Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-02-25

fided 10 me tue discretion Of eonvsnin,
that DO ly in eItrs session. The Presiden
Of the United States had no righlful au
tbority 10 exercise that discretion for me
lie bad the power Of remoysl, sne suel
control as that power gives him. But
wonld eheefully have submitted 10 reno
vel, aid consequent loss Of favor with thl
President, rather than occupy the positio'
Of Governor, and refuse TO the people 81
opportunity to assert their most essentiu
rights, and to protect themselves vgains
the bssest frauds and wrongs ever attempt
ed upon an outraged community.
Not having been informed ofthe grounds
Of my removal, know them only through
The newspaper reports, TO the effect that
in calling the Legislature, | disobeyed th'
instructions Of the President. / had nc
instructions bearing on the subject, aud
there was no time to obtain them, even il
/ had felt bound to substitute the Presi.
dents will for that discretion which The
organic act confdsd to he. The conyen'
ing Of the Legislature undoubtedly pre-
vented difficulty aud secured peace
Were it important, am confident could
establish this position by the most indu'
bitable facts; but it is sufficient now to
say that The peace Of the Territory was mol
III fact disturbed, aud whs;eyer approaches
we're made towards such result were
wholly attributable to the policy Of the
Administration in censuring INV acts and
removing me from office.
The measure for which have been un-
Justly condemned has enabled the people
of kansas to make known their real will
in regard to the Lecompton Constitution,
This affords the Democratic party an op'
portunity to defend the true principles Of
constitutional liberty, aud to save itself
from disastrous division and utter over
throw. If Congress will heed the voice Of
the people, and not force upon them a
Government which they have rejected by
a vote of four to one, the whole country
will be satisfied, and Kansas will quietly
settle her own affairs, without any danger
to the Confedoacy. The Southern States.
which are supposed to have deep interest
in the matter, will be saved from the su-
preme folly of standing up in defence of SO
wicked and dishonest contriyance as the
L Lscompton Constitution. The moral pow
er of their position will not be weakened
by a vain and useless defence Of wrong,
when it is perfectly certain they will gain
nothing even by success in the present at
tempt.
The extra session of the Kansas Legis-
lature has done good, also. by giving
means to expose and punish the mon
strous frauds which have been peIpetrated
and doubtless, also, by preventing others
which would have been attempted. it
has driven the guilty miscreants engaged
in them to become fugitives from justice,
and has rendered it impossible for the
peace Of the Territory hereafter to be en-
dangered by similar occurrences.
In view Of these facts and results, l
willingly accept the rebuke conveyed in
my peremptOry dismissal from office, but
appeal to the deliberate judgment of the
people to determine whether | have not
chosen the only honorable course which
the circumstances allowed me to pursue.
FRED. P. STANTON.
Wdshinqton, Jan. 90, 1858.