President fires a governor 161 years ago – Kansas State Quarter Coin

Today, the Kansas State Quarter Coin remembers the letter of July 28, 1855 that fired the Kansas territory governor.

The following letters from Senate Documents published in 1856 provide insights into the charges.

Though Governor Reeder provided his defense via letter, neither the President nor the Secretary of State believed his explanation exonerated his actions.

=====

Mr. Marcy to Governor Reeder.

Department of State, Washington, June 12, 1855.

Sir: I am directed by the President to inform you that, with the developments before him in reference to purchases of Kansas half- breed reservations made by you in the Territory of Kansas, and in which, as you state, Judges Johnston and Elmore of the supreme court of the Territory, and Mr. Isaacs, the district attorney participated, and in reference also to other speculations by you in lands of the Territory, apparently in violation of acts of Congress, and of regulations of the departments, he feels embarrassed to see how, consistently with his convictions of duty, he can allow the present official relation to the Territory of yourself, or of either of the other gentlemen named, to continue, unless the impressions which now rest upon his mind shall be removed by satisfactory explanations.

The President will, however, be glad to receive and consider any explanations which you may desire to make in regard to the character and extent of the transactions above referred to, and particularly the matters spoken of in the letter of G. W. Clark, Indian agent, dated May 8, 1855, and addressed to the superintendent of Indian affairs for Kansas, a copy of which was forwarded to you at Easton, on the 5th instant.

I am, sir, very respectfully, &c,

W. L. MARCY.

Hon. A. H. Reeder, Care of John Cochran, Surveyor, &c, City of New York.

—–

Mr. Hunter to Governor Reeder.

Department of State, Washington, July 28, 1855.

Sir: Your communication of the 20th of June has been received and submitted to the President.

In reply, he directs me to say that, after due consideration of the explanations which you offer in regard to your purchase of Kansas half-breed lands, and the facts in the case as reported to him and communicated to you by the Department of the Interior, he finds nothing in those explanations to remove the impressions which he had previously entertained of the character of the transaction.

He directs me further to say that your communication is not less unsatisfactory in what it altogether omits to explain.

The letter addressed to you by this department on the 11th ultimo distinctly mentioned other grave matters of accusation of the same class.

You assume that when circumstances exist in the conduct of a public officer which require the question of his dismissal from office to be considered, it is the duty of the Executive to make formal specifications of charge, and upon this erroneous presumption you withhold explanation in regard to the matters alluded to, although they were peculiarly within your own knowledge, and you could not but be well aware that some of them, more especially the undertaking of sundry persons, yourself included, to lay out new cities on military or other reservations, in the Territory of Kansas, were undergoing official investigation within that Territory.

The incompleteness of that investigation at that time prevented its being spoken of explicitly by this department; but it was taken for granted that you would have cheerfully volunteered explanations upon the subject so far as you were concerned, more particularly as you had summoned the legislative assembly of the Territory to meet at one of the places referred to, denominated in your official proclamation “Pawnee City.”

I have, therefore, by the direction of the President, to notify you that your functions and authority as governor of the Territory of Kansas are hereby terminated.

I am, sir, respectfullv, &c,

W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary.

Andrew H. Reeder, Esq., Governor of the Territory of Kansas.

—–

Governor Reeder to Mr. Marcy.

Shawnee Mission, Kansas Territory,

Westport Post Office, Mo., August 15, 1855.

Sir: The communication of Hon. W. Hunter, Acting Secretary of State, dated July 28, 1855, postmarked July 31, addressed to Fort Leavenworth, and re-mailed at that office on the 14th instant, was received by me today, in which I am notified that my functions and authority as governor of the Territory of Kansas are terminated.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. H. REEDER.

Hon. W. L. Marcy, Secretary of State, Washington.

=====

The Kansas State Quarter Coin shows with an interior image, circa 1958, of the first Territorial Capitol of Kansas, Fort Riley Military Reserve, Riley County, Kansas.

Kansas State Quarter Coin