The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-04-25
Y From the Washington Constitution
The Presidents Letter to Governor
Walker

We are heartily rejoiced that the Covode in
quisition have obtained possession of the pri-
vate letter addressed by the President to Gov
ernor Walker on tho 18th of July, 1857. Va
rious rumors concerning the contents Of this let
ter have been long in circulation, which viii all
bs instantly dssipa ted By the perusa Of the let
ter itself; and we take pleasure in laying it be.
lore our readers to-day.
Tbs object Of the Covnls lnlaisition, doub.
less, is to involve the President in an inconss-
tsncy in first having strongly recommended to
the convention TO submit the Lecomptou consti-
tation, sfer rs formation, to the people OF
Kansas, and in Afterwards recommending the
adoption Of this constitution to Cong ress, al.
though il had not thus been submitted.
The Convention did act in pursuance Of the
aisice OF tn, President, so tar as to submit the
alimportart and absorbing question of slavery
to,the peopla. About the remaining provisions
Of the constitution there was never any contest
These the convention declined to submit to the
people. Tbs President st no period ever with,
held the expression Of his earnest desirs that
the constitution should Be submitted to the peo
fles, After the convention had refused to do
this ap entirely new question then arose, name
ly should the President disregard nullify the
constitution framed By the convention, and de,
termine not TO submit it TO Congress because
they bad acted contrary to his advice? This
be could not do with his deep convictions Of du.
~. Il is one thing for the President to advise
the members Of convention or legislative
body to act in = particular manner; but it is an.
ether and quite different thing for him to annul
thsir lawful action because they did not think
proper to bllow his advice. In his message to
Congress Of the 9Th Of December, 1853, he EN-,
ploys the following language:
1T IS true, that, as an individual, had ex.
pressed an opinion, both before and during ses
sion Of the convention, in favor of submitting
the remaining clauses ofthe constitution as well
a. that concerning slavery, to the people. But
acting in an official character, neither myself
nor any human authority had the power TO re-
Judge the proceedings Of the convention, and
declare the constitution which it had framed to
be nulity. To hsye done this would have
been q violation Of the Kansas and Nebraska act
which left tie people of the Territory 'parfect
ly frso to form and regulate their domestic nsti-
tutions in their own way, subject only to the
Constitution Of the United States 1t would
equally have violated the great principle of pop.
ular sovereignty, as the foundation Of our insti
tuiions, to deprive the people of the power, if
they thought proper to exercise it, of confding
to delegates elected by themselves the trust Of
framing constitution, without requiring them
to subject their constituents to the trouble, ex-
pense, and delay ola second election. 1t would
have been in opposition to many precedents in
our history, commencing in the very best age Of
the Republic, OF the admission of Territories as
States into the Union, without previous vote
OF the people approving their constitution"