Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-10-24
Secretary Of the T :, :

Respectfully F'"Clbe
Your obedlent servart
Z. e. MEM,r,c..
secretary ct the .Ireasp,,
Letter from Hon John c. BIZ cIIi7,,,, "3
The first copy of the Louisville Courier MI:
Bowling Green, Kentucky, contains lppoifpr
letter from the Hon. John G. BreckiDr,ayyo "Du abb
reviewing The action of the Kentucky Iapis3n, Ata
giving geaorai glance at the despotic MOT dl
the Lincoln Cover ment, from its inception IN
ent time, he concludes as follows: "e Pres
| would speak of these things with the simoIo
nifty which their magnitude demands vet il no Sen
to restrain the expression of Just ndionat;""U lt
we smart uuder such enormtles Mr.. Tiro,, vale
thousands of soldiers soil, nearly an f Bag
North and most of them foreigners whom NJ VA ta
as his instruments to do these things Bnt S1'eH
tuckans have enlisted under his standard far wv, Aeo
yet accustomed to his peculiar form OF liberty "Sl2
l will not pursue the disgraceul subject. H., ,
lucky passed cut of the control OF her own pfo AG
hirelngs of the pen, recently imported from fro N'a4
sitting in grand security at the Capitol forco riy1
opinion to approve these usurpations, and -; fUVH
victims Shall Mr.. Lincoln, through his GO0
mercenaries, imprson exile the Children Of H., 'IN
who laid the foundations of the Commopvealh I2
compel oar noble people to exhaust themselves T. a@
nishing the money to destroy their own freedom T
or, while Kentucky remains the Kentucky Of oi NS"
tr while thousands of her gallant have the will
the rerve to make the State sing to the music &
rifles The Constitution of the United State, n I$1
these invaders unconstitutiOnay swear every c;-
whom they uDconstitutonally seize, &c supper,
wholly abolished. 1t is ss much forgotten a. + %1-
away back 10 the twilight of history. The facts IIr
enumerated show that the very rights most carefnT,
served by it to Statss and to individuals bava
most consplcuousy violated. And this destrDct.l -
been accompl shed not by the President alone hrL
the Congress also, and with the approval Of the No
cru States aud people. They have deliberately m,5
the contest constitutional struggle between 50 NAV,
millions on one side and so many on the oher-os":
ty fighting for subjugation the other in seGdee9ogsl
or indeper dence.
f Whatever may be the future relations of tbo r.,
Confederacles, the idea of restora ion Of the rr.
snder the old Constitution is wholly visionary and dl
sive. If the North should conquer the South, lpEj
it will perceive to be impossible after few h9r3r5
millions more shall be expended and few hunlre5tm
sand lives lOst) the character of the Government wink
be radically changed, 1t would probably not tkaa,
iOrm even of mixed Government, but would so7p3
ia military despotism. 1t mast soon become aD9rg
TO all thoughtful men that the last hope Of c0psGa
liberty lies in the early recognition of these great ,
in an honorable peace and friendly intercourse
You declared your purpose not TO engage ia the We,
to subdue the South, aud that you would be neutr
aud mediate in the interests of peace when an opp7
nifty should offer. This is the recorded will of the State
as expressed by the people But those who assume
represent you have violated that will. They have at
tempted to burden you with enormous taxs to prose
cute q war you aOhOr, and to sustain Government
which has tramped under foot every safeguard Of Coz
stitutOu which the only bond OF ycar political con.
nectOn with it. while they have allowed tia, Govern.
ment to cut you off from the only aveDu trade which
would enable you to pay these taxes. They have uyj.
ed military force OF that Government to take poses
sion OF the State, and practically supercede The STATE
Government, and they have seen with cOmpacency hG
foreign soldiers seize, imprisoD aud pursue hQ1dr5
of your w-ctizans-fugltves, without Z crime
over tie plains and mountains of Kentucky
La a word they have attempted, without consulting
you, and against your recorded wishes, to place you
active hostility to your Southern brethren, and tx
your political destiny with the \ ortiz.
For those who, denied by the Legislature the pr0 Q.
ton due to the humbest citizen, have been delivered
over to the tender mercies Of foreign mclceaaries a
hunted ike partridges on the mountains, what remains
but imprisonment exile or resistance? As OueoI bn
| in lend to resist. | will avoid conflict with Ka0uk
ans, except il necessary self-deence; but vii uu2
with my feiOwcitizers to resist the invaders who hw
driven Us from our homes To this course we are NJ
PEELED by the highest sense of duty and the irresistible
instincts of manhood. TC defend your birhrigt sd
mine which is more precious than domestic ease Or
property, Or life exchange with satisfaction lc,nG
six years in the Senate of the United States i)r@
musket OF a soldier.
This letter is written at the first moment STAGE OF
expulsion from home that could place my feet upooE
soil OF Kentucky. | have not been able to see Of con-
municate with my friend and colleague. Gov. Po51
nor do know what conrse be will think il proPG@
take. But this you and know-that bis conduct VIII
be controlled by pure motives. Your fellow ct22
JOHN C. BRECKINRID5S
B"1C!i"g Green, KY, Oct. 8, 1861.
In this address, Mr.. BreckenrId-e returns to tbepF
pie of Kentucky the commission OF Senator in tie Ion
gress OF the United States, with which they &C tC
ored bin. He does not censure the Kentucky LegSf
ure as the OF any of the evils to The State RIl
have arisen indirectly through the medium Of that ooJ!
They are not, he says, free,
Important from the PotOmae-The Payynec su"h
The War Department has received 10 dispatch
whatever with reference to the late reported affair IL W
neighbourhood Of Harpers Ferry, where Cooael Asl.
bys cavalry are stated to have engaged detachnoI
the enemy. No advices OF the engagement nave O''
received at the department beyond personal accou9
These represent the enemy to have been about 4'2'
strong our force not being larger than sou NJ ~
meat Of the enemys loss at about sixty killed ana u',
prisoners taken, with the loss of only one man Oh g
side, as mentioned by US in Saturdays paper, IS pOt
bly, an exaggeraton OF the results oil skImSn' inoo'
az we can under stand, fought hand to hand ,,,.
The battery at Evansport is reported 10 DaTs w.,
nor
working as yet but few of its guns large Sc4Jo ~
was dsmasted by its fire few days ago. aod i4 cog
ade of the river is now said to be completely WHILE
troll at this point. ,,,okoaad
The fleet of sail vessels off Acqua Greek 0G c1n or
by our battery, is reported to number sonS
seventy sail. Lower down are four or five va! will nro
1t is thought that the Government transPo tba snp
coed to Annapolis, where they may unload anu Ia3
plies be forwarded to Washington by the TayaIb v d.
The Pawnee, the vessel thought to be G %a battery
servations through good glasses that passed o i
at Evansport is positively reported to have De-
according to information brought here to the 5o
partment by officer. We gave her about lIr a y have
on passing the battery six of which are n
taken effect. On rounding the point, she vas lD''~
to shallow water, where she sunk. ..,.r b9g.
Only small number of the guns of the oS'.elJ Two
been worked in the exercise of the past few d5 ID
eight-inch rifled columbiads, of English al
derstood TO have run the blockade in the Beru ro n
Savannah will be mounted at once to increase -
cheney of the battery. -f;,f,,maior
1t is stated in high military quarters OF lnI paloma
~ In lott f.lii,r If oDr Inca Lut wv