Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-04-27
presilIenI Buckdnan,S letter to
Governor walker.


Governor walker.
We re-publish onthe frat page Of this is
sue, the letter Of President Buchanan, to
r J. Walker-and below the comments
thereon Of our friend of the Alexandria Sen
tinel. The Editors friend, (who finds q
very blunt goose quill on the pine table
which graces the Sanctum Of Ibis we'll cstab-
lished paper might make ablunder were
he to discuss this letter, which for months
has been alluded to as damning evidence
of the Corruption of our President, where
fore he refrains from an expression of opin-
ion; and neither endorsing, affirming or de-
nying the opinions aud statements of "the
Sentinel" publishes them for the considera-
ton Of all, who have the good taste to read
the indicator. ..;s
1t is however, nothing more than SIM
pie act of justice to Mr.. Buchanan, that the
fact Of this letter having been written be-
fore the assemblage of the celebrated Lee
compton Convention should be statcd--such
we understand from the ~ Y. Herald was
the fact, and upon it that paper bases an
elaborate defence Of the President.
The Sentinel says: ss.ss Isl. m
"a mans foes are often his best friends.
Their evil designs are overruled for good.
Their efforts to affix an obloquy become the
means Of disarming an existing calumny.
This is strikingly illustrated in the last
development made by Covode's ipquisitorial
Committees Committee, whose existence
is reproach upon an American Congress,
and whose functions are disgrace to the
originators and humiliation to the actors.
Its known as the '.nosing Committee, -
raised upon nospecifc allegation and charg-
ed with the duty ofslnelling out something
to the disadvantage Of President Buchanan
if it can. Covode has shown himself SO switt
IN his work, and so eager to penetrate the
condolences ofseven private life. as to have
drawn upon himself the censures of even
Horace Greely. 5ss .to
During the Kansas difficulties, President
Buchanan wrote a priuate letter to the Hon.
Robert j. Walker, then Governor Of the
territory. concerning which much has been
amtanaated. 43H sAa Ha vatss II &. ~
The letter was not published, but many
ungenerous and disparaging illusions have
been made to it, as showing Mr. Buchanan
in very disadvantageous light. Here was
q chance for CovoGe. He snuffed the tain
ted gale; and summoning Mr.. Walker, he
called for the letter. .faH
In some way the letter is now before the
public. We find it in the papers of this
morning. We print it in this issue of the
Sentinel III
We unhesitatingly pronounce this letter,
over which MIR. Buchanan has been so long
and SO darkly stabbed, to be credit to him
or to the private correspondence of any man.
1t is good letter 1t is an excellent letter.
We are glad that it is published We thank
Mr.. Covcde for smelling it out. We are
glad that his canine instincts have been
made the means OF relieving statesman,
who is closing term Of public service of al
most unprecedented length and briliance, of
a calumny which it has been sought to fas-
ten upon his name.
In this letter Mr. Buchanan expresses
his hope that the people of Kansas would
submit their constitution to popular vote
That preference he has never dishunored or
denied. They did Indeed submit the sla-
very question, the only one over which there
was any controversy. But Mr.. Buchanan
never claimed the right to dictate to the peo-
pie We find too, in his letter dissent,
amounting, under the circumstances, to re-
buke, as to the climatic" argument which
Governor Walker introduced in his popular
harangues. to carry the decisionof the pco-
pie The South complained of this at the
time, and complained justly; and we are glad
now to know that Mr. Buchanan SO signlf-
cantly intimated to Mr. Walker, that he
disapproved of it too.
| MAGISTRATES JUDGMENTS "A decision
was made by Judge Parker, during the term
/ of our Circuit Court, in regard to the effect
of a magistrate Judgment, as constituting a