Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-12-13
THE SECESSION OF KENTUCKY.

''oiil tHe aClloh ol Tie 'ooFeTelSn ConEeh-
ton of Kentucky, which met at Russell.
vile, we ara enabled to give n copy of the
declaration If l.er inienen,lence and ordi.
nance of separation, and the plan Of tie
Provisional Government Instituted by the
Convention
DEcLARATl"N OF lSIEPESnENcE AND Or
plNAScE OF SEPARATION.
Whereas. the Federal Constitution,
which created tie Government OF the Uni
ted States, was declared by the trainers
thereof to bp thf supreme law of the land.
ana Was intended to hn,t, and diI express
ly l;'ni:, the p'wers Of said Government
10 certain general specified purposes, and
did expressly reserve to the States and
people all other powers whatever and
the Presilent and Congress have treated
the supreme law Of the Unicn with con.
tempt, and usurped to themselves the
power to interfere with the rights na1iber-
ties OF the States aud the PEOPLE, against
The express PROVISIONS Of the Constitution,
and have thus substituted tor the Cuus,i,
ton, and have thus substituted for the
highest lorms of rational liberty and con-
s''t"tlon gcvernme..t central deSpotism,
founded upon the ignorant prr,idices Of
The masses Of Northern society. and instead
OF giving protection, with the Constitution
to tile P ore Of fifteen States OF the Un,on
have turned loose upon thom the unres.
tra':ed and raging passions Of mobs and
!an"t'cs; and be'ause we now seek 10
! hold our Liberties, our property, onr homes,
anu "ur families. under tic protection OF
the reserved powers of the States, have
blockadeI Qnr ports, invaded onr SOL, and
~aeed war upon our people for the pur-
p"se OF sufjngatiug us to their will
Aud whereas, our own honor anl our
duty 10 Iost,r;ty demand that we shall not
re!:nqui:h oar own lLer:y, and shall no,
ahandon the rgi;s Of our ,;asc endant, and
, the " 'rld to The ineSiirnable blessings oil
constitution government, therefore.
Bel ordained, That we 10 hereby
seTer our con;e, ton with the Government,
OF the Cn:tiI States, ard IN tie name OF
the people We i" hereby declare Kentucky
to lie Il free and lnIs .'enient State, c!.,t he'd
with all power to fix her own destiny AMI
; to secure her "wn rights ami Liberties.
And whereas, the majority Of L..isla.
tu's of kentucky have vivlarc,l their mos.
solsmn pledges made before the election,
and deceived and betrayed the people
have abandoned tie position OF neutrality
assumed by themselves ard tile people, and
invited into TIE Stale the organized armies
OF l. ncoln have abb l'ca:ed the govern.
mont i'll favor Of the military despo,isn,
! which they have placel around themselves.
| but cannot coutro!, aid bave abandoned
the duty Of shielding the citizens will,
their protection; have thrown upon our
reople and the Stale the borrors and raya,
ges Of war, instead Of attempting 10 pre-.
serve the peace aud have voted mon and
money for the war w:gel by the North fvr
the destruction Of our constitution rights ;
have violated the express words of the
Constitutional rights violated the express
words OF the Constitution by borrowing
five millions OF money for the supper: Of the
war without vote to the people have
permitted the arrest and imprisonment oi
our cit zens, and transferred the consli-
tutional prer"g.,;ves of tho Executive to a
military commission oi parlizans; h.ve
seen the writ Of habeus eorpus suspended
without MI fort for its preservation, and
permitted ont people to be driven in exile
from their homes have subjected our
property to confscation, and cur persons
to confinement i'll the peniteptiary as fel.
ons, because we may choose to take part
in contest for civil liberty and const;tu.
tional government, against sectional ma.
Jority waging war against the institutions
Of n1teen Independent States Of the old
Federal !!"ion and have done ali these
things deliberately, against the v arnines
and vetoes of Tho late Governor, and the
solemn remonstrance Of the minority in
the Senate and House Of Representatives.
therefore.
Beit further ordained, That the uncon.
st'tutlonal edicts Of factious majority Of a
| L sol, +
their interests, arc not law, and al such q
government is unworthy Of ths support Of
brave and free peopls; and wo do hereby
declare that the people srs absoIved from
al allegiance 10 said government, and have
the right 20 establish any government which,
to them may seem best adapted to Tue
preservation Of their rights and liberties.
Asheretofore annoupcea. Geo. w. .Johp-