Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-21


Calhoun himself. the President of The Con
yentiou. that they would submit the oouEti'u-
ton 70 the vote of the people, another course
was resolved upon. Finally, lew day before
the vote was taken Vi on the subject, Alr. Sai,
houn, the President Of the Convention, ealleu
unon me. and submitted substantially the pro-
gIamme as to slavery which was subsequently |
sdopted by- The Convention, and asked-mJ |
concurrence. He presented various prospects |
of very high place from She people 81 thls
Union if l would concur, and assured ne thai
that was the programme Of the administration.
/ said that was impossible, snd showed 1lr.
Calhoun this letter Of Mr.. Buchanan to me OF
the 18th Of July, 1857 He said that the ads
ministration had changed its policy. toid
him / aid not believe it, but let who Woalu
change their views on that question, WltR me
the question of submitting the constitution 70
tbe vote of the people was fundamental, and
never would change oF-modify my views on
that question in the slightest respeot-that
would fight it out to the end, be the conse-
auences 10 me personally or politically what
! they might Mr.. Calhoun continued TO INSIST
that ought to go with the President upon ths
| subieet I denied that he had any right -
speak for the President; that the Office that be
lhed. though far the most lucrative IN the Ter
Titory. believed was not connected with the
administration Of civil affairs, but TO surveying
of the public lands, and that if the President
had any intimations to give to me on TINS sno,
iect thew could come from himself, atkeo
lbim if he had any letter from the President
He said he had not; but that the assurance
Il came TO him in such a manner az to be entlre'
lIy reliable-thst this particular programme,
which was finally adopted in Kansas, was the
programme Of the administration. stated
that l never would assent to it, and gave
various reasons. ! stated, In the hrst place,
that / had openly pledged myself to the Pso'
bE fSs 5a s6 1 vas Is So SaRSE PST
er, and that of the government would avail,
that this constitution should be submitted fairly
to their vote for ratification or TejeetiOn-thas
|, had by these pledges, on which they relied,
induced them 10 suspend putting the Topeka
State government into operation, which other
{ wise undoubtedly would have been done, and
that il would be dishonorable in me to forfeit
these pledges, aud that / could not do it. /
stated that, although insisted that the Kansas
and Nebraska bill required that the constitution
i itself should be submitted to the vote of the
people, yet if they would make good con-
stItution, and submit the slavery question dis
tinctly by itself to a fair vote of the people,
, although it did not correspond with my views,
VET / WOQlQ uOb luIcIlcIEt D0b klak bu0 paAb2o
ular programme which they proposed to adopt
did not submit the question Of slavery to the
people Of Kansas, that it only submitted it, and
those constituting small majority who were
in favor of the constitution. Because the
vote was limited to q vote for the constitution
with slavery, and for the constitution without
slavery, and those who were opposed to the
f constitution were not permitted to vote at all,
therefore l considered such a submission ofthe
question of vile fraud, base counterfeit, and g
wretohed device to prevent the people voting
even on that question. ssid to him that not
only would not support it; but would de-
f nourcs it, no matter whether the sdministra-
| ton sustained it OF not; and I always have
; denounced it, and shall ever continue to DC
/ SO. 1t is due to frsnkness to say that when
came here in November the President himself
= distinctly and emphltically assured me that he
/ had not authorized anybody to say that he had
approved of that programme. / told him that
{ such being the case, could not but believe
Q that some member of the administr .tion. some
person in high authority, enjoying its con-
e fidence, must have given those assurances .Ol
{ Mr. Calhoun would not have made the com
0 muDication that he had to me, aud also chang
ed his own course upon the subject, for Mr.
J. Calhoun had been the di5tiRgWishsd and specia
leader Of the Douglas party IN KGnsas, and lDa'
J, supposed to hare been appointed Surveyor Gen
3 eraI upon Judge Douglass recommendation -
He certainly requested me to have him re
4 tanned, ASSUMING me that he would support th'
, Submission of the constitution to the vote o
e The people, as he did until a late period. =
g When Mr. Calhoun made this communication
i to me be requested me not to mention it to Mr.
t Stanton, the Secretary of State Of Kansas, AM
: believe never have done so. Nor should
: have communicated it to you, except as necss
: saIy to my yindication from the testimony yOl
b have shown me to day.
!. After Gov Walker hld read the letter, in re
9 ply to questions he stated that Mr.. Calhoun
showed him the programme relating to th
pro. slavery portion of the Constitution substan
! tally as it was adOpted,snd said it was brOugh
{ on directly from the President and the admin
istratiOn. Mr.. Walker, however, declared tina
! he did not believe Calhoun's statement thu
|, The President was cOgnizant OF the chang
after his interview with Mr.. Buchanan in No
vember, for the reason that Calhoun had be
havod so infamOusly in fOrfeiting all hi
! pledges, and Buchanan's denial twas SO sol
It emn, so serious, go grave !"
J. What precious set of officials Kansas ha
l. had to be sure, from the President down
4 candle-box Calhoun.