Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-21
The Walker Letter.

The famous letter of President Buchanan
to Gov. Walker, of Kansas, the important
parts of which were given in our dispatches
yesterday, was drawn out from Mr.. Walker
by the Covode Investigating Committee, the
committee which the President protested
against, and, as all will not admit, not with
out reason. This revelation would be very
damaging to Mr.. Buchanan, if he was capable
of being damaged, but it would be about as
possible to iniure the flavor of bad egg as to
damage him now. As he observed to the
House in his protest, he is an old man. and
has enjoyed the highest honor bis country
could bestow," but they have failed to make
him honorable, and this letter will hardly be
fitting crown for his gray hairs.
Governor Walker states in his evidence
that he reluctantly yielded to the personal
solicitations of the President to accept the
Governorship of Kansas, urged vehemently
also by Senator Douglas. The President
covered him over with assurances that the
influence of the Administration should be
used to secure the submission of the Con-
stitution of Kansas to the people, and urged
him to represent that to the people of the
Territory, regardless of the complaints of
Georgia and Mississippi Or as it was then
stated-let Georgia and Mississippi howl.
After urging this in every possible way,
and after Governor Walker'had assured the
people of Kansas of the same in his inaugural,
which was prepared at Washington and
approved by the President, Governor
! Walker states that he was approached by
John G. Calhoun with the juggling plan
afterward adopted, for going through the
motions of submission without submitting
anything to a vote, which Calhoun told him
was prepared at Washington, and was the
programme of the President, which made it
Walkers duty to carry it out. He showed
the Presidents letter to Calhoun, whereupon
| Calhoun said that the Administration had
changed its policy. Gov. Walker then fatty
refused to carry out the plan. He said that
he did not think that the President knew Of
this device for swindling the people of ofKansas
for afterward, when he came to Washington
in November the President assured him that
he had not authorized any one to say that
he approved of this device. Gov. Walker
supposes that the plan was contrived al
Washington, and that members of the Cab
met were implicated; but it may be we'll for
| the reader to recollect that Calhoun
was a friend and protege of Douglas,
and was appointed at his request. And in
regard to the Presidents denial of his ap.
proval, it will be remembered that he die
approve of this device to avoid submission o
the Constitution to the people in his mex
annual message. The sequel to the affair
the Oxford and other election frauds, rejectet
by Gov. Walker, thus giving the legislator
to the Republicans, and his disgrace therefor
by the President, are all familiar to our read
ers.
4 Walkers reluctance to give up the lette
was much softened by his indignation a
being informed that Judge Black had deniec
that any such letter had ever existed, and i
is said that correspondence preliminary to
hostile meeting has passed between them.