Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-12


fathtrl execution of tie Feteral Constitution. Ia
the canvass which led to election OF Chief ExecC
tive Magistrate OF he Sac coItended ios the pnnci
pe 10 which lad ever been faithful that the people OF
State, OF distinct aggregate sovereignty, had the
rghlu authority regulate their Internal policy, and
70 d. le their external relations, according 10 their
pleasure. nee then the people OF hi. State have thre
been summoned to the polls, and according to NY n
teipfraiou OF their yOIes have expressed themselves
iu ayor Of preserving the neutrality andspesce Oi the
State have construed tles' expressions signiyipg
that The people not yet prepared 10 dissolve lteiT
relation the Old Union, and were not 10 be employed
in auy wy directly Or ni!rec'ly as parsaEs TOR or
agas eithr of the begcrCuts Ia the unhappy irsntl.
c:al war between the Federal aud Confederate StaF.
have also construed them emphatic reGslls TO ne
made the instruments Of coercing the people OF The
ceded States by force Of arms have never bsen able
to consue the of the people OF Kentucky mesr-
ing that unconstitutional LggEessiols could be saBched
by any display Of numerical or military power. TIE
Constitution would be c snare, fraud, mocaery, If
the rights which il undertakes to project may be vol-
ted by any majority, however large.
J, When "a s,eif0Hne party was snthroned ln porei,
pledged rot IL r6t 10 cease the dangerous agtation,
but TO continue regardless OF the Constitution Had The
iuliciary-whon the sec iona party had through lis
sentative Cical leaders, ounced is purpose 20
wage an i?tCprcsshls conflict I'LL all the States sIorld he
free slave States, meaning thereby iha all should be
ree-even then the Statesmen Ct k-uiucky, earnestly
Grxcus TO preserve aud perpeu'e the Union and he
HOEefuNCnt eatFunsnll gF our lilN#Is, PIS-tutSu
olive branch 20 their Northern brcbren IN the form OF
promo cd amenGmcns to the Constitution. These amend
fneniI presented Oy dsiGgGi7hed Senator from h"!-
tncky proposed sgsressions upon ay Northern rights
They asked new rights for the South. They simply
reunrcd fresh guarantees for e1lsti rights; and they
damgn6ed LEES tor the South baa u. Suprtme Court
bal sclemuy decijed tine South TO be constuo Gully Gu
tied 10 enjoy. These amendments Eccep'ed by the
NORTH would have beea satisfactory 10 the South. TIE
nov Pr sdeut and toe late Secretary OF S,a;e OF the
Confederate States then Senators Of the United Saies,
ayowad their willingness accep, the CrLeld amend
mspts As satisfactory 10 The South Their acceptance by
the dominant party in Congress would have diminished
earthly right enjoyment ol the North nor added ore
earthly right to the Soath except pledge OF iutuie
tranquility io the enjoyment o! existing constitutional
rights The olive branch thus rendered, ruiey
PEELED by the North. All other proposals Of compromise,
adjustment and peace were arrogany rejected and toe
nsoleit menace OF coercion insuitngiy held in ter
rOrGB over free people
Now / have glanced a. these iicts a. pertinent to
correct Interpretation Of tho vii OF the people OF Ken
Iucky signf.d by their late votes. Undoubtedly the
people OF KCntucky artenty attached to the Ulon
established by their fathers. aud operated according to
tie Tuls of the Constitution. Undoubtedly they have
meant that all civil remedies shall be exhausted before
they will relr uish the Oud hope of its restoration and
perpetutor Undoubtedly they have meant to wait the
eHhaus ion OF all civil remedies before they VIII even
CONSIDER he question Of inning new external relations
All Ibis perfectly understand the ofthe people,
aud | have cordially respected tteir meaning But l
hsye never understood the proud AID hfav; and Just.
