Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-07
Governor MaGofIin,s DIessnr nre.

Governor MagOfln's Message.
As State paper, the Message of Governor
Magofin to the Kentucky Legislature is not
of the first order; as defense, by petty
criminal before a country justice, 1t would
The constant observations of honesty, devo-
ton to the Union, &C., are, to say the least,
suspicious. Innocent men are content to let
the world judge of their acts, without en-
deavoriDg to forestall public opinion by too
decided denial Of guilt or assertion of in :
nocence.
The tone of the message is not of high
order, and was evidently written by the Gov
ernor himself. His assertions are made with
out regard to facts, and bisconclusions drawn
even without regard to his assertions. He pro-
fesses to give history of his connection with
the present troubles, and to defend the posi-
tion of his State and in the first instance he
misrepresents, and in the second shows that
he is entirely ignorant of the subject. His
declaration that Kentucky had right to
be neutral" that is a right under the Consti-
tuition, il a declaration of the sovereignty of
State, and if true, it may take up arms for
either belligerent-in word, it may secede.
The neutrality of Kentucky, as we under
stand it, and as it is assumed by the Union
men of the State is, that there are volunteers
enough to fight the battle on behalf of the
Government, and citizens of that State, like
those of every other, may remain at home il
they choose; and judging from the peculiar
situation of affairs, Kentuckians believe that
it will rebound to the benefit of the Union
if but few of their number go. But when
the volunteer system fails, no State car
throw any obstacle in the way of the General
Government, and it is the duty of the people
to respond to the Presidents call.
The Governor says:
"Recently a military force has been or
| gauzed, equipped and encamped in the cen
| trail portion of the State, the officers arr
commissioned by, and act under, the au
| thority of the President of the United States
| and the soldiers of which are sworn into tbs
Federal service. The authorities of the
State were not consulted in this movement
1t was done but a short time before the as
sembling of Legislature fresh from thu
people, and into whose hands and keeping
of the Commonwealth. Under what pro
vision of the Constitution, by what laws o
Congress or this State, the Federal Govern
ment has proceeded to raise volunteers il
Kentucky, and quarter an army in our midst
do not know"
The Governor has not read the Constitu
ton, or his intellect is decidedly obtuse. Th
first article gives Congress the power to OF
ganize and equip an army, and it is eviden
that it must be quartered somewhere, and a
nearly all of the territory east of the Mis-
sissippi is included within the limits OF som
State, it necessarily follows that they mus
be quartered in one of them. They eoul
not be kept in the District of Columbia; 9
if they were, they would be of little servic
The United States is composed Of the tel
ritory embraced in the several States; an
as the power to raise an army is conferre
upon the nation generally, the soldier
must be raised from the country at large
and as the President is not only supreme e.
ecutiye of the nation, but commander. il
chief of the army, he can move it wher'
ever he pleases. The President is not +
sponsible to the authorities of the State f
his acts; but only to his constituents, Il
whole people.
The following clauses of the message a
somewhat contradictory, or at least they
appear to an outsider: F.-
sNo man lives, or ever did live, whe mo
honestly and earnestly desired to uphold ar
perpetuate the Union by faithful execute
of the Federal Constitution.
"Since then (the commencement of the r
bellion) the people of this State have thri,
been summoned to the polls, and, accordiI
to nay Interpretation of their votes, have g
pressed themselves in favor of preserving d
neutrality and peace of the State. he
: construed these expressions as signlfylI
that the people were not yet prepared
dissolve their relation to the old Union, al
were not to be employed in any way,
rectly or indirectly, as partisans Tor
|. against either of the belligerents in the
} happy fratricidal war between the FedeI
b and Confederate States"
Mr.. Magofin here says that he has he
!. estly labored to save the Union, and ad
that he believes the Union party desire
: remain loyal, and that they 30 express
I themselves at the recent elections; yet
Governor acted against that party in eve
: instance; and if, as he says, it is loyal, it {
!, lows as Q necessary sequence, that he is d
: loyal, in favor OfSecession and the SOuth'
Confederacy. His acts plainly Contrad
J, his declarations.
Again, the Governor says
y 81 have also construed them as empha
refusaIs to be made the instruments of
!. ercing the people Of the seeded States
q force Of arms. have never been able
u constTue the votes of the people OF X
tucky as meaning that unconstitutional