Robert J. Walker.
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bachelor President to give him the first place tions were killed to the roots. Both sides at his counsel table, but Buchanan made him of that awful controversy spewed him out governor of Kansas, and thereby dug his of their mouths. He pleased no one. No political grave. When speaking of his ap governor who attempted to do right could pointment Harper's Weekly of that date said : please many in that frightful day. "Mr. Walker may, in fact, be regarded as During the early part of the civil war, the foster father of Texas; may he be when the finances of the Federal govern equally fortunate with Kansas." ment were in great straits, two points were As governor of Kansas he prepared and sought to be gained in Europe; the ^credit of read his inaugural at Lecompton. He stated the United States was to be strengthened, that the President and cabinet concurred and the financial resources of the Confed with him in his opinion that the actual and erate States were to be discredited and Eu ropean loans by the latter prevented. Walker bona fide residents of Kansas by a fair and was the best known of all American states regular vote unaffected by fraud and violence men in Europe. Secretary Seward sug should be allowed to form a constitution. gested his name as financial agent, and thith Among other things he thought the climate er he was sent. He did his work well. He of Kansas unfavorable to slavery. McLean, went about with great retinues at his heels. a pro-slavery leader, cried out, "and do you There he spent, as is believed, a large part come t.o rule over us, you, a miserable pigmy of his fortune. He was so embittered toward like you. You came here with your ears the Republican party that he would accept erect, and you will leave with your tail be no salary, only his expenses. He negotiated tween your legs, Walker; we have unmade a loan for the Federal government of governors before, and I tell you we can un §250,000,000 and prevented the Confederate make governors again. Has Buchanan sent States from making a loan at all. No more you to Lecompton to defy us? Are these effectual work was done to save the Union. your instructions? Look out and let your At one stroke he both fed the Union and master at Washington look out, too. Re starved the Confederate armies. member." "A hell of a governor he is," shouted another. It might not be uninteresting to note that Governor Walker and Secretary Stanton at this time he was engaged in a literary ven threw out the returns of election of certain ture, being one of the owners and the editors towns, and one of the candidates defeated of the Continental Monthly of New York. thereby attempted to get his credentials by He published the magazine as the mouth force. Other outrages disturbed and excited piece of the political and financial views of the governor. As recounted by State His himself and others. Disowned by his own torian Spring, he armed himself with a party and refusing to join the Republicans pepper box pistol and began a tour of abhe sought vindication in the public prints. This magazine was edited during the eightjurgation. "Let us go and see the Bengal tiger," said he to Stanton. He visited the! een months Mr. Walker was in Europe by his sister, Mrs. Cook, though it was not drinking- saloons and political dens and hid known that a woman was at the helm at the ing places of Lecompton, and poured forth upon the heads of the cowering offenders time. such a tirade of cursing, abuse, and denun Mr. Walker with his many other accom ciation as 'was never heard there before. plishments was a great lawyer. During his Whether the adventure produced ridicule or whole life, when diverted for a time, as he so fear is not known. His presidential aspira often was by public office, he at once re-
