The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-11-02
The Cause in Kentucky

The following letter received by the Rev.
Horace Herrick, the former Preceptor OF our
Academy, and now the member OF the House
! from VOL, oft, from brother now and Tor
twelve years past resident OF Kentucky
will be read with interest as giving true
and intelligent expose of the condition and
union prospects Of that gallant State;
Oct. "a, 1861.
/ DEAR Brother Il shall not trouble you
with domestic affairs, and neither shall take
up time with the general affairs Of the Ma
ton, for you have as good an opportunity OF
knowing in Vermont as We Go in Kentucky.
! presume, however. you would like to know
what arc the feelings Of the loyal citizens OF
! this State but the feelings OF Seccsslonst
| shatl no. attempt to describe, for the mo-
ment man becomes a secessIonlst' ne is IosS
to all sense of honor, truth, honesty humane
tv, morality, in fact he comes the nearest to
reprobatc mind of any thing this side OF the
grave.
You are aware that the people Of this State
have had three different trials, to test their
! attachment to The Union The first was
choosing delegates to the border State Conven-
ton led at Frankfort. The second in choos
ing members of Congr' IS at the extra Session.
The last trial was in choosing members TO the
State Legislature, which was the severest
struggle but the State gave Union vote OF
sixty thousand majority.
The Union citizens were obliged to resort
to many expedcnts to save tho State from
ruin You are aware We have had u Seces-
sionist Governor, and he did everything in
his powers to carry the State out OF the Tn
ion in 0 the Southern Copfederncy. The State
arms were under his control, as Chief Magis.
trate Of the State There was also military
organization called the State Guards" and
they had most of the State arms in their
possession. The Union citizens then rescrted
to the ruse Of armed neutrality until they
could procure arms from the Federal Govern
mcDt. The Union peoplc were Fortunately
supplied by the General Government, through
the fundamentally of some Of the leading
men Of The State, aud as soon as arms were
procured, neutrality was laid aside. When
the Legislature met, these State Guards welc
disbanded, the arms collected into the State
Arsenal Military Board appointed to SUI
perintcnd the military affairs Of the State.
For three weeks after the Legislature met
they would pass laws, the Governor veto them
and send them back to the House, and then
they would be passed by y t~o-thirds MAORI
ty. During this time the leading secession
lists were making every effort to counterfeit
the Influence Of this Legislature. Brides,
threats, Misrepresentation were the most COM
mon, aud such men as John G. Breckenridge,
Humphrey Marshall James b. Clay, were
doing their best to collect an army in the
State to force the loyal people into the om-
braces Of JEFF. Dayjsdom, and accept the
blessings held out to them by the Southern
Con5sderacy.
We have one man, if there Is any degree
of punishment more rigid and severe than
another, who should have tho beneGs OF it. His
name is General Simon 3. Buckper. He for
nery commanded the State Guards, aDd even
went TO Washington and proposed to enter
the Government service, and even then had
commission Of "a Brigaaier- General in hispock.
et This man is now leading an army into
the State, to bprn and destroy the property
of bis old neghbors, Tor 30 other offcuse than
they love the old Union. He is now in the
Southwest part Of the State near Paducah,
which you will see, by referring to the map.
We have at this lime three encampments Of
Rebels in this State one in Floyd County, OH
the E;rginian line, enc in knox County, in
tho Southern part Of the State, % tie TeM-
uessee line, and another on the Mississippi
The rebel army on the Tennessee line has re-
oeiyed a specimen 81 Union balets, according
TO the Daily of the 23d, and tSen. Zollcotfer
has taken the HUT to retire towards Tennessee
There arc Il large number OF Government
troops IN tho State, and am sare it will be
Il sorry time for Rebels scon~
Perhaps you may wish to Know what effect
the rebellion has had en the minds of the
people. think this rebellieo will have Il
tendency to break dswn the prejudice against
the Fysa States more than anything that has
ever happened. Ever since have been in
the State, there has always bsen a Prejudice
existing against all coming from Free State,
charging them with Abolti0sism. &C., and
even since the rebellion has bssn in progress,
troops could hardly be Transported up or down
the Chic River bus they we've threatened Of
being interrupted, bu; row the tune is
changed, and Ohie, ludians and Illinois
troops are received with opsn arms. Seccs.
sionists grow! where they dare to, but in this
part Of the State oil Kentucky, they arc
obliged to keep quiet, or they arc arrested at