Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-10

the early settlers of Kansas. He has been member
of every Legislature since Kansas became Terrrtory
and is scarcely necessary for us TO add tat IN each
instance representng a very decided proslavery con-
sttuency His radical views on the slavery question
have rendered him peculiarly obnoxious 10 the BLACK
Republicans of the Territory"
Then comes the letter of Mr.. Tebb, from
which l take this extract:
tsNow sir how can it be that Gov Walker has done
so much as is charged, 10 abolitionize Kansas2 If
Kansas is aboltonized it has been done by the pro-
slavery party, and by Governor Walker for they
had adopted this policy long before he had entered the
Territory But every candid will see at a glance,
and must admit, that neither Walker the pro-
more anti-slavery men than pro-slavery men have
gone 10 Kansas whether from interest natural unN
natural causes it matters not, they there. But
will not anticipate events or hazard predictions. Let
the great principle of popular sovereignty be fairly and
honestly carried out. That is all ask"
Let me also read an extract from letter
of General Whitfield to the editor of the
Union dated Washington City, September 2,
1858:
81 have seen the letter addressed by Dr. Tebbs TO
gentleman this city His letter fully and fairly re-
presents the condition of parties in Kansas both before
and after the advent of Gov. Walker And have
been perfectly aStOnished upOn nv arrival here IN
find the crusade from the South upon Governor Wal
ker, charging him with attempt aboltonize
Kansas. 1t required action from Governor Walker
to make Kansas free State. Its DOOM il is fixed
was fixed long before Robert J. Walker ever entered
the Territory.
81 repeat again, sir, that knowing Dr. Tebbs well
and knowing him to be thoroughly posted upon Kan
sas affairs endose fully his views and conclusions
expressed in his letter 10 you"
DIR. Tebbs makes this further statement in
the letter from which have just read:
''That in January 1856 four or five months before
Gov. Walker arrived in the Territory the pro slavery
party held convention of all the members of the Le-
gslature and of delegates from every county in the
Territory to discuss the condition Of parties and lead
ing prO-slaveTy men deliberately declared it as their
opinion that the pro-savery party proper in
hopeless minority"
The convention to which have Just allud-
ed concluded that it was no longer worth while
to attempt to form a slave State in Kansas.
When convention was held, in July last to
nominate candidates for the October election,
over which Judge Gilmore, one of the largest
shareholders in the Territory, presided, the
same opinions were announced. Not only
that, but, from the date of January, 1857, the
position was taken by the leading pro-slavery
men that the constitution to be formed by the
delegates to be elected on the 18th of June
should be submitted to the people; and if not
that it ought to be rejected by Congress. Gen.
Whitfield himself said, in a speech made last
summer, that 1t ought not to get ten votes in
Congress, if it were not so submitted.
[ have adduced the testimony furnished by
the letters and verbal statements of the early
and most influential pro-slavery leaders in
Kansas, to show that the views | have presen-
ted of the actual state of things in that Terri
tory do not rest exclusively upon the inf0r-
nation furnished, or the opinions expressed.
by Governor Walker and Secretary Stanton.
was, myself, under the impression last spring
and summer. that Governor Walker. as well
as the President and his Cabinet, was looking
more to party and political objects than the
support of any particular interests the South
could have in the management Of Kansas af-
fairs; and it is due to that gentleman whose
course has been so harShlV denounced in this
debate, that he should be vindicatcd and stIs-
tanned by a reference to the course and policy
Of leading pro-slavery partisans upon whom
no shadow of suspicion rests, as to their per-
feet fidelity to the slavery cause in Kansas
1t appears now, incOntcstably. that long be
fore Governor Walker arrived i'm Kansas. and
even before the advent to power of the present
Administration, the idea of making Kansas
slave State had been abandoned by those lead
ers who had the deepest interest in the ques-
ton, being Shareholders themselves. The ut
most they had any hope to accomplish by the
conciliatory policy adopted in the convention
held on the second Monday in January. 1857,
and again in the convention held in July
following, so far as the interest of slavery
was concerned, was to protect the right of
property in the slaves then in the Territory
Governor Walker. in his letter to Secretary
Cass. dated 18th July last, states that 1T was
universally admitted here (Kansas) that the
only question is this: whether Kansas shall
be a conservative. constitutional Democratic,
and ultimately free State, or whether it shall
be Republican and Abolition State?n
After it became known in Kansas that the
Administration had changed its policy, and
particularly after the increased evaporation
of the free-State party, which ensued upon
the PRONUNCIATION of the LecOmpton cOnstitu-
ton, l learn from Il well informed and relia-
BILE source, that Il large proportion of the
slaves have been sent out of the Territory;
and that of the two or three hundred there "A
year ago, not more than one hundred remain
some say not exceeding fifty.
1t is most striking and remarkable feature
in the present status of this question in Kan
sas. that it is not the Shareholders who are
most active and forward in keeping up this
controversy against an hope of making Kan
sas a a slave State, but political adventures,
chiefly Otce-hoderS or Ofice-scekers who
have not the slightest interest in the questions
beyond the expectation of some personal ben
Gifts. Henderson, who is implicated in the
preparation of election frauds, is, | am in
formed, a special mail agent; Calhoun is sur
veyOr-gencral of the Territory, and McLain
his chief clerk. Others l might name
who are only seekers of Office. | fear | may
have done General Whitfield. who is and
oflice-holder, an injury by quoting him as au-
thority in support Of the policy of Governor
Walker The Senator from Missouri, Mr.
Greenl in his opening speech, announced that
he had seen "a telegraph dispatch, stating that
he had been notified by the frec-State party to
leave the Territory. | hope that is not true;
and as there has been no confirmation of the
statement, | conclude that there was no foun-
dation for it. The danger to which | may
have exposed him lies in another quarter. /
hope he has had the prudence to abstain from
taking any part in this question since he was
informed of the Presidents present views,
which would expose him to executive ven
geance.
My friend from Florida, Mr. Malloryl said.
in his able speech the other day, that it would
be difficult to persuade the people of the South
that if this constitution be rejected by Con-
greSS, il will not be upon the ground that it
recognizes slavery. That is also the opinion
of the honorable Senator from Georgia, and
others. Unless it be that these honorable SEN
ators want some immediate preteXt for a
movement in the South, advise them to in
vestigate this question more fully than they
seem to have done, before they conclude to
make the rejection of this measure. should it
be rejected, djuHctioHis. We are told
that 1t will be difficult TO persuade the people
OF the South that any other objection exists
TO this constitution except that it recognizes
slavery, and these opinions are avowed in the
face of accumulated frauds and Irregularities
connected with its history, and though il is
clear that four-litths of the people of Kansas
are opposed TO it.
1t will not do for these gentlemen to say
that there is no record, or other satisfactory
proof to show the frauds aud Irregularities
alleged against the Lecompton constitution,
or of many other statements made by the OPP
ponents of this measure in relation to the
state of things existing in Kansas. The sup
porters of this measure in the Senate aud in
the House of Representatives have obstinate
ly persisted in voting down every proposition
to investigate and take proof upon the con
{ sted questions of fact; aud | take it for
granted that this course would not have been