inferior man; be
would not be tempted to take an ordinary man
| He selected a gentleman, a statesman, who had
been presented by large portion of the leading
and prominent men of the South for seat in
his Cabinet, who had for years representa- his
State IN the councils OF the nation. He Sc
lectel Robert J. Walker. AMI when he called
| upon Mr. Walker, and asked him to proceed to
| the Territory, Mr.. Walker said to him, "Why,
Mr.. Buchanan, that would finish me forever /;
/ 1t has ruined every man who has gone there; it
will ruin me. | have reached that time of life
when cannot afford to risk all my prospects,
and probably the peace and happiness Of my
/ family" And he said further, as if gifted with
a knowledge Of the future, Il cannot run the
risk Of being most probably betrayed and de-
serted by the Administration that appoints NE .
Mr.. Buchanan said to him, "Mr. Walker, if YOU
will go there, you will settle this question in a
few weeks. Everything is ready; here are your
instructions. pledge you my word that eve
rything you desire, you shall have" Mr..
Walker, as if ifinspired by sublime suspicion,
said, 'Ar. Buchanan, will not 90 to Kansas
until you allow me to meet your Cabinet face
10 face, and ascertain from that Cabinet in per-
I sd rrrbo - LII
there aud carry out the pledges of the campaign
Of 1856 Accordingly meeting of the Cabi
net Of Mr- Buchanan was called At the meet
ing every member Of the Cabinet was present.
Mr.. Buchanan and Mr. Walker were present
Alr. Buchanan in the chair Gov Walker
said, Il have desired this meeting because
have determined not TO 90 to Kansas unless I
have full instructions to carry out those pledges
and those principles; if there Is any opposing
voice, l viii not 90; DO not desire to 20; it is
by no means an enviable position; but # have
the permission and consent of you, gentlemen,
for this I have asked, will 60" The Cabinet
was pOlled; but one member Of the Cabinet
objected to the programme laid down by Gov.
Walker. l need not mention his name Gov
Walker said, That settles the question, gentle
men; do not wishtO 60; a single negative is
sufficient, and l will retire from the field" But
AACl Aooh Aildl AuGllutL Ot LtE AAulleL luLO All
adjoining room, and there they convinced him
that Gov. Walker was right. They returned
and gave Walker bis Instructions He went to
Kansas with his instructions in his pocket, and
accompanied by man well known to the coun-
try, Mr.. Stanton, who went out with similar
pledges.
Now gentlemen, this is the plain statement Of
the facts. Without going into details, will
come down to my own part in this campaign -
My ambition was TO assist and build up my
good old State, to push forward her great inter
ests, to assist in the development of her indus
try, to do that which we must all do at last,-for
the older grow, the more certainly come to
that cOnclusion,-tO Try tobe strong at your own
home aud build yourselves up in your own com
munities and your own States, and when you DO
that, you viii be respected and strong at the seat
of Government [Applause and cheers There
fore, it was that IN 1857, started the newspa-
per which now bears my name at its mast
head. And I did this for the purpose Of advo-
eating Mr.. Buehanan's policy throughout
had had, as have said, abundant pledges as 90
his course upon this question Of Kansas. But
before published that paper, susPecting that
probably something would take place, / con
cluded 10 take care to have myself strengthened.
And wrote 10 most of bis Cabinet and told
them upon what grounds l intended TO stand
/ II regard 10 this question of Kansas. They
were 50 good as to send me enough written tes
timOny 10 strengthen me IN the position | had
/ taken went on with Walker and Stanton
/ When the Oxford and McGee frauds took place,
when there was universal burst Of indigna-
ton throughout the cOuntry-when tho whole
/ Democratic press applauded Walker for reject
/ ing these fraudulent returns, suddenly there
was silence and pail over the columns of the
/ Washington Union. Nothing was said upos the
subject Of the Oxford and McGee frauds; no
word was given in support Of Walker and Stan
ton. l supposed that some malign influence
had for the moment surrounded that journal
that it had had an attack Of some peculiar IN
sanity, which has really become chronic with it.
and l allowed It to pass by. Bot when the
dark and daz1ria= decd at Lecompton was per
Petrated, then l saw, for the first time, that
those gallant men, Wzlksr and Stanton thnse
men who stood with mel saw that l and the
whole Democratic press Of the country had
been carried along with the Administration, and
were called apOn to desert our pledges and be-
tray our own manhood When the cup wa.
presented u my lips, refused it. LCOntinued
applause and eheers.l Administrations may
change; Presidents may change; but had been
too fully and too personally committed upon
this subject 10 20 back TO Pennsylvania and turn
my back upon the pledges which l had both
spoken and written But l did not for 4 mo.
ment believe that the administration, though
concluding to abandon the position upon Ihicl
1t had come into power, had resolved to make
that a test. / went TO Washington Wheu
got there l said to my old friend, Mr.. Buchan
an, "For the first time we are at variance: hav-
iog followed your lead thus far, now find my
self deserted" "Weil," said he, "eannot YOU
change too 2" [Laughter.l iii can afford tC
change" said lie, ''why cannot you afford to
change, tool [ReneWed laughter "Ifyou, and
Douglas and Walker will unite in support OF my
policy there viii not be whmper Of this thing; i
will pass by as theSummer breeze" / said 10 hin
we differ; very well; with an administration sur
rounded by office-seekers, living all the time il
an atmosphere of hattcry, followed BY Thousands
Of men who expect Office, and who say to you
You are right Mr.. Buchanan,we are down upon
our bellies IN the dust, please 10 walk over Us
and trample upon US, and we will be content
and happy you may believe that your policy Is
right. But | tell you, Mr.. Buchanan, that there
Is still small voice IN the hearts of the people
that inssinctively rejects and abhOrs iraud-anG
this is fraud AMI dishonor. do not claim to be
more honest than other men; have, as all poll
ticians have, done many things which may not
square exactly With the rules Of religion and
night, and which l regret having done; but this
thing l will not DO. [Renewed aPplause.l
have reached the years of manhood. and l can
not go to back 10 Pennsylvania and eat my own
words, and become the slave Of power. But
then, Mr.. Buchanan, you must tolerate these
differences Of OPinion- Gen jackson tolerated
differences Of opinion among his friends; Col
Polk tolerated diff rences OF opinion among his
friends, as you arc aware, for you Offered with
him upon the subject Of the tariff, and yet you
remained in his cabinet; Mr.. Pierce tolerated
differences OF opinion. And here you are; the
men who carried you into the place you now
occupy having refused your favors, and having
trampled the patronage which has been tender
ed them, under foot, because they desired TO
serve independently. Here they are, asking to
be tolerated in the indulgence Of an honest Opin
! inn LArnl-,.n I Ih. -arl- 70 th-t .r,s ..s..-