Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-18

arms of Mr.. Lincoln, TO be USED Tor oeutnern su
e iugation. or conse ted to the suppression of Ii
f press, or suffered, without an cutlery that woul
have pierced the skies, the lndgnites and outrage
which have been inflicted upon the people by Feds
! raj soldiers.
Fellow-citizsns, you have to 90 now not with thi
fragment of Legislature with its treason bills an
. tax bills with its woful subserViency to every de
mand of the Federal despOtism, and its woful neg
lect of every rightof the Kentucky citizans bu
you have to deal with power which respect
neither constitutions or laws, and which, if success
full, viii reduce you to the condition of prostrat
and bleeding Maryland Gen. Anderson, the military
dictator of Kentucky announces in one of his proc
lamations that he will arrest no one who does no
act, write or spedk in opposition to Mr. Llneolni
Government 1t would have completed the idea i
he had added, or think in opposition to it. Look q
the condition of our State under the rule of euI
new protector. They have suppressed the freedom
Of speech and of the press. They seize people by
military force upon mere suspicion, and impose or
them oaths unknown to the laws. Other citizens
they imprison without warrant, and carry them out
Of the State so that the writ of habeas corpus can
! not reach them. Every day, foreign armed
bands are making seizures among the people. Hun
dreds Of citizens old and young, venerable msgis,
trates, whose lives distinguished by the love OF
the people, have been compelled to fly from their
homes and families to escape Imprisonment and
exile at the hands of Northern and German soldiers
under the order of Mr. Lincoln and his military
| subordnates. While yet holding an important pc;
4lIcdl trust CO0uuSU Dy A6uluCky WAS COIlptllSu
] to leave my home and family or suffer inprison-
ment and exile. II is asked why did not meet the
arrest and seek trial, my answer is that would
! have welcomed an arrest to be followed by judge
and jury; but you well know that could not have
/ secured these constitutional rights. | would have
! been transported beyond the State to langush in
some Federal fortress during the pleasure of the
| oPpresser. Witness the fate of MOrehead and his
| KentucL Y associates in their distant and gloomy
| prison.
e L..
example of many others, and it meets every element
in a definition of despotism If it should Sccur in
Engandit would be righted or il would everturn the
British Empire. He is citizen and native Of Ken
! lucky. As member Of the Legislature Speaker
of the House, Representative in Congress from the
Ashland District, and Governor of the State you
have known trusted and bonored him, during a
public service of g quarter of a century. He is
eminent for his ability, his amiable character, and
his bl meless life. Yet this man, without indict-
ment without warrant without accusation, but by
the order of President Lincoln, was seized at mid
night in his own house and in the midst of his fam
lily, was led through the streets of Louisville IS
am informed, with his hands crossed and pinioned
before him, was carried out of the State and dis
trlct, and nova lies prisoner in fortress in New
York harbOr, thousand miles away. Do you
think that any free Legislature, ever assembled in
Kentucky since the days Of Charles Scott and Isaac
Shelby, until now, would have permitted such a
spectacle to dishonor the State? No! Fellow
citizens, the Legislature could not have been free
l would speak of these things with the simple
soemnlty which their magnitude demands, yet it is
difficult to restrain the expression of just indgna
ton while we smart under such enormities Mr.. |
Lincoln has thousands of soldiers our soil, near
ly all from the North, and most of them foreigners
whom he employees as his instruments to do these |
things. But few Kentuckians have enlisted under |
his standard, for we not yet accustomed TO his
peculiar form of liberty.
