The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-06-19
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, JUNE 10, 1853.

DOAN.g oH0 manly aAtA pdbi1Ot1S 0OSfaA otaOu,
that unless the constitution, framed by the
convention, should be submitted to the
people for their ratification or rejection, he
would join the people in all lawful oppo-
sition to it, and that, under such circum-
stances, it ought to be, and probably would
be rejected by Congress.
1 remember well, gentlemen, that there
was in the beginning, but little opposition
to Gov. Walkers policy in the Territory
The few who were at first disposed to
complain, were silenced by the general
voice even of the pro-slavery party them
selves. l know that the Administration
at Washington, and its leading supporters
North and South, except the extremists
of the latter section, ardently approved
the policy inaugurated by Gov. Walker.
1t is matter of public notoriety that Mr..
Speaker Orr, of South Carolina, during his
visit to the Territory. openly advocated
the submission of the constitution; and
Senator Bigler, of Pennsylvania, in a pub
lie speech at Paoli, declared that without
such submission, it would not receive ten
votes in either house of Congress.
But the most material fact in this con-
nexion, is, that President Buchanan was
fully advised of Gov. Walkers pledges to
the people in reference TO the submission
of the constitution, and not only approved
them, but actually encouraged Governor
Walker to make this the most prominent
part of his policy. So long as the Presi-
dent, himself, adhered to this policy, even
the fierce denunciations of Southern con-
ventions and presses had but little effect
upon the pro-slavery party in the Terri
tory.
But it soon became known that there
was treachery at Washington. Long be-
fore Gov. Walker or myself had received
the least intimation of any such change
on the part of the President and Cabinet,
the extremists here openly boasted of it,
and'predicted the downfall of the Terrific
rial administration. About the 1st of
September, an intimate personal and po-
litical friend of the President wrote me in
these words "The administration is a
little weak in the knees and winces under
the Southern thunder; but they must
stand up to the work" l do not remem-
Der exactly the date, but 1 think it was
early in the contest, when Jefferson Da-
Wis, of Miss, declared in public speech,
III no equivocal terms, that Mr.. Buchanan
would not sustain Gov. Walker, and he
avowed that he gave the assurance upon
the best authority. 1t would seem prob
able, therefore, that while, with the full
knowledge of the President, Gov. Walker
was making these solemn pledges to the
people, and while Mr.. Buchanan did not
confine himself to the encouragement OF
mere silent acquiescence, he was giving
assurances to Others that he would aban-
don him in the most critical hour of his
patriotic labors.
But, gentlemen, | must take this occa'
sion to mention another very significant
and important fact. Some time in Au-
gust of last year, a certain gentleman who
had been for some months in Kansas, and
who had ardently supported Governor
Walkers policy, at the suggestion, or per-
haps, at the request of some member oi
the Cabinet, procured two letters, one from
Dr. Tebbs, and the other from Gen. Whit
field, both giving an impartial statement
of affairs in Kansas, and vindicating Gov
Walkers policy against the denunciation:
of Southern extremists. Those letter:
were procured for publication in the Wash.
ington Union, and were actually set up il
type in that office. I had in my posses.
sion a slip containing those letters, with
the Union's editorial, which placed in the
hands of Senator Bell, of Tenn. You viii
find extracts from those letters in the
speech made by Mr.. Bell, in the Senate
on the 18th of March last. In substance
they say that the pro-slavery party in Kan.
sas had given up the contest long before
Gov. Walker came to the Territory, thai
there was no possible hope of making Kan
sas slave state, and that Gov. Walker wa:
in no manner responsible for this state o.
things. These were the declarations oi
two of the best informed and most reliable
leaders of the pro-slyery party in this Ter.
ritory, and they were obtained for the ex-
press purpose of vindicating the policy Of
the Administration as carried out by Gov
Walker. But now for the important and
significant fact After these letters had
been procured at the suggestion of some
member of the Administration-after they
were set up in type in the Union Office
after the editor of the Union, the organ o.
the Administration, had written and also
set in type an approving editorial, endors-
ing the character of DIR. Tebbs and Gen
Whitfield in the most unmeasured terms
and declaring that he cheerfully gave
place to the letters for the purpose of re.
moving any erroneous impression which
may still linger in the minds of some o.
our Southern friends in regard to the pres
ent feelings, sentiments and position o
the pro-slavery men in Kansas'-after al
this, gentlemen, what do you think wa!
done with these letters and this approving
editorial Why, sirs, they were suppress
ed They never saw the light, excep
in the shape of one or two slips, printed
from the type as they stood in the galley
before they were distributed. But tn,
most curious fact of all, is, that these i'm
portant documents, on the very eve o
publication, at most critical time, wer,
suppressed at the desire of a Southern mem
Der of Mr. BuchanGn's Cabinet Wha
could have been the object of this sup
preston? Can you tell me, gentlemen
a few days before, it had been deemed
important to publish these letters, in de
fence OF. the administration, for its supper
of Gov. Walker. And surely, if they in
tended to sustain the Governor, it woul'
have been wise and prudent to inser
these letters in the Union. The only "a
tional conclusion, is, that about that time
the administration had resolved to aban
don Gov. Walker. Hence it did not sui
their purposes to show that Kansas couli
not fairly and honestly be made slay
state. They no longer wanted the test
mony of DR.. Tebbs and Gen. Whitfield
who vindicated Gov. Walker from tn
false charges which had been made agains
him.
These letters were dated the list G
September, and it must have been abou
that time that the notorious agent, Martir
was sent into the Territory By the Secre
1 tarv of tha Intarior I do not uretend Z