Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-01-02
WASHINGTON CRY, Dec. II 1857.

D. LEWIS OASSs 6ecy Oh Dtalo.
resign the Office of Governor of Kan
| have been most reluctantly forced
this conclusion after an anxious and care
consideration of my duty to the coun-
to the people ofKansaS, to thePresident
he United States, and to myself. The
: hands assumed by the President in his
message to Congress, and in his re
instructions in connection with the e.
is transporting here and in Kansas, ad-
BDish that, as governor of that territory,
eill no longer be in my power to pre-
Re peace or promate the public welfare.
the earnest solicitation of the Presi-
Ia, after repeated refusais, the last be-
in writing, | finally accepted this Office
b. his letter showing the dangers and
|nnIties Of the Kansas question and the
es.lty of my undertaking the task of its
i~iment. Under thee circumstances,
IA rithstanding the great sacrifices to me,
esoaal, political aud pecuniary,I felt that
bud 10 more refuse such a cali from my
|to u5ry, through her chief magistrate, than
4 older In battle, who is ordered TO com
Ind = forlorn hope. | accepted, however,
! the express condition that | should al
.aate the submission of the constitution
b a vote Of the people for their ratifoa
Eon or re election. These views were clear
b. understood by the President and his
Ea i.et. They were distinctly set forth
Gm my letter Of acceptance Of this ofiee Oh
Bh 10Th of March last, and reiterated III
pU inaugural address on the 9th of MAY
l3t, as follows: "Iudeal, | cannot doubt
th 1t the convention, after having passel a
sset e constitution, will submit it for ratii-
cation or rejection by a majority Of tn
5aaq fds residents Of Kansas"
8nith these views, we'll known to the
Resident and cabinet and approved by
lMm, | accepted the appointment of gov
d or Of Kansas. My Instructions from the
a .ident, through ihe secretary Of state,
ID der date Of The 18Th March last, sust.in
I'll regular Legislature of the territory in
asambIiug a convention to form a censti-
ion, and they expressed the opinion OF
IL President that when such a constitn-
IkH shall be submitted to the people of
Ihe territory, they must be protected in
lhe exercise of heir right of voting for Or
81 against that instrument. The fair ex
d ssi4u Of the popular will must not be in
q rapteI by fraud or violence. | repeat,
d sa, as my clear conviction, that unless
u convention should submit the constitl-
ID TO the votes OF the actual resident set
Il in Kansas, and the election be fairly
a Justly conducted, the constitution will
b and ought to be rejected by Congress.
The inaugural most distinctly asserted
u. it WAS not the question of slavery,
Arely, which l believed TO be Of little
Importance, then, in It's applica-
b To Kansas, but the entire constitutiol l.,
ai:h should DE submitted to The people
d ratification Or rejection.
Alter quoting from the Presidents i'll
agaral, Gov. Walker refers as follows, to
i coIyso as governor Of Kansas, AMI to
i gool effects:
The power aud responsibility being de
blyed exclusively upon me by the Presi-
bat, of using the federal army in Kansas
b suppress instruction, the alternative
las distinctly presented to me by ques-
ioas ~propoanded at Topeka, by arresting
.byoIution by the slaughter of the people,
l preventing it together with that Of civil
far which must have extended throughout
ae Union. My solemn assurance was
hcn given, that the right of tho people to
pane their own government, s o far as my
bower extended, should be maintained, and,
PQt for this assurance,it is a conceded fact,
Ihat the Topeka state government, then
sSemblcd in legislative session, would have
been pat into immediate and actual opera
hou, and that a sanguinary collision with
Ne federal army, and civil war must have
extending, it is feared Throughout,
IAe Union. Indeed the whole idea OF an
Inaugural address originated in the alarm
ng Intelligence which reached Washington
periIous and incipient rebellion in
Kansas. This Instruction was rendered
viii more formidable on my reaching the
by the neal approach of the as
embling Of the revolutionary state Legis-
AZURE, and the very numerous mass con
by which it was sustained. LII
he ruth | had chosen between arresting
that Instruction by whatever cost Of "A.
merieau blood by the federal army, or tc
prevent the terrible catastrophe as | die
b. my pledge to the people of the exer-
ton OF all my powers to obtain a fair cleo
ton by the vote of the people for ratifica
tion or rejection. Ny inaugural and other
addresses were, therefore, really in the na
ture of proclamations so often issued by
Presidents and governors, with a view to
prevent as they did in this case, civil wal
and Instruction. Now, by oath of office
| was sworn to support the constitution OF
the United States, which I have shown IN
my Judgment required the submission Of
The constitution to a vote of the people
| was sworn also, to take care that The
Kansas Nebraska Bill should be faithfully
executed, which bill in my judgment, as
heretofore stated, required that the eonstl
tuition be submitted to the vote OF the PEG
pie, and | was therefore only performing
nT SXTgra I,Fx, ,-bNn 30 xax-apnnr Of fhl