Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-01-02
HEs. Cass' seepryso Gov. wake

STATE DEPARTMENT, Dee. 18th, l85
Sir-On We lnosday last [ received you.
communication of the 18Th rendering YOU.
resignation rs Governor of Kansas. The
resignation is accompanied by long arga-
ment on the affairs Of the Territory gener-
ally, to which you are well aware it woaid
De impossible for this department to re
ply.
Ii every officer of the Government who
feels himself constrained to refuse obedi-
.ence to the Instructions of the President
shall pursue this unusual course, and thus
place on the files of the appropriate depart
ment Il criticism on the policy Of the Adj
.'rinistration, SO person know better iha',
y-uyself TO what consequence this may
lead them. lie must either cause the
charges and argument against the Presi-
lent to be fled among the archives of the
country without contradiction or reply, Or
he must spend the time which ought to be
devoted TO the public service in contro-
I~versies with Subordinate off, ers who may
.iisapproye of the Presidents policy.
Waist daty, therefore, forbids me to
enter into controversial discussion with you
on the ya;ioaS topics emdolied BY yourar-
~iHei.., It is proper that shoald make 4
ramark upon a single point. You state
that The President has changed bis policy
"a regard TO Kansas, and why this allnga
ton? Simpiy because the Convention OF
Kansas have in the exercise Of the rights
belonging to them, decided that they
would not submit the whole Constitutions
to the people, although they had sabmit-
ted the most important and dangeroa,
quostiou Of slavery, which threatened to
conyulse The mon, aud was alone prom
.ne,.t with the majority Of the people
Throughout The States. He had not treat
led The subject ~ a nuIlity. Under these
circumstances it was his imperative
duty, and il conformity with Instructions,
to take care that a fair election be held on
this question, and thus give peace to the
Union. If he acted in any other manner
merely because he preferred the submiss-
ion of the Constitution originally to the
people, his responsibility would have been
of the oravest character. He neither in
tended or did express the opinion that the
Convention was bound to submit any por-
ton of the Constitution to the people, ex-
tept the question of slavery, much less
that hat portion would be invalid with
ont such submission. Had he entertain
ed such an opinion it would have been in
opnosition to the numerous precedents
which have occurred since the adoption OF
the Federal Constitution by the several
States.
The question Of slavery was the all alb
sorbiug question, aud YOU were sent to
| Kansas with the full confidence of The
President to carry out the principles of the
Nebr@ska act, with the question of wheth-
er Kansas was to be II Free or Slave State
You were not to interfere-you were tc
secure to the people of Kansas 3 free and
fair election to decide the question for then
selves. The President was therefore hap
nv to hear from your dispatches to iiil'
department OF July 18th last, that IN al
your speeches you had refralned from ex
pressing any opinion as to whether 1t
Should be a Free or Slave State.
| am instructed TO inform you that
your resignation of the Governorship 0
Kansas has been accepted.
lam, sir, your obedient servant,
ISigned. LEWIS CAss.
To RoBf. j. WALKER.
/