minded fIeemen Of Kentucky 10 mean that they will
ame, submit 10 ut Unconstitutional sggTessors upon their
slcred rights lave understood them 10 renonnce
the sentiment and feeling OF sympathy with the people
OF eggrieved sister States Nor can interpret any OF
their presons 10 approval OF the war 70 sub
ugac the South Sti! less can coDstTuc any OF theif
yUtes as meaning that they viii submit themselves ss
int csTumeG,s IN prosecuting co,ciTe wsr agsinst
their Southern bIelen. They have oniy heEatto Gay
that they still have some hope Of toe ies.DrHton and
pc Pc Of the Uuon aad gC. TIA. nope is utterly
blasted they will a!.e. tEc!r existing relations Ii
was ia this yeY that they have struggled TO preserve the
neutrality al peace Of the State aud bold her In posi-
tiun to exercise mediAoral cce between the heger-
ents. Should all such hopes and Offices Tail, they will
then a3sume such attitude their own Judgment may
sanction, aud they will maintain !: With the yalor and
fcrtiluie chsricc'istiq u kentucsians
Toeir laSl zion viii be lAw ioin'. Every corsii-
,uonCl gct OF their lawful representatives vii! be exs-
cr.ed by with as much vigilance and fidelity as u
originated in my own braih. No true State-rishs man
can ever set hims in Acous opposition 10 tue will oi
the people OF bis State, however honestly he may be op-
possd 10 her policy. | have no consciousness ;nat in
any ihough word, act Of mine, hs.e tswarted the
lawful purposes Of The people OF entucky Oa The con-
trary have used ursaasipg vigilance and Efforts To
preserve the neutrality andpCacc c the State lu proc c
This ssier to every ac. Of mine public ptyae since
tic day Of my iaauguraIion. Some Of the sc.a
ported to the former sessions Of tho Legislature. ofers
have gone to The rg5lio IA okher ,ogras and Others
still are herewith reported. And no Uord or aci oil
mir. can be cite inconsistent with thase and tere-
toiore reported Whatever the Tauoo. OF ds;empeTed
pariisaus my suggeat. the Judgment OF my unimpas
stoned lsN0g cisn and impartial history will render
me ,ls;ise aud yndiclte my moti9es, acts and good
name sganst all unfsvcrable criticism
f. Is scarcely necessary but brief reference vii e.
tsbl sh the ayerments above made. cite the dc ra
tons Of my inaugural the reports s.- eIaaits Of all
my messages; my correspc 4a..se ~ih Commissioners
TO Kentucky from Scgsh.rn States my fJFts TO pro-
cure Nat opal Convention then to procure Conven-
ton Of the slave States then ot the border slave Stae
then my correspondence With The Governors oi ollo ahe
Indiana 10 keep peace our bordeIs; then W eodea
vor assoc a,ed with Gen. Thos = cIt,snden, to inter
pose the meditor al cgeg CT eutuckY bctweea The bel
lgcreps the issiong Of General Buekner ana Senator
IohDson to Cairo, Columbus. and Tennessee; the ar
rAnrement Between Gen. Buckner and Ger. Mcclellan
the essurances have received, and whva have never
bfen violated frcn the Goyegnot OF Tennessee OF his
nnr,ose not 10 yiul.e the neutrality OF kentucky; the
conf.rero. between Gen BucAnfr and the President Of
the Uuitel States aud, lastly, though might o:te Hsny
o,het acts G Inspired by the same parpaye oil prese'
veg ous n,uia epd peace, tae ms ions herewith re-
ported to the Fsdty aud Ooae erate States The hon
ss. peope OF henacky will correctly interpret the spirit
and purpose Cf all these acts nor can caumny deny
nor N, lice sros s,dly distCrt them Neither can any
act public or pirate inconsistent with the spirit and
purp1a Of hCs ,Jrts 10 preserve the peace and reu-
raiy OF tie Stte, ever be brought home 10 my Go.r
Ru, NV earnest cndeayors to the Siats from The
bo,rors of cv war are established by evidences shc!
viii remain perfect historic record AID which owe
4 4, 10 NV osn good name, TO my loSeitzens OF Ken.
ucLv and TO my children, to leave among the archives
Of the State.
The Presidents war proclamation, Of April IL. in
xbcb no CALI a for - 600 gil,s was IN my opipios,
illegal even in vieg 4 hs protested objects Of the call
and dt not then doub. the real object OF il was tho
nro.dcn.,oo OF 10 unconstitutional war Of coercion
sssinst the South did not and eerii 40, hesitate
t6erelre in retuiiug perempioy res to the demand
pnon me fer Kentucky troops The Constitution Of the
T;,aJ States ~ st he construed nationally. The powers
e,ep 70 Congress we're not Intended 10 be extres:d by
e prsdsnt sithout the Intervention Of Congress For
iosiapcs the power declare war is given TO Concrefa
This inpl tbs, the President consatuuop-i sannot
5lsTe war without the consent Ct .ougrtss. Tie act
NJ Jru, was ma sed by CeD.oss 10 provide !or calling