Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-18
A POWERFUL DOCUmENrI
Address OF Hon. J. C.. Breckinridge 70 q
People OF kentucky.


Address OF Hon. J. c. Breckinridge 10 The
People OF Kentucky
To The People Of Kentucky:
By your representatives in the last Legislature
yeu conferred on me the commission of Senator in
the Congress Of the United States. In March last
when my term of service began the Union had
been dissolved by the withdrawal of seven States
which the policy of coercion has since increased to
twelve States. At that time majority of the PEG.
pie of Kentucky still cherished the hope of peace
full reunion Soon afterwards, when the Govern
ment at Warrington commenced that series of
usurPations which has left nothing of the Fed
ersl Constitution, and resolved on war of subju>
cation against the Withdrawing States to secure
union and brotherhood, you determined to take no
part IN the war, but to protect your liberties by
position Of armed neutrality. This decision was
expressed by large majority Of the people at the
election in May.
| had opposed the policy before the election but
afterwards in common with the great mass Of those
with whom had acted, acquIesced in your ex-
pressed will and have maintained 1t as the fixed
attitude of Kentucky. In obedience as suppose 10
your wishes, proceeded to Washington, and at the
special session of Congress in July spoke and voted
against the whole war policy of the President and
Congress; demanding addition for Kentucky the
right TO refuse not men only but money alsoto the
war, for / would have buShed to meet Won with
the confession that had purchased for you exemp-
ton from the pers of the battle field and the shame
Of wagiDg war against your Southern brethren by
hiring others to do the work you shrsnk from per-
forming. During that memorable session, a very
small body of Senators ana Representatives, even
beneath the shadow of a military despotism, ress-
ted the usurpatOns of the Executive and with what
degree Of dignity and fiTmDess they will willingly
submit to the judgement of the world.
Their efforts were unavaiiing-yet they nav
prove valuable hereafter as another added to for
mer examples of manly protest against the progress
of tyranny.
On my return to Kentucky at the close of thelate
special session of Congress, it was my purpose i'm
mediately TO resign the Office Of Senator. The
bal and written remOnstrances of many friends in
different parts of the State induced me to postpone
the execution of my purpose, bat the time has
rived to carry it into effect accordingly now and
hereby return the trust into your hands.
And in this connection, since the Government st
Washington has thrown drag net over the whole
surface of society to collect proof against individ
uSls of connection with the Government of the Con-
feder8te States and since portion OF the Northern
press has charged, that certain private correspon-
dence recently seized at Philadelphia by the Federal
authorities will convict me of political crimes, l
deem it due to you and TO myself to declare that
have not done or said anything inconsistent with
the relations lave borne to the State, and to the
federal Government, or which could reflect STAIN
upon the commission which now surrender.
do not resign because think / have misrepre-
5ented you. On the contrary, believe that nv
rotes and speeches in tn Senate have expressed
our deliberate will "a sttested through the ballot
TX. resign because there is no place left where
i,Outhern Senator may sit in council with the Sen
Jrs of the North In truth there is no longer =
senate Of the Uniged States within the meaning and
spirit Of the Constitution.
The United States no longer exists. The Union
is dissolved. For time after the withdrawal of
the Southern States, and while there was q hope
the rupture might be healed, it might be assumed
that the Union not yet dissolved, and such was
the position Of Kentucky, in declaring her neutral
ty and offering her mediation between the contend
ing parties. But time has now elapsed, and mighty
4,
of reasonable all expectation of restoring the
Union. Coercion has been tried and failed. The
South hs mustered in the field nearly many COM
batants the North, and mas been far more victO-
rOus The zelda Of Manassas and Bethel, of Spring j
field and Lexington, have Marked with terrible
and ssugu nary line the division between the old
Crders0t things and the new.
It is the right of Kentucky and her peculiar duty
20 recognize these great facts and to on them.
The constitutional compact which created and ups
held the old Union is at an end. A large number
of the original and additional parties hsYe with
drawn from it. So large number that its stipuls-
tons can no longer be executed, and under such
circumstances no court has ever decided contract
70 be binding between the remaining parties, or
ATTEMPTED TO enforce its execution The Congtitu-
ten requires positively that each State shall have
at least one repre- sentative in Congress, but now
twelve States have none that each State shall have
two Senator'S bat twelYed States have none
that all duties mposts and excuses shall be uniform
throughout the United States, but now in more thsl
third Of them can be collected.
Commerce cannot be regulated between the respec-
tive States Uniform rules Of naturalization and
bankruptcy cEln0. be sd pied. Pest Offices and
post roads in nearly half the States have been given
up, and preference is given to the ports OF one
State over those OF another. Even the election Of
-esident has become impossible. The C0nsttu-
,yy mandatory or all the States to appoint elect
Urs and requires majority OF the latter to
elect but more than one third Of the States re-
fuse 20 appoint, snd aenoe 10 election can De made
~ the people II the election goes to the House Of
Representatives., the Constitution rec Tires that at
least thirds Of the State shall be represented in
that body. The Constitution can no longer be |
amended for it requires threefOurths Of the State
- concur and more than onethird of the States !
GG,e withdrawn from the CoafederaCy. All the |
safeguards provided for By the States in the nstru
meat still father TO secure public and personal lib
erty have been destr lyed. The three depart I
n nts of the Federal Government which were !
carefully separated and their boundaries defined,
have been merged into one, and the rresident,
JiiuCd by great army, Yields unlimited power |
The exemption Of persons from srrest without il |
dCisl warrant, the right Of cisizrn TO have Lis
body brought before Judge to determine the lie |
gal!Jy of Fs Imprisonment. the security provided |
EEaInst s2SrLEes Sus seizure without warrant of /
lsw. the ssnctity OF the home, the trial by jury
the freedom Of speech and of the pTess-these snd |
every other precious right which Our fathers sup
posed they had locked up 10 the Constitution have |
been torn from il and buried beneath the heel of
military power. The States made the Consultation, |
slaced rigi6 boEndares around that Government !
and expressly reserved to themselves sli powers |
net delegated. They did delegate to the Federal
Government the power to destroy them yet the |
creature has set itself above the creator The
COUs doctrine is announced by the President and :
acted upon that the States derive their power from
the Federal Government and may be suppressed on |
sny pretence Of military necessity. The gallant lit |
tie sate of Nary auG has been utterly abolished
Missouri is engaged in heroia struggle to preserve
ser existence and throw OF the horrors OF martial
iaw Procl ,imed by su0OI dnate military conmsn- |
'er Every whore The civil has given way TO the |
itary power. the tOriresses OF the country are /
! with victims seized without warrant of law
I'd ignorant of the cause of their Imprisonment. |
ne Legislators OF States, and other public officers
seized while in the discharge Of their official |
tues taken beyond The limits OF their respective /
,tes and imprisoned in the forts Of the Federal |
,vernment A subs rvient Congress ratifies the /
-pations of the es'dent and proceeds to com |
the destruction OF the Constitution. History |
declare that the annals of legislation do not |
lain laws 30 infamous as those enacted at the