Newbern weekly progress., 1860-05-01
II. ). walker and the president,

| Below we give letter from each Of these GEN.
tlemen which may BE- of interest to politicians
r J. WALKERS EXPLANATION.
WAsHINGroN CRY, April 20 1860.
To the Editors ofths National Inscligencer
| GENTLEMEN-A very inaccurate statement of
my testimony before the Covole Investigating
! Committee Of Congress has been published in the
New York papers.
Much and long as may have differed on poit-
ica questions, have faith that you will be willing
to do me justice by truthful publication of the
facts of the
l send you correct statement of my evidence
before the committee; also. copy of my letter of
39th June, 1887, to Mr.. Buchanan, and to which
his of July 18th a reply.
Accompanying this is my statement to the
committee regards this letter. to produce W ch
reserved my right.
l submit the whole to an impartial public with
this comment only: That the correspondence
proves that Mr. Buchanan and myself concurred
iii the Spring of 1857 in the construction of the
Kansas and Nebraska act, that it required the
submission of the constitution to the vote of the
people of Kansas. To that construction of that
act. which Mr.. Buchanan and myself were both
sworn to support, adhered; and therefore
sdered the refusal of the people a clear viola
ton of the Kansas and Nebraska act and there
fore, under its distinct provisions null and roid
| was sworn to support that law, and so was 2Ir.
Buchanan. l did support it, and therefore op
posed the Withholding of the constitution from the
vote of the people. l! is quite clear, the
opinion of Mr. Buchanan and myself, that the
Kansas and Nebraska act required the submission
of the constitution to the vote of the people; and
any action in Kansas repugnant to that act was
under its provisions, null and void. So 1 regard
ed such action. and therefore it my duty to
oppose it.
But there other reasons. The programme
finally adopted did not, as pretended. submit even
he tn vote n n
nay it deliberately, and wilfuily, and fraudulent
iy withheld that question from their vote. The
only question submitted was, '' For the constltu-
ton with slavery" and q" For the constitution
without savery;' thus excluding by a deliberate
fraud from this vote all, constituting an over
whelming majority, who were opposed to the con-
sttution. And this the very reason given
me by Calhoun, the President of the Conveu-
ton. why this peculiar language selected. |
1t was wretched device of fraud and villany.
send you copy, preserved IN the handwriting
OF my Secretary, OF my letter or the 2oth June
1857, to which Mr. Ruchanan's was reply. That
letter, disclosing my nmost thoughts, and never
Intended to meet the public eye, will show how
false has been the statement my action in
Kansas was hostile to the South. 1t WAS all III
their favor, to the extent of the just and honest
exercise of my pow er in Kansas. | believed, and |
SO announced then my anxious desire. to the
cution OF VIII ch my life has been devoted to pre-
serve the equilibrium of the Government. en- |
dorsed fully the Dred Scott decision and es-
pecialiy that portion OF it (always maintaiued by
ne) that the true period when the people can
abolish slavery in Territory is when they per
form the first act Ut sovereignty i'll forming a
State constitution. l maintained this doctrue in
an elaborate argument published my sigma
ture in June, 1856, from which have never de-
parted
l consider myself gentlemen. much with
drawn from politics as il had ceased to exist, and
now only ask the privilege Of vincicatug myself
aid the truth vi history.
Yours, truly
= !! WALKER