Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-03-11
Letter from Gov. walker.

Walker was sent to the Democratic conven-
ton of the 23l ult but arrived too
late 1t will be found the most vigorous
and pointed of all the pronunciamentos Of
thu. distinguished gentleman:
T aWAsmScrox Cry, Feb Goth, 1858.
AUSTEN III. BnowN, Esq, 6 'oae
i Chairman, dc: '-
SlR:-Your letter on behalf of the Com
mittee. inviting me. to address the mass
meeting of the Democracy Of Indiana on
the 23d Of this month at Indianapolis, has
been received 1t would have given me
sincere pleasure to have complied with
your request, but on the 9th of this month
one Of my most important cases, now pend
ing in the Supreme Court of the United
States, is set down for argument, and |
cannot be absent on that OCCASION oiil
The power of Congress to admit new
States into the Union has heretofore, at
various periods. been fully discussed by
me. This power Of admission most clear
ly implies the previous consent of the peo-
pie of the inchoate State, not only By the
very terms, but as repaired by the funda-
mental principles of our government
Indeed, l presume it will hardly be con
tendel that Congress possesses any power to
force the people of State into the Union
against their will. The Union is eompos-
ed of conferacy; ofcoequal sovercignties,
and each must have freely entered into the
federal compact. BY the people Of a State
under our federal Constitution, is always
intended the majority Of that people
The people ofa State in entering into the
Union, always indicate their previous as
sent by the adoption of State Constitu-
ton. My own opinion, as heretofore of
ten expressed, distinctly repeated in my
letter of acceptance of the Governorship of
Kansas, and reiterated in my inaugural
address, was, that the assent of the people
to their Constitution can only properly be
ascertained by direct popular vote for OF
against its adoption. Indeed, in people
who would have assented to the Constitu-
tion unless they are permitted to vote for
or against its adoption? The President in
his message of December last, admits this
must be done as regards the question oi
slavery, as regulated by State Constitu-
ton, although that he comedies that his
instructions to me as regards the submis-
sion of the constitution were general and
unqualified 1t is most unfortunate that
such an opinion had remained so long dor
mant in the breast of the President, for il
!, the slightest suggestions to that effect had
been made to me, it is quite evident from
J my lifelong opinions on this very point Sc
often and distinctly expressed, repeated
in my letter of acceptance of the governor
. ship of Kansas, and reiterated in my in.
: augural address, that on such conditions
never would have gone to Kansas. 1t i
true that the President in his message mo $,
: frankly comedies, not Only that his instruc
/ tons to me as regards the submission o.
} the constitution were general and unqual
iied," but also that he then supposed
r that the Constitution itself would hav,
been submitted to the vote of the people
= and that in his Judgment this ought t.
: have been done. But, nevertheless, hi
: message of December last, to my surpris
G and astonishment, first developed the as
t founding fact that the President consider
ell that nothing but the slavery question
4 was required to be submitted to the yot
: of the people. i do not mean to charg
e the Chief Magistrate of our country witt
: wilful deception on this question, but thi
| L do say, as indicated by my fe-long opin
ions, published again and again, repeated
in my letter of acceptance, reiterated in m,
! inaugural address in various dispatches
that the President and all MS Cabinet wei
knew my opinions on this subject and thai
, never would have gone to Kansas, ex
cept on the condition of advocating tht
submission of the constitution for ratifiea
tion or rejection by vote of the people,
/ This, with me was vital question, en-
; bodying the only fair. just peaceful and
| constitutional method of settling the diff
: ficultics in Kansas. 1t was with extreme
reluctance, and accompanied by great sac.
i rifces and alter repeated refusals, that a,
} length did consent to go to Kansas; but
upon no other terms would have gone
than upon those above indicated, and if thu
, President had stated to me that the slave
, ry question only was required to be sub
mittcl to the vote of the people he very
: well knows, and all his cabinet we'll know
: and all my friends who conferred with me al
that date know, that on such conditions ]
never would have gone to Kansas. Ii
my administration of the affairs of Kan
; sas, always communicated from first tc
last to the President, | faithfully carried
out the views as regards the submission OIL
: the Constitution to the vote of the people
} and by these means, as the President frank.
ly admits in his late Kansas message, pre-
vented sangninary revolution there in
J June last. This revolution would have
covered Kansas with blood and desolation;
it would have been marked by all those
horrors which ever accompany civil war,
which must have. extended to bordering
States aud Territories, and involved, but
too probably, the ruin of our beloved coun-
try. How was this dreadful catastropc
avcrtcd? BY my addresses and dispatches,
quoted by the President. advocating the
submission Of the Constitution for ratifica-
ton or rejection by the vote of the people.
Indeed my only alternative was to sup
press the revolution by the bayonet, or by
advocating the submission ofthe Constitu-
tion as above stated, and plcdging my best
cxertions to obtain a fair election for the
people, of the territorial Legislature, in
the then ensuing October These pledges
and these alone, it is conceded, prevented