Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-09-20

committed by the Crnfsdcratrs, and especially
:ha, they should have bccn the first to do SO
with oil equipped md regularly organized
army.
The people Of Kentucky, having with great
unanimity determined upon position oil neu-
ualily, in the unhappy war now being waged,
and which they had tried in vain to prevent,
had hoped that one place at least in this great
nation might remain uninvadcd by passion, and
through whose good office something might be
done to end the war, OF at least mitigate its
horrors, OF, if this were not possible, tha: she
might bc LETT 10 choose hcr destiny without
disturbance rom any quartcr
In obedience 10 the thrice repeated will OF the
people, as expressed 1T the polls, and in their
maine. ask you to withdraw your ;Grces from
the soil of Kentucky.
will say, in conclusion, that all the people
Of the State await in deep suspense your nc.
tion in the prelniseS
have the honor to be,
Your obd't servant, &c,
iSiepedJ JouS NJ. JOHNSON,
Chairman Of Committee
LITER ykGl CTS. Polk ~ ruE KENTUCKY CoI-
MISSIoHEks.
CULrABrs, Ky, Sept 9, 1861.
t. j. N. Johnscn, Chairman Of Com. Senate
ol Kentucky:
Sir-l have the honor 10 acknowledge the
receipt Of your letter Of this date, conveying
TO mt copy Of resolution Of the Senate OF
kentucky, under winch i committee (of which
you are chairInan) was raised, ''for the pur-
pose Of considering the reported occupation
OF Hickman and other points in Kentucky by
the Confederate troops, and that they take
into consideration the reported occupation of
Paducah and ether points in Kentucky by the
FcGcral authorities, and report thereon; also,
that they be directed TO obtain all the facts
they can in reference to the recent occupation
Of Kentucky sull by the Confederate and Fed
crai lorces, and report, III writing, at as carly
day rs practicable
From the terms Of the resolution it appears
your office as committee Hen, was restricted
merely to collecting the facts in reference to
the recent occupation Of Kentucky soil by the
Confederate and Federal iorces, and to report
thereon in writing at as early day Us pos
sioic I;I answer 10 these resolutions, | have
respectfully to say that 50 far as the C0nled.
crate forces are concerned, the facts are plain
and shortly stated The government which
they represent recognizing us fundamental
principle the right Of sovereign States to take
such posilian as they choose in regard to their
relations with other States, was compelled
by that principle 10 concede to Kentucky the
right 10 aSsumc the position OF neutrality,
which she has chosen Ia the passing struggle.
This it has done on all occasions ahd without
an exception Tine cases alluded to by His
Excclency, Gov. Magpilin, in his recent mes.
SAGE, as ''ra;ds," presume, are tho cases oi
the sir:,tnrrs Cheney and Orr. The former
was the unauthorized and unrecognizcd act ol
certain citizens Of Alabama, and the latter
;he act Of ctizenS nr TENNESSEE and others,
and was I'LL act Of reprsal. They cannot,
therefore, be charged in any sense as acts CT
the Confederate government
The first and only instance in which the
neutrality Of Kentucky has been disregarded,
j.; that in which the troops under my command,
and by my direction, took possession OF the
pacc now hold, and 50 much Of the territory
between it and the Tennessee line as was ncces-
sary for me 10 pass o. er in order 10 reach it
This act finds abundant justification 10 the his
tory of the concessions granted 10 the Federa!
Government, by kentucky ever since the war
began, notwithstanding the position oil neu-
trally which SHE had assumed, and the firm.
ness with which she proclaimed her intention
TO maintain it. That history shows the follow
inc among other facts: In January the House
Of Representatives. Of Kentucky passed anti
corrsiou resolutions only four disSentng.-
The Governor III May issued his neutrality pro.
clamatiun. The address ui the Union Central
Cou,mtler, including Mr. James Speed, Mr..
Prentice and other prominent Union men, IN
April proclaimed neutrality as the policy OF
Kentucky, and claimed that Oil attempt to
cocrce the South should induce Kentucky to
make common cause with her, and take part
in the contest OF her side, "Without counting
the cost" The Union speakers and papers,
with few exceptions, claimed mp 10 the last cleo
lion that the Unon vote was strict neutrality
and pracc. These acts atId events gave as
Surance Of tl,e integrity Of the ayowcd purpose
OF your State, and wc were Content with the
position she assumed
Since the election, however, she has allowed
the seizure in her ports lPaducah) of property
of citizens of the Confederate States; she has,
by her members in the Congress of the United
States, voted supplies OF lien and money 10
carry on the war against the Confederate
States she has allowed the Federal doVern-
ment to cut timber from her forests for the
purpose of building armed boats for the in
vason of the Southern States; she is permit
ting to be enlisted 10 her territory troops, not
only for her own citizens, but ol the citizens OF
other States, for tile purpose Ct being armed
and used in offensive warfare against the Con.
federate States. 4: Camp Robinson, in the
county OF GarrarI, there are how ten thousand
troops, if the newspapers can be relied upon,
in which men from Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois are mustered with kentucslans IN
to the service Of the United States, and armed
BY the government for the ayowed purpose OF
giving aid to the isaiitcted in one Of the Con
iedcrate States, and of carrying out the
designs of that government for their SUB:
iucatIon. Notwithstanding all these, and
| otner acts Of similar character, the Con-
:ederae States have continued to respect tue
attitude which Kentucky has assumed as a
neutral, and forborne from reprlsals IN the
hope that Kentucky would yet enforce respect
for her position on the part Of the government
Of the United States Our patient expectation
has been disappointed, and it was only "her
we perceived that this continued Indifference
o our rights and our safety was about to cul
inmate in the seizure Of an important part o
her territory by the United States forces fol
offensive operations against the Confederate
States, that regard for self-preservation de