Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-01-05
SECRETARY oAss TO GOV. wAIaNR.7
! srArn DrrAnrArnr, Dec. 1s. ,s7


On Wednesday last l received your COM
munication of the 18th inst, rendering
your resignation as Governor of Kansas.
The resignation is accompanied By long
argument on the affairs Of Kansas gener-
ally, to which you are well aware it would
be improper for this Department to reply.
II every officer Of the Government who
feels himself constrained TO refuse obedi-
ence TO the instructions Of the President
shall pursue this unusual course, and thus
place on the files Of the appropriate depart
ment criticism ON the policy Of the Admin
istration, no person knows better than
yourself to what consequences this might
lead. % a
The Department must either cause the
charges and arguments against the Presi-
dent 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
-vho may disapprove of the Presidents g
policy. y
While duty therefore forbids me to enter
into a controversial discussion with you
upon the various topics embraced by your
argument, il is proper that ! should make
remark upon a single point. fD
You state that the President has changed
his policy in regard to Kansas, and why
this allegation? Simply because the Con
vention of Kansas have, in exercise Of the
right belonging to them, decided that they
would not submit the whole Constitution
to the people. Although they had sub.
mitted the all-important and dangerous
question of Slavery, which threatened te
convulse the Union, and was alone promi.
nenti in the minds Of the people throughout
every State, he had not treated the sub.
mission of this momentous question as 6
mere nullity ~"
Under these circumstances it was his
imperative duty land this was in strict
conformity with those instructions) te
take care tha; fair elections be held on this
vital question, and thus give peace to the
Union.
Had he acted in any other manner
merely because he preferred the submis
sion Of the Constitution originally to the
people, his responsibility would have beer
of the gravest character.
He never intimated or expressed the
opinion, that the Convention were bound
Ito submit any portion of the Constitution
to the people, except the question of slavery
much less that portion would be invalic
without such opinion.
! This would have been in opposition tt
the numerous precedents which have
occurred since the adoption Of the Fedora
Constitution by the different States.
The question of Slavery was the all
absorbing question, and YOU were sent t
Kansas with the fullest confidence. of thu
President to carry out the principles o
the Kansas Nebraska Act. With tn,
question, whether Kansas was to be fire.,
or slave State, you were not to Interfere
| You were to secure 20 the people o
Kansas free and fair election, to decid
the question for themselves.
The President was therefore happy t
learn, from your dispatches to this Depart
. ment, under date of the 18th of July last
that in all your speeches you had refrainec
from expressing any opinionsas to whethe
it should be slave or free State.
am instructed to inform You that you
resignation of the Office Of Governor. o
Kansas has been accepted. t,.
! am, sir, your obedient servant,
LEWIS CASS.
To Hon. ROBERT ]. WALKER, Washington