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

last session. They sweep away every Vestlge
public ard personal liberty, while they con9scat
the property of nation containing ten millions G
people. Ia the House of Representatives it wa
declared that the South should be reduced TO cat
ieet submission" or their institutions overthrow
In the Senate, it was said that if necessary tn
South should be depopulated, aud re-peopled fror
| the North, and an emlr ent Senator exercised
desire that the President should be made dicts
tor. This was superfuous, since they had already
clothed him with dietatsrial powers. In TN
midst of these proceedings no plea Tor TN
Constitution is listened to IN the NoTthi heF,
and there few heroic voices are feeDly hearC
| protesting against the progress OF despOtlsm
but for the most part beyond the military
lines, mObs and anarchy rule the hour. The grea
mass of the Northern people seem anxious TO sun
der every safeguard of freedom, they. eagerly OF
fer to The Government Whist no European monarch
would dare to demand. The President and his
Generals are unable to pick up the liberties OF the
people rapidly as they are thrown at their feet
The world will view with amusement this sudden
and total overthrow of Constitution which, if re
speeted, might have been the boast and safeguard
Of the United States for many generations. When
the historian to investigate the cause OF this
result he will record the fact that no department OF
| the Federal Government has ever exhibited case
of aggression by the Southern States upon their
Northern associates and he will trace the dsmem-
berment TO the ignorance disregard upon the part
of the latter of the true principles of confederacy,
| to long continued and fragrant violations Of the
10 aNdrlSS, lduatlClSlu S6LlSFdl
corruption Against all these usurpations protest
ed in your name in the presence of their authors,
and at the seat of their powers. l protested In
vain, and never again will meet ia council with
| the usurpers. ..-.,....
And now fellow citizens I am sure you Will pardon
me if l add few words in reference to the condi-
ton Of our State and my own course. The COnsti-
tuition of the Uuted States has been destroyed and
by no act Of Kentucky. The power she delegated
in that instrument to the Federal Government had
ho,. - hos,
by that Government without her consent is usurpa-
ton. In the wreck of the Federal system, she ex-
lists an independent commonwealth, with the right
to choose her own destiny She may join the North.
She may join the South. She may poise herself on
her own centre and be neutral In every form by
which you could give direct expression to your
Will you declared for neutrality. large m9jority
of the people at the May and August elections voted
for the neutrality and peace of Kentucky. The
press, the public speakers, the candidates with
ceptiOns in favor of the Government at Washington,
not to need mention planted themselves
on this position. You voted for it, and you meant
it. You were promised it, and you expected it
The minority acquiesced in good faith and at home
and abroad this was recognized as the fixed posi-
ton of the State. 1t taken at the beginning
of hostilites and it is but reasonable to infer that
every subsequent act fOUtrage by the WasbinRton
Government has confirmed your original purpose.
Look now st the condition of Kentucky, and see
how your expectations had been realized how these
promises had been redeemed!
First by the aid Of some citizens Of the State RTms
belonging to the whole people were illegally and
secretly introduced by order of the President and
distributed to class of people upon the false
pFetense that they needed them for protection
against their iellOw-citixens This the first
violation
Next, Federal military officers begun to recruit |
soldiers md establish camps in cur midst, and Fed
eral money was lavishiy expended In the hope to
demoraize and corrupt the people. a stuffed sys |
TEN of deception practiced as long possible |
on the people For time IL was denied that they !
were Federal camps and it was ssid that they were
merely voluntary assemblies of Kentuckians for |
their own protection and that of the State These
mOnstrOus falsehoOds have since been freely ex>
posed. This was the second violation
Previous 10 these events, the State was con-
ditiOn of tranquility and peace No indications
existed any where of internal disorder. But now
the people becoming alarmed at these proofs of
purpose to force Kentucky into the war, begun to
assemble in great meetings aud to demand
loudly the promised neutrality. The Washington
Government however, and its abettors in Kentucky,
their schemes to be ripe for execution,
now resolved to have what they called ''active 10y
atty" About this time the Legislature met and the
drama then moved rapidly on. The camps were
avowed to be Federal camps. The guns which had
been clandestinely and illegally introduced now call
ed out to maintain active loyalty" Federal officers
begun to swarm among US. Every appliance of
every allurement of ambition was
brought into play. Presently Federal army was
in possession of large portions of the State and the
stood fully revealed, while the people,
whose only had been their generous credulity,
stood Thoroughly betrayed. 1t is known to citizens
of Louisville of all parties that just before that
meeting of the Legislature, member of the Wash
iDgton cabinet, said to prominent citizen of Ken
lucky, that the position of the State should be
that the Government preferred hostility
to neutrality and that Kentucky must be compelled
to support the Federal Government in the war.
Your wishes, fellow ctiysss, had been spurned and
you have been thrown into this vortex BY the Gov
eminent at Washington, aided by their Kentucky
sympathisers.
The pretended reason for the military occupation
Of the State founded the occupation of Columbus
by Confederate troops, is uncaadid and false. For
besides the fact that the invasion Of Kentucky was
3 foregone conclusion at Washington, and that
camps of soldiers were under arms in our midst to
invade Tennessee, it is notorious that Gen. CIR ant
eft Cairo to seize Paducah before the occupation of
while in taking the latter place the Con
rederate troops anticipated the Federal troops by
less than an hour. For further proof of the insin-
certify of the false clauor about Ae invasion from
Tennessee, the Confederate commander announced
10 your authorities that he occupied Columbus
purely in self defence, and stood ready any moment
70 withdraw simultaneously with the Federal forces
To say that the Washington Government had right
70 invade the State ia to say that you nad right
% be neutral and TO submit TO the invasion from a
power WHICH has effsced every Vestige of the Con-
titution, would be to bow in the dust and surrenN
It's not necessary to say much about the Legis-
AZURE, A majority of them, instead Ct protecting
he rights and persons of the citizens, have either
or under duress been engaged in
sustaining the usurpatiOns of the Federal Govern
nert in passing bills of pains and penalties to ter
'ify spirited people into serVitude, in depriYinE
he Governor Of his just constitutional authority,
nd in ADVOCATING their share of the Government by
formally inviting Federal military force to take |
possession of the Stste well knowing as they did
hat this military force would EuperCede the State
Government. OF that body nearly onefOGrth have
etired because Of the military occupation OF the
State, and the seizure imprisonment pursuit and |
lXie OF many of the most eminent and patriotic
itizens Of the State by that military force. The
-oice Of these members can no longer be heard in
he councils of the State, their votes be taken
'he Legislature il thus, t. say tha least Of it,
nutilated department of the State Government. 1t
s true that there remains sufficient number for
uorum, but are they free? For when the Fed
raj Government takes military possession Of
tate Its Legislature must conform to the
yl of the military chief or be supp sssed,Iss we
ave recently seen IL the case Of Missouri
VII sc State government dispersed and martial
proclaimed, and stll later, in the of Mary
and, when thirtyeIght members of the Legislature
we're seized and imprisoned on the mere sQspiciOG
f intending to esislate at VsrGnJe with the will
f the military Government We cannot. therefore, l
now that the public resolutions or pretended laws
f the tive bodies. are the declarations of their /
ctiVs will, because we have the strongest reason !
o believe that if not in accordance with the will
( the Government at Washington, they would
leet the fate Of the Legislatures Of Lissouri and
iaryland ON the otter hand, We know that these
esolutlons and laws are in conflict with their Lu5
c pledges and with the expectations Of the people
is more charitable to believe that the members
: Fra Dlyfort or q majority of them are actuatpd