Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-18
Governor maKosfin's veto message
COMMONWEALTH OF kkNtUCkY,
Executive Department, Sept. Is, 1861.


Ge,dles,s,, of hs House Of Representatives:
A joint resolution in relaaon to the withdrawal
of Confederate troops frem Kentucky soil y which
passed botk branches Of the General Assembly on
the 1Ith inst, was yesterday submitted to me for
my official sanction. In view of all nv response
bilites to the people Of this Commonwealth, l am
compelled to withhold from this resolution my ap-
probation. But desiring 10 occasional unnecessary
delay to your action, now promptly return it to
the House in which it originated with my veto and
objections
The people of Kentucky have, through their Rep
resentatives in the General Assembly and on three
several occasions st the polls distinctly assumed
for the State position of strict neutrality between
the belligerent parties to the pending war. That
position have sincerely and faithfully endeavored
to maintain The manifest advantage of such an
attitude, and the fatal results Of It's abandonment
have endeavOred to exhibit in my recent message
20 you wherein / earnestly recommended to the
General Assembly the prompt passage Of resolu-
tons requiring both belligersnts t. keep of our
soil and 70 respect IN good faith, the neutrality
which the people of Kentucky, with unex4mpled
unsnimity, in good faith desire to preserve" re-
gard the almost simultaneous occupation of Padnc&h
by the Federal troops, and Of Columbus by the
Confederate forces equally palpable and open
violations Of the neutral rights Of Kentucky. IN
less therefore II Is the purpose Of the General As
sembly to abandon sll pretenss Of neutrality and
TO commit Kentucky to active cooperation with the
United States Government in the prosecution of the
war, by Eurrendering her soil to the unconditional
occupation Of the Federal army, cannot CONCEIVE
why notice should be giyento one party and refused
to the other Aanifestly, resolution requiring the
withdrawal of one belligerent from Kentucky SOIL
and failing to demand Ike withdrawal Of the
forces Of the other, can be construed otherwise
than as an acquescence on your part IN the occupa
ton OF the State by the other. rs-
Ia this acquiescenee cannot concur with you,
but now take occasion again earnestly to recon-
mend the passage of resolutions urging upon each
Government the withdrawal Of their respective
forces and the future observance of the neutrality
of Kentucky do not doubt that such action upon
your part would be respected by both the belliger
ents, and thereby the peace of State preserved
Having determined cOnseentiOusly 10 act in ac-
cordsnce with ju't view of duty resulting from
the neutrality Of the State between beligerents OBJ
jectng sOlsmny to the occupation Of Kentucky soil
by either and believing that the abandonment Of this
position Of the State thrice chosen and asserted by
the people, will not only result in making Kentucky
the theatre Of long military operations, but will
produce and be followed by civil war at home.
/ respectfully return to you the resolutions, with
this my veto and objections for your considerations
b. MAGOFFIN.