Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-01-05
MR. cAss's REPLY TO GOV. WALKERS LETTER.

MIR. CASS'S REPLY TO GOV. WALKERS LETTER. WASHINGTON Dec 23. Among the documents submitted to Congress today was secretary Cass's reply to Governor Walkers letter, as follows:
 STATE DEPARTMENT, December IS, lS57.} SIR-On Wednesday last received your communication of the 18th inst, rendering your resignation as Governor of Kansas. This | resignation is accompanied by long argument of the affairs of the territory generally, to which you are well aware it would be improper for this department to reply. If every officer of the government who feels himself constrain- ed to refuse obedience to the instructions of the President shall pursue this unusual course, and thus place on the files of the appropriate de- partment criticism on the policy of the ad- mnstraton, no person knows better than your- self to what consequences this might lead. The department must either cause charges and arguments against the President to be filed among the public archives of the country, with out contradiction, or reply, or it must spend the tune which ought to be devoted to the public service in controversies with subordinate off cers, who may disapprove the Presidents poli- cy whilst doing his duty. He, therefore, for bids me to enter into controversial discussion with you upon the various topics embraced in your argument. It is proper should make remark upon single point. You state that the President has changed dis policy with regard to Kansas. And why this allegation? Simply because the convention n Kansas have, in the exercise of the rights belonging to them, de- cided that they would not submit the whole constitution to the people, although they had submitted the all-important and dangerous ques- ton of slavery, which threatened to convulse the Union and was alone prominent in the minds of the people throughout every State. lie had not treated the submission of the mo- mentous question as a mere nullity unl these circumstances.
 It was his imperative duty, and this was in strict conformity with those instructions, to take care that a fair election should be held on this vital question, and thus give peace to the Union. Had he acted in any other manner it was mere- ly because he preferred the submission of the constitution originally to the people. This re- sponsblity would have been of the gravest character. He never intimated or expressed an opinion that the convention was bound to sub- init any portion of the constitution to the peo- pie, except the question of slavery much less that this portion would be invalid without such
 
 ton to the numerous precedents which have occurred since the adoption of the federal con- sttution by the different States. The question of slavery was the all-absorbng question, and you were sent to Kansas with the full confidence of the President to carry out the principles of the Kansas Nebraska act With the question whether Kansas was to be a free or slave State, you were not to interfere. You were to secure to the people of Kansas free and fair election, to decide the question for themselves.
 The President was, therefore, happy to learn from your dispatches to this department of July 10th last, that in all your speeches, you had re- trained from expressing any opinion as to whe- ther it should be slave State or free State
 am instructed to inform you that your re- signation of the office of Governor of Kansas has been accepted.
 am, sir, your ob't serv't,
 (Signed) LEWIS CASS
 To Hon. R. J. WALKER, Washington