will not pursue the disgrsceful subject. Has |
Kentucky passed out of the control of her own |
people? Shall hirelings of the pen recently import
ed from the North, sitting in grand security at the
Capitol, force public opinion to approve these
pations. and point out victims? Shall Mr.. Lincoln |
through his German marcenaries, imprison or exile |
the children of the men who laid the founda atoms of
the COmmOnw ealth, and compel our noble people to
exhaust themselves in furnishing the money to de
stroy their own freedom2 Never, while Kentucky |
remains the Kentucky of old-never, while thou
sands of her gallant sons have the will and the
nerve to make the State sing to the music Of their
rIfesl The Constitution of the United States which
these invaders VnconstitutiOnay swear every citI-
zen whom they unconstitntonally seize, to support,
has been wholly abolished. 1t is as much for
gotten if it lay away back in the twilight Of his
tory. The facts | have enumerated show that the
very rights most carefully reserved by it to States
and to individuals, have been most conspicuousIv
violated. And this destruction has been accsm |
Pished not by the President alone, but by the Con-
gress also and with the approval Of the Northern
States and people. They have deliberately made
the contest constitutional struggle between so
many millions On one side and many On the other
enc party fighting for mitigation, the other in
selfdefeHss and for independents Whatever may
be the future relations Of the two confederacies the
idea of a restoration of the Union under the old
constitution, is wholly visionary and delusive II
the North should conquer the South (Which it will
perceive 70 be impossible after few hundred mill
lions more shall be expended and few hundred
thousand lives ost,) the character of the Govern
ment would be radically changed, 1t would proba-
bly, not take the form even of a mixed government
but would soon end in mil tary despOtsm Il
must sooE become apparent to all thoughtful men
that the last hope of constitutional liberty lies In
the ear y recognition of these great truths-in an
honorable peace and friendly intercourse
YOu declared your purpose not TO engage in the
war to subdue the South, and that you would be J
neutral and mediate IN the interests of peace when
an opportunity should offer. This is the recorded
viii of the State as expressed by the people. But :
hose who assume to represent you have violated |
hat will. They have Gttempted to burden you
with enormous taxes TO prosecute war you abhor
md to sustain a government which has trampled 9
under foot every safeguard of Constitution which
vas the only bond OF your political connection with
t. while they have allowed that government to cut
you off from the only avenues OF trade which would
enable you to pay these taxes They have invited
military force Of that government to take posses
sion of the State, and practically supercede the 4;
State Government, and they have seen, with COM | :
Diaceucy, these foreign soldiers seige imPrsen and
pursue uuuQT6us Observation-Disclosures, !
without crilae-OTer the plains and mountains of :
In a word, they have attempted, with )
,ut consulting you, and against your recorded :
wishes, to place you in active hostility to youl :
southern brethren, and to fix your political destiny
With the North.
Whatever may be the condition or motives of the =
members at Frankfort, they have exceeded their
authority. No legislative assembly or other body
Other than one selected by your Sovereign Voice ,
or that purpose, has the right in this great revO
utiO1 to determine finally, your political future +
The people, though taken by surprise and almost
lnarmed, have risen to viRdicate their wishes and
Xpel the Northern invaders The esgerness with
which their aid has been invoked by these who .
lave plunged the State into her present unhappy :
condition is the strongest proof of their conviction
hat but for the presence Of these sodiers the &C
ion OF the members at Frankfort would be repudi-
ted by the people, when the Northern invaders '
hall be sent back across the Ohio river. When the a
tste shall be relieved of all troops from abroad
nd the people of Kentucky, by fair election shall
etermine their destiny, it will be the clear duty of
very citizen to acGUiesce or retire from the State
EOr those who, denied by the Legislature tbs
rejection due to the humblest citizen, have been
eliYered over to the tender mercies of foreign a
and hunted ike partrdges On the !
loQntsiHs what remains but imprisonment, exile Z
r rssistances As of them, intend to resist !
will avoid conflict with Kentuckians, except in n
ecessary selfde1ense, but will unite with my fell
wv citizens to resist the invaders who have driven
Z from our homes. To this course we are impelled
y the highest sense of duty and the irresistible
lstincta Of manhood r defe4d your birthrght V
"a lime, which is more precious than domestic 4
ase or property, or life l exchange with proud %
2LisfactiOn. term Of years in the Senate Of =
2e Uaited States, for the muSket of soldier. l.
This letter is written at the fret moment since VI
" expulsion from home, that | could place nv d