The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-06-20

DUTY OF KENTUCKY TO SUPPORT THE
GOVERNMENT.
Able and PatrlOtic Letter from Ex.
Secretary Holt.
WAsHrseTos, May 81. 1861


]. F. SPEED. Esq: Ny Dear Sir: II
rscens overwhelming vote in favor Of Il
Union in Kentucky has afforded uospeak
bic grati6cation to all true men througho,
the country. That vote indicates that tt
people Of that gallsnt State have bee
neither seduced by the arts nor terrified b
the msoaces Of the revolutionists in the
midst. and that is is their 6xed purpose {
rsn,ain faithful to a Government which. fc
nearly seventy years. has remained fsisbfr
to them. Sill IL cannot be denied that tber
10 in the bosom of that State q band O
agisstors, Who, though few in number. ar
yet powerful from the public confidence
they have eejoysd. and who have been, ant
doubtless will continue to be. unoeasug il
their endesvors 10 force kentucky to unit.
her fortunes with those oi the rebel Con
fsder.cy Of the South. In view Of this. anc
OF the we'll known fact that several of the
seeded States have by fraud and violence
been driven to occupy their present false
and fatal position. cannot, even with the
encouragement Of her late vote before me,
look upon the political future Of our native
State without . painful s0licitude. Never
have the safety and honor Of her people
required the exercise OF SO much vigilance
and Of 30 much courage on their part.
1t true to Themselves, the stars aud
stripes. which. like angels wings. have SO
long guarded their homes fi0m every op.
preston. will still be Iheirs; but if. chasing
the dreams of mems ambition. they shall
prove false. the blackness of darkness can
but family predict the gloom that awaits
them. The Legislature, it seems, has de.
termined by resolution that the State pend.
ing the present unhappy war. shall occupy
neutral ground l must say. in all frank
ness. and without desiring to reflect uron
the course of sentiments of any. that. in
this struggle for the existence OF our Gov
srnment. can neither practice. nor profess.
nor feel neutrality. would as sooa think
Oi being psutral in q contest between an
officer Of justice ami al incendiary arrested
in an attempt to IRE the dwelling over my
head; Tor the Government whose overthrow
10 sought is for me the shelter not only OF
home. kindred and friends, but of every
earthly blessing which can hope to enjoy
on this side OF tha grave. If. however.
from q natural horror Of fratricidal strife,
or from her intimate social snd business
relations with the South. Kentucky shall
to maintain the neutral attitude
assumed ~ her by her Legislature. her
position viii still be an honorable one.
6hougts fsfsins s.. abort of that full mAaan-a
of 10y atty which her history has SO constant
II illustrated. Her Executive. ignoring.
y am happy to believe. alike the popular
and legislative sentiment OF the State. has.
by proclsm alton. forbidden the Government
Of the United States from marching troops
across her territory. This Is. in no sense.
q neutral step. but one of aggressive hos
tiIty. The troops Of the Federal Govern
ota al rlty n
pass over the soil of kentucky as they have
10 march along the streets of Washington.
and could this prohibition be effective. 1t
would not only be n violation of the iundA-
mental law, but would. in all its tendencies.
he directly in advancement OF the revolution.
AID might. ia An emergency easily imag-
ined, compromise the highest national III
,srests. / was rejoiced that the Legislature
40 promptly refused to endorse this procla-
NATION IS expressive OF the true policy OF
the State. But turn away from even this
70 the ballo: box. and find an abounding
consolation in the conviction 1t inspires. that
the popular heart OF Kentucky. in its devo-
ton 70 the Union, is far in advance alike Of
lav;.latiys resolve aud Of Executive procla-
nation.
But as il is we'll understood that the late
nopuiar demonstration has rather scotched
than killed rebellion in Kentucky propose
inauiring. as briefly rs pracGole. whether,
in the recent action or present dec ciareo
policy Of the Administration. or In the his
tory of the pending revolution. or in the
obiec, it seeks to accomplish. or 10 the re
suit which must follow from it. if successful
there can be discovered any reasons Why
that State should sever the ties that unite
her with a Confederacy IN whose councils
and upon whose battle fields she has won 81
much lame. and under whose protection she
has on joyed SO much prosperity.
For more than a mouth after the inaugu
ration of President Lincoln the manifesto
t;ons seemed unequivocal that his Admins
trat;on would seek peaceful solution OF on
unhappy political troubles. and would lool
10 time and amendments to the Federal Con
..;tu,ion. adopted in accordance with il
provisions, to bring back the revolted Safe
TO their allegiance. So marked was IN
efEsct Of these manifestations in tranquiliI'n
the Border States and in re assuring thei
loyalty. that the conspirators who had sc
thss revolution on foo. took the ALARM
While affecting to despise these States q
nos sufficiently intensified in their devot'o
10 African servitude. they knew they coul
without ,hcir support. Here it was resolve
to preyipitAte collision Of arms with II
Federal authorities in the hope. under Ii
panic and evaporation Of civil war, Il
Border States. following the natural bent
their sympathiss. would array thsmsslv
AGAINST The Goverumeut. Fort Sumter, Q
cupied by feeble garrison. and girdied
powerful if not imprsgaabls bauer'ss.
iorded convenient means for accomplish
their purpose. and tor testing also 'h'
favorite theory tha. blood Was needed to
meos the new Confederacy. Its prov,s'o
were exhausted. and the request made
the President iu the interests OF peace q
humanity. for the privilege Of replsnishi
i,s stores, had been refused. The Comic
crate authorizes were sware-tor 90
gallant commander Of the fort had deciai
10 thsm-that in two days eap'tulst'
from starvation must take place. A pea
ful surrender. however. would mot h'
Az