The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-12
TINE NEUTRALITY OF kErT1cxy

we have already published n te,sgranh,c
| abstract Of the message Of Gov. MagofI,n, o,
| Aentueky, and have since received a printed
| copy oi Inc document. The following CORES
pondsncs il appended TO the message:
| COMMONWEALTH OF Kxxrrcxr,
| .euuVs Dept, Frankfort, Aug. 1891.
n On. 1s s, DAVIS. Richmond. 70.
| Oh Since the commencement Of the pre.
sent unhappy difficulties yet pending in the
| country, the people Of Kentucky have indi
| Gated steadfast desire and purpose tomain.
IAN position OF strict neu trality between
Tue peiilxerent parties. They have already
| suiFsn, by their policy, TO avert from them
selves the calamity of war, and protect tn i r
own soil from the presence OF contending ar
! Mles, Up to this period they have enjoyed
| comparative tranquility and entire domestic
peace.
Recently military force has been enlisted
and quartered by the United States authori-
| ties within this State. have on this day All
| dressed mmunica ton and dispatched t,om.
missioners to the President of the United
states, urging the removal Of these troops
rom Inc SOIL Of Kentucky, and thus s1erting
myself to carry out the will of the peopIe in
the III maintenance of a neutral position The
people OF this State desire TO be free from the
presence OF the soldiers of either belligerents.
ana 70 mat end my efforts are now directed
| Although i have no reason to presum tina I
| the Government Of the Con feuerate States
contemplate or have ever purposed any viola.
ZION OF the neutral attitude thus assumed by
ncntucky, there seems to be some uneaBiness
| iet among tho people Of some portion of the
state, accustomed by the collection of bodies of
troops along their Southern frontier. In or
| DER 70 quiet this apprehension, and to secure
W Ine people their cherished object of peace,
'nis omin unication ID to represent these facts
ana elicit an au authoritative assurance that the
| Government of the Confederate States will
continue to respect and observe the position
indicated as assumed by Kentucky terv re-
spectfully, your obd't ssrv't Il. MAaoYf1x
|
PRBsIDBSr DAVIS TO GOV. NAaoYPIs.
| RICHMOND, Aug. 2S, 1851.
To the Hon. b. MAaoPPIS, Cor. of Hentuchv DE-
| SIR: have received your letter Informing
me that "since tho CONNIE ncement of the nm
happy difficulties yet pending in the country.
| Inc people OF Kentucky have indica ted a stead
| last desire and purpose to main tain a position
| Of strict neutrality between the belligerent
parties In the same communication YOU
express your desire to elicit ian authorita-
i've assurance that the Government of the
| confederate States will continue to RESPECT
and observe the neutral position # Ken
| lucky"
| In reply to this request, 1 lose no time in
| assuring you that the Government OF the
| Confederate States of America neither in :
| tends nor desires to disturb the neutrality of
| hentucky. The assemblage of troops in Ten
nessee, to which you refer, had no other OBJ
Ject than TO repel the laWlees in asion of thai
| State by the forces of the United States
| should their Government attempt to au-
| proach 1t through Kentucky without respect
| Tor It's position OF neutrality. That such ap-
! prehenslons were not Hroundless has been
| proved by the course Of that Government in
| Maryland and Missouri, and more recently
| in Kentucky itself, in which, as YOU inform
| me, ga military force has been enlisted and
quartered by the United States authorities ~
The Government of the Confederate States
| has not only respected most scrupulously the
neutrality Of Kentucky, but has contin ued to
maintain the friendly relations of trade and
Intercourse which it has suspended with the
| people OF the United States generally.
In view OF the history OF the past, it can
| scarcely be necessary to assure your Excel
| lency that the Government of the Con fede-
| rate States VIII continue TO respect the nea
| trality Of Kentucky so long us her people will
| maintain it themselves.
But neutrality, to be entitled to respect
| lust be strictly main tanned between both par
| ties; or II the door be opened on the one side
| for tho aggreesions of one of the belligcren,
| parties upon the other, 1t ought not to be shut
| 10 the assaulted when they seek TO enter it for
| the pur poses of self defence.
| do not, however, for 4 moment believe
that your gallant State will suffer its soil tc
! DO used for the purpose of giving an adyan.
taSe TO those who violate its neutrality and
| disregard its rights over those who respect
| them both.
| In conclusion, tender to your ExcelIenc,
| the assurance of my high consideration and
| regard.
And am, sir, -ery respectfully, yours, &c,
| JBPFBRsoS DAVIS.