Litchfield enquirer., 1858-03-11

1 the proceedings, but has since been published. ] 1t Will put to rest all doubts coneerning Gov Walkers position
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 1858.
 AUSTIN II. BROWN, Esq, CAai, man, &c. i SIR: Your letter ill behalf of the Commit l tee, inviting me to address the mass meeting of the Democracy of Indiana on the 23d ot 1 this month at Indianapolis, has been received i It would have given me sincere pleasure te 1 have complied with your request, but on the ] 24th of this month one of my most important l cases. now pending in the Supreme Court of
 he United States is set down for argument and cannot be absent on tie ortason The power of Congress to udma new States i into the Union has heretofore, at various De- riods, been fully discussed by me- This power l of adaaassaom most clearly implies the previous consent of the people of the Hthoate State. not only by the very terms, but as required by the fundamental principles of our Govern ment. Indeed, l presume it will hardly be contended that Congress possess any power to force the people of State into the Union against their Will. The Uuon is composed of confcderacy of coequal sovercigntcs, and each must have freely entered into the Federal compact. By the people of State, under our Federal Constitution, is always intended the majority of that people. The people of 1 State, ill entering into the Union always judi cate their previous assent by the adoption of State Constitution.
 My own opinion, as heretofore often express ed, distinctly repeated in my letter of accep- tance of the G Goverrorship of Kansas, and re- iterated ill my inaugural address, was that the assent of the people to their Constitution Gan only properly be ascertained by direct pop ular vote for or against it's adoption. h. deed. in what other Way can it ever be known that the people would have assented to the Constitution unless they are permitted to vote for or against its adoption? The President, fh his message of December last, admits this must be done as regards the question of Sla- very as regulated by State Constitution, al- though he comedies that his instructions to me as regards the submission of the Constitution we're general and unqualified" It is most unfortunate that such all opinion bad remained so long dormant in the breast of the Pres- dent for if the slightest suggestion to that effect had been made to me, it is quite evident from my lifelong opinions on this very point, so often and distinctly expressed, repeated in my letter of acceptance of the Goyeruorship of Kansas, aud reiterated ill my inaugural ad- dress that on such conditions l never would have gone to Kansas.
 It is true that the President, in his Message most frankly comedies, not ouy that his instructions to me as regards the submission of the Const tuition were general and unquali- fed" but also that he then supposed that the ] Constitution itself would have been submitted to tEc vote of the people, and that in judg- nent this ought to have been done But, ney- erthelesS, his Message of December last to my surprise and astonishment, first developed the astounding fact that the President d:scov- cred that nothing but the Slavery question was required to be submitted to the vote of the people. l do not mcan to charge the Chief Magistrate of our country with wiliul deception on this question, but this 1 do say, as indicated by my lifelong opinious publish ed again and again, and repeated in my letter of acceptance, reiterated ill my inaugural ad- dress aud various dispatches, that the Presi- dent and his Cabinet we'll knew my opinions on this subject, and that never would have gone to Kansas except on the condition of adyoca- ting the submission of the Constitution for rat
 fcation or rejection to the vote of the people. This, with me, was vital question, embody- ing the only fair, just, peaceful, and constitu- tlonal method of settling the difficulties in Kansas.
 1 It was with extreme reluctance, and accom- panied by great sacrifices, and after repeated retusals, that l at length did consent to go sto ka"sas tut upon no other terms would I have gone than upon those indicated and if the President had stated to me that tlIe Slave | y question only was required to be submitted 1 to the vote Of the people, he very well knows, and all his Cabinet we'll know, and all my lrieds who conferred with me at that date snow, that on such conditions never would have goie to Kansas
 In my administration of the affairs of Kan- sas, always communicated from first to last to the President, faithfully carried out these views as regards the submissions of the Constitu- ton t. the vote of the people, X by these m,aI,s, as the President frankly admits in his late Kansas Message, prevented sanguinary re- volution there in June last This revolution would have covered Kansas with blood aud de- solution it would have been marked by all those horrors which ever accompany civil war, which must have extended to bordering states and territories, and involved but too probably the ruin of our beloved country. How was this dreadful catastrophe ayertcd ? By my ad- dresses and dispatches, quoted by the Presi- dent, advocating the submission of tue Coll- stitution for ratification or rejection by the vote of the people.
 Indeed, my only alternative was to suppress this revolution hy the bayonet, or by advocat- ing the submission of the Constitution as above statee, and pledging my best excrtions. to ob- tain fair election for the people of the Terri. toral Legislature. in the then ensuing October. These pledges aud these alone, it is conceded, prevented revolution and civil war.
 And why should they not now be redeemed? For myself. these pledges have been thus far most faithfully maintain and they will be redeemed by me; if necessary. with the last