Staunton vindicator. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1858, 1858-01-02

your communication Of the 10Th instant,
rendering your resignation as Governor of
Kansas.
This resignation is accompanied by a
long argument On tie affairs Of the Terri
tory generally u which. you are well aware
it would be impossible fcG this Department
to reply If every oaicor Of the Govern
ment who feels himself constrained to re-
fuse obedience to the instructions of the
President shall pursue this unusual course,
and thus place On the files Of the appropri-
ate department. a criticism of the policy Of
the Administration, 10 person knows bet
ter than yourself to what Consequences this
might lead
ITc must either cause the charges and
arguments against the President to be filed
among the public archives Of the country
without contradiction or reply, or it must
spend the time which ought to be devoted
to the public service in controversies with
subordinate officers who may disapproye Of
the Presidents policy.
While duty, therefore, forbids me to en-
ter into controversial discussion with you
on the various topics embraced by your ar
gument, it is proper that should make a
remark upon a single point You state
that the President has changed his policy
in regard to Kansas. And why this allie
cation? Simply because tie Convention
Of Kansas have, in the exercise Of the rights
belonging to them, decided that they would
not submit the whole Constitution to the
people, although they had submitted the
all-important and dangerous question of
slavery, which threatened to convulse the
Union, and was alone prominent in the
minds Of the people throughout every State
He had not treated the submission of this
momcntous question as q mere nulIity In
der these circumstances it was his impera-
tive duty, and this in strict conformity with
previous instructions, to take care that a
fair election be held on this vital question,
and thus give peace to the Union. Had he
acted ID any other manner, merely because
he preferred the submission Of the Consti-
tuition originally to the people, his respon-
sibllity would have been of the gravest char
actcr. lie never intended or expressed
the opinion that the Convention were bound
to submit any portion Of the Constitution to
the people, except the question would be
invalid without such submission Had he
entertained such an opinion, this would
have been in opposition to the numerous
presidents which have occurred since the
adoption of the Federal Constitution by the
different States.
The question of slavery was the allah
sorbing question, and you were sent to
Kansas With the full confidence of the presi-
dent to carry out the principles Of the Kan
sasNebraska act-with the question Of
whether Kansas was to be free or slave
State, you we're not to interfere You were
to secure to the people OF Kansas q 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 al
Your speeches you had refrained from ex-
pressing any opinion as to whether it should
be a slave or free State.
am instructed to inform you that your
resignation Of the office Of Governor of Kan
sas has been accepted.
aa,, sir, your obelient servant,
LEWIS CAss.
RoBERr J. WALKER Washington.