The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-20

hey VIII come regularly before the convea-
tion, and Cameron and Chase, with The others
who have been mentioned Informally, such a.
Banks, Bates, Fessenden, Wilson and Lincoln,
will make strong fight against Seward. The
contest will be very interesting one, and we
shall not lose sight of it for moment.
The President and the Covods Csnmit-
tec-The Walker Bomb.
We gave in the HERALD of yesterday very
long story upon that remarkably fresh and en-
tertaining subject the Kansas question. The
narrative, if not especially entertaining, has,
like some of the old-fashioned novels, the ad-
vantage of good moral. 1t is the evidence
of Mr.. Robert ]. Walker before the immortal
Covode Investigating Committee, sort of
rowing inquisition, with general charter to
inquire into everybody's business generally,
and to ipjure the President particularly, all to
make black republican capital for the coming
campaign.
Mr.. Robert j. Walker is one Of the unfortu-
nate politicians who were killed off by being
appointed Governors of Kansas. They all died,
like those whom the gods love, at tender age.
We dubitate very much as to whether the pub
lie, distinct from the politicians, can recall the
names of these sanctifed martyrs. Perhaps it
would not be recollected that even Mr. Walker,
who is a distinguished man in his way, had
been Governor of, or governed by Kansas, had
he not sworn to the circumstance before the
terrible Covode Committee. But there 1t is.
He was Governor. Mr.. Buchanan, with tears
in his eyes, implored him to go ) Walker only
could save the country. Walker was
patriot, and, on first thoughts, would go.
But Walker was husband as well as patriot,
and he must have Mrs. WIS consent. She
yielded to the persuasions of the President, and
the Honorable Robert j. started for Kansas,
with his inaugural in his pocket What he did
after he got there was net considered of much
consequence at the time The people of Kansas
went to work and arranged their affairs for
themselves. The Covode Committee, however,
expected to prove by Walker that the President
had sent him two sets Of instructions one
through Calhoun, ordering him to assist In fore
ing slavery on Kansas, and the other by
means of letter, written entirely by Mr.. Blu
chanan, directing the new Governor to see that
the actual residents of Kansas had every oppor-
tunity for fair play in the foundation of their
government. Mr.. Walker swears that Calhoun
did tell him that the President inclined towards
the proslavery party, but that he (Walker)
would not believe Calhoun in any matter where
his interest was concerned. Then we have Mr..
Buchanan's own letter. This document was de-
manded by the committee three days ago, and
everybody supposed it was something terrible,
Mr.. Walker saying that he would rather 60 to
Jail than giveitup. The next day he thought bet
ter of it, and produced the letter, which places
Mr.. Buchanan in the best possible light with
the country. The President is ready to stand
or fall on the question of submitting the con-
stitution to the bona ide residents of the Terri
tory. Again, he says:-I would advise you to
make the great principle of the submission Of
the constitution to the bona fde residents Of
Kansas conspicuously prominent" And the
whole tenor of the letter is that of . patriot, a
statesman and q Christian. There is not title
of evidence to show that Mr.. Buchanan ever
varied from this position, and it must be re-
membered that the letter to Walker was after
the manner of confidential communication,
not State paper written for show We put it
to the good sense of the country, and ask if the
Covode Committee has not so far placed Mr..
Buchanan in much better position than he
has heretofore enjoyed? No more effective
method could have been adopted to answer the
lies which the black republican presses have
industriously circulated about the administra-
ton than this same investigation. Az the facts
come out they all tell for instead Of against the
President.
But the fact of the whole matter is that the
Forney democrats and Seward republicans
never imagined for moment that the Presi-
dent was, in the smallest way, corrupt They
believed, however, that they might damage
him by inuendoes such as are contained in
Wendells testimony, or insinuations to be
thrown out by persons like Walker, who have
private griefs to be atoned for. But Wendells
testimony contradicts his previous evidence,
and Walkers is all good for Mr.. Buchanan.
And now, when the Committee has utterly
failed in its efforts to damage Mr.. Buchanan,
the question recurs as to the sublime impu-
dence of the Forney-Seward clique in setting
such an investigation on foot at all. They are
like the thief who, hearing the hue and cry,
joins with the mob, and cries " stop him!"
louder than any one else. The Forney clique
was VIGOROUSLY corrupt in the time of poor
Pierce; and as for the republicans, the ar
chiyes of almost every Legislature in the North
are stuffed with evidences of their political pira-
cy. Look at Maine, Ohio and Wisconsin. Look
at the late Legislature of this State, which
passed the most outrageous plumber schemes
with the express understanding that portion
of the money Of which the people were robbed
was to be spent to assist in the election of Mr..
Seward As to this latter circumstance, there
can be no doubt. The agreement ia q formal