Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-30
THR WAR IN KENTUCKY.

uNNANu VI NhV bNBA5labuIS Az luO OlNbubuSh1
people"
This is the right document from the right |
source. We have been looking for it with |
interest and anxiety, and it fulfills all our
best expectations.
Let this address find its way everywhere |
through our State. Let it he brought to the |
eyes and to the hearts of the whole popula- !
tion of Kentucky. 1t can not fail to kindle |
an electric FIRE that will burn and flash and |
corruscate like the lightnings of heaven |
throughout all our borders.
Let every Union man, into whose hands |
this address may fall, read it in the most ip. |
pressive manner to all of his Union neigh |
bors. Let him read it to his disloyal neigh |
bors also. Even upon them its patriotic and |
stirring appeals may not be lost 1t may
awaken "the late remorse" of love ofcountry
in their souls and prompt them to do their
duty in this fearful crisis of our national
affairs.
ADDRESS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO THE PEOPLE
OF KENTUCKY.
In this extraordinary crisis, we deem It
duty we, your representatives, owed to you
and ourselves to say a few words to you as
to the condition of the Common wealth and
the duties we have been called upon to per-
form.
hoped to save Kentucky from the calamities
of war. When the Federal authorities
deemed it necessary to employ force in self
defense, and to execute the laws of the Gov
erDment, we assured our Southern neighbors
of our purpose not TO take up arms volun-
tarily against them, notwithstanding their
wicked attempt to destroy the Government
! from which we and our fathers have re-
! ceived the greatest benefits. Every effort
was made, both before and after the employ
| ment OF force, to effect some compromise
and settlement that would restore the Union
and prevent the effusion of blood.
! The Federal Government did not insist
| upon our active aid in furnishing troops,
seeming content If we obeyed the laws and
executed them upon our soil. Those engaged
| in rebellion, however, with hypocritical pro-
fessions Of friendship and respect, planted
/ camps of soldiers all along our Southern bor-
der; seized, by military power, the stock on
our railroad within their reach, in defiance
of chartered rights; impudently enlisted sol
diers upon our soil for their camps, whom
they ostentatiously marched through their
territory. They made constant raids into
this State; robbed us of our property; in
suited our people; seized some of our citi-
zens, and carried them away, as prisoners,
into the Confederate States. Our military
was demorslized by the treachery of its chief
officer in command, and many OF his subor-
dinates, until it became more an arm of the
Confederate States than Guard of the State
of Kentucky. Thus exposed to wrongs and
iDdignities, with no power prepared to pre-
vent or resent them, some of the citizens of
this State formed camps under the Federal
Government, for the defense and protection
! of the State of Kentucky. Whatever might
have been thought of the policy once, recent
events have proved that they were formed
none too soon.
In this condition we found Kentucky when
the Legislature met on the first Monday in
September. We still hoped to avoid war on
our own soil. We were met by assurances
from the President of the Confederate States
that our position should be respected; but
the ink was scarcely dry with which the
promise was written, when we were startled
by the news that our soil was invaded, and
towns in the southwest of our State occupied
by Confederate armies. The Governor of
Tennessee dissvowed the act, and protested
his innocence of it. His Commissioners at
Frankfort professed the same innocence of
the admitted wrong but our warnings to
leave were only answered by another in
Vasion in the south. east of the State, and q
still more direct and deadly assault upon the
very heart of the State by way of the Nash
vile road. These sudden irruptions of such
magnitude skillfully directed, show that the
assault on Kentucky was preconcerted, pre-.
pared and intended long before. The ex-
cuses made for any of them but add insult 10
injury. We shall not repeat them. They
| are uubNASuSSS lOl avs AAbShuSu nlLuOuI any
excuse.
; The purpose is to remove the theater oi
the war from the homes of those who wick
edly originated it to those of Kentucky, and
to involve this State in the rebellion. This
purpose appeared to be we'll understood in
the seeded States. They need the ter
ritory of Kentucky, and are determined to
; have it, if it must be by blood and con-
. quest.
Thus forced into war, we had no choice
= but to call on the strong arms and brave
, hearts of Kentucky to expel the invader from
our SOIL and to call for the aid of the Fedora
= Government, as we had right to do undel
the Federal Constitution.
g Our foes would dictate terms to brave
: people upon which we can have peace W.
e are required to Join them in their unwar
u ranted rebellion, become accessory to thei
D crimes, and consent to sacrifice the last hopt
n of permanently upholding republican insti
tutions, or meet their inVasions as it becomes
y Kentuckians.
We believe we have done our duty to
|, chivalric people, who have forborne long, bu
J.. will never fail, as last resort, to resent al
injury and punish an insult We should holt
ourselves unworthy to represent you if W
+ had done less. The only error, we fear, j
h that we have not been as prompt, you ma,
n think, as the occasion demanded. Thric
have the revolutionists appealed to the ballot
box in this State, and thrice have the peopl
{ expressed, by overwhelming majorities, thei
d determination to stand by the Union and il
8. Government. They have not been active
this war, not from Indifference or want {
,e loyalty, but in the hope of better promotin
le a restoration of the Union, and checking IL
le rebellion by that course. Our hope Of a
I amicable adjustment and desire for peac
m led us to forbear until forbesrance has cease
Al to be q virtue. The attempt to destroy til
" Union of these States we believe to be
20 crime not only against Kentucky, but again
" all mankind. But up to this time we hay
IA left to others to vindicate, by arms the il
50 tegrity of the Government. The Union
be not only assailed now, but Kentucky is he
,e self threatened with subugation by Law
tv less usurpation. The invasion is carried {
Is with ruthless destruction of property al
"a the lives and liberties Of our people that b
o- longs only to savage warfare.
Is, We have no choice but action--prompta al
iii decided. Let us show the insolent invade
ca that Kentucky belongs to Kentuckians, al
a. that Kentucky valor will Yindicate Ke
C. tucky's honor. We were unprepared B
cause unsuspecting. An insolent and treac
erous invader tells the people that their leg
or lators have betrayed them and he com
d. with FIRE and sword to correct their errC
p. by crusade against property, liberty a.
Ig. life.
hs Young men of Kentucky, TO arms to pI
ar. tect the home of your fathers, mothers Al
srs sisters. Sound the tocsin on every bill a