Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-04-27
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER TO
GOVERNOR WALKER.

IrtslueuJ 10 OOVerbW - -
18th of July, 1897 Various rumors
concerning tie contents OF this letter
have been long in circulation, which will
all be Instantly dissipated by the perusal
of sbe letter itself aud we take pleasure
ia laying it before our readers.
The object nf the Coyodc inquisition,
doubtless, is to involve the President in
an inconsistency in first having strongly
recommended to the convention to sub
nit the Lecompton constitution, after its
formation. to the people Of Kansas, and
in afterwards recommending the adoption
of this constitution to Congress although
it had not thus been submitted
The convention did act in pursuance
of the advice of the President. 50 far as
to submit the all-important anu absorbing
question of slaeery to the people. About
the remaining provisions of the constitu-
ton there was never any contest. These
the convention declined to submit to the
people. The President at no period ever
Withheld the expression Of his earnest de-
sire that the constitution should be sub
mitted to the people. After the conven-
ton had refused to do this, an entirely
new question then arose, namely. should
the President disregard and nlllify the
constitution framed by the convention.
and determine not to submit it to Con-
gress because they had acted contrary to
his advice? This he could not do with
his deep convictions Of doty. 1t is one
thing for the President to advise the
members of convention or legislative
body to act in a particular manner; but
it is another and quite different thing for
him to annul their lawful action because
they did not think proper to follow his
advice. In his message to Congress of
the 9th of December, 1858, he employs
the following language
1t is true, that, as an individual, /
had expressed an opinion, both before
and daving the session Of the convention,
in favor of submitting the remaining
clauses Of the constitution, as well as that
concerning slavery to the people. But.
acting in an official character, neither
myself nor any human authority had the
power to rejudge the proceedings of the
convention, and declare the constitution
which it had framed to be anulity. To
have dope-this would have been viola
ton of the Kansas and Nebraska act,
which left the people of the Territory
perfectly free to form aud regulate their
domestic institutions in their own way,
suffice. enly to the Constitution of the
United States 1t would equally have
violated the great principle Of popular
sovereignty. at the foundation of our in
stitutions, to deprive the people of the
power, if they thought proper to exercise
it, of con6ding to delegates elected by
themselves the trust of framing con-
stitution. without requiring them to sub
ject their constituents to the trouble, ex-
pense, aud delay Of second election -
1t would have been iu opposition to many
precedents in our history, commencing
in the very best age of the Republic, Of
the admission of Territories az States
into the Union, without previous vote
of the people approving their constitu-
ton"
WAsHINercS, July IL, 1857.
Ny DEAR SIR: | duly received your
letter of the 2Sth ultimo on Friday last
and read it to the cabinet, then in session.
The news which it contained was not cal
culated to assure US Of your success,
though we did not despopd. Hence you
may judge with what satisfaction we re-
ceived an account of the proceedings of
the National Democratic Convention held |
at Lecompton on the 81 lust. The point |
on which your aud our success depends
is the submission Of the constitution to |
the people of Kansas. And by the peo-
pie | mean. and have no doubt you
mean. the actual bona f1e residents. who
have been long enough in the Territory
TO Identify themselves with its fate. The
Legislature determined three months as |
the period of residence to entitle indi-
viduals to vote for members Of the con-
vention; and if the convention should |
think proper to adopt the same period |
10 entitle individuals to vote for or against
the constitution, it appears to me this
would be reasonable. On the question |
OF submitting the constitution to The bona
tide resident settles Of Kansas am will. |
ing to stand or fall. In sustaining such
aprinciple We cannot fail nis the prin-
ciple of the Kansas. n, braska biIl-the |
principle of popular sovereignty, and the
principle at the foundation Of all popular
government. The more il is discussed
the stronger il will become. Should the
convention Of Kansas adopt this princi-
pie all will be settled tremendously; and.
with the blessing Of Providence, you will
return triumphantly from your arduous,
important, and responsible mission. The
structures of the Georgia and Mississippi
conventions will then pass away and be
speedily forgotten.
10 regard to Georgia, our news from
that State is becoming better every day
We have not yet had time to hear much
from Mississippi. Should you answer
the resolution Of the latter, / would ad-
wise you to make the great principle of
the submission of the constitution to the
bona jide residents of Kansas conspicu-
ously prominent. On this you will be
irresistible. With the question Of eli
mate every person is acquainted aud
the more you insist npon this. the more
will our opponents urge that we are vi
olatiug the principle of non-interference
at the foundation Of the Kansas Nebraska
law. II is strange that people at dis
lance, who have 10 practical acquaint-
ance with the condition of Kansas. should