Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-11
From the NewYork Daily Tnbune.
The Position of Gov. Walker.

The Position OF GOV-
The following letter from the Hon. Robt.
J. Walker to the Anti-Lecompton Demo-
cratic Convention, held in Indianapolis Oh
tie 22d inst, did not appear in the regular
report of the proceedings, but his since
been published. 1t will put to rest all doubts
concerning Gov. Walkers position:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 1858.
AUSTIN H. BROWN. Esq, Chairman, &c
SIR: Your letter in behalf o. the Commit
tee. inviting me to address The mass meet
ing of the Democracy of Indiana on the 23d
OF this month at Indianapolis, his been re-
ceived. 1t would have given me- sincere
pleasure 10 have complied with your request,
but on The Oath of this month one OF my
most important Gases. now pending IN tee
Supreme Court Of the United States, is set
down for argument, and cannot be absent
in that occasion
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 clearly I'M
p les the previous consent o: the people of
the inchoatc State. not only BY the very
terms, out as required by the fundamental
principles Of our Government. Indeed, I
presume it will hardly be contended that
Congress possess any power TO force the
people Of a State into the Uqion against
their will. The Union is composed OF a
conlederacy Of coequal sovereignties, and
each must have freely entered into the Fed
eral compact. By the people of a State.
under our Federal Constitution, is always
intended the majority of that people. The
people OF a State, in entering into the Un-
ion, always il dicote their previous assent
by the adoption Of a State Con <litution.
NV own opinion, as heretofore often ex-
pressed, distinctly repeated in nv letter OF
acc Ptance of The Governorship of Kansas,
and reiterated in my inaugural address, was
taat the assent Of the people to their Con-
sti,ution can only properly be ascertained
by a direct popular vote for or against its
adoption. Indeed, in what other way can it
ever be known that the people would have
assented to the Constitution 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
TIN question of Slavery as regulated by a
State Constitution, although he comedies
that his instructions to me as regards the
submission of the Constitution were "gen-
eral and unqualified" 1t is mos, unfortunate
that such an opinion had remained SO long
dormant in the breast of the President; for.
If the slightest suggestion to that EFFECT had
been made 10 me, it is quite evident, from
my lifelong opinions on this very point. so
often and distinctly expressed. repeated in
my 'etter of acceptance of the Governcrship
Of Kansas, and reiterated in my inaugural
address, that on such conditions | never
would have zone to Kansas.
II is true that the President, in his Mes
sage, most frankly c~uncedes, not only that
his instructions TO me as regards the sub
mission of the Constitution were general
and unqualii d." but also that he then sup
posed that the Constitution itself would
have been submitted to the people, and that
in his jcgmen: This ought TO have been
done. But, nevertheless. his Message o.
December last, to my surprise and astonish
meht, first developed the astounding fact
that the President considered that nothing
but the Slavery question was required to be
submitted to the vote of the people. | do
not mean to charge The Chief Magistrate Of
our cOuuirs with wiilful deception on this
question, but thi : question, but this | do
say, as indicated BY my lifelong opinions,
published again and again, repeated in Inv
letter Of acceptance, reiterated in my inaus-
ural address and various dispatches, that the
President and all his Cabinet well knew my
opinions Oh this subject, and thai | never
wou!I have gone to Kansas except upon Inc
condition of advocating the Submission Of
the Constitution for ratification or rejection
TO a vote CT the people. This, with me, was
a vital question, embodying the only fair.
just, peaceful and constitutional me ihod of
settling the difficulties in Kansas.
1t was with extreme reluctance, and &C.
companied by great sacrifices, and after re-
pea;ed refus ais, that | at length did consent
to go TO Kansas, but upon no other terms
would | have gone than upor those above
indicated; anf if the President had stated to
me that the Slavery question only was re-
CURED to be submitted 10 the vote of the
people, he very well knows, and all his
Cabinet vel! know, and all my friends who
conferred with me at that date know, that
on such conditions | never would have gone
to Kansas.
In my administration of the affairs Of
Kansas, always communicated from first to
last TO the President, | faithfully carried out
these views as regards the submit, sion of
the Constitution to the vote OF the people.
and by these means. as the Presiden, frank
ly admits in his late Kansas Msssage, pre-
vented a sanguinary revolution there in
June last. This revolutio would have COW
cred Kansas with blood and dssolation; it
would have been marked by all those hor-
rors which ever accompany civil war, which
mast have extended to bordering States ard
Territories. and involved, but too probably,
the ruin of our beloved country. How was
this dreadful catastrophe averted? BY my
addresses and dispatches, quoted by the
President, advocating the submission of the
Constitution for ratification or rejection bv
the vote Of the people. Indeed, my only
alternative was to suppress this revolution
by the bayonet, or by advocating the sue
mission OF the Constitution as above stated,
and piedging my best exer;ions to obtain a
fair eiectIon Tor The penPle OF the Territorial
Legislature in the then ensuing October.
These pledges, and these alone, it is con-
ceded, prevented revolution and civil war
And why should they not now be re-
deemed! Fur myself, these pledges have
been thus far most faithfully ma ;ntained,
and they will be redeemed by me, if neces-
sary, with the last drop of my life's blood,
and to the latest hour of my existence.
These were pledges well known to the
President and all his Cabinet. They were