Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-15
Ercn ihe Lonisxille conr.iler
A POWERFUL DOCUMENT |!
Address of Hon. j. G. Breckin-
ridge TO the People of Ken
tucky.


BY your representatives in the last Legis-
latnre you 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 a majority of
the people of Kentucky still cherished the
hope of peaceful reunion. Soon after
wards, when the Government at Washington
commenced that series of usurpations which
has now left nothing of the Federal Consti-
tuition, and resolved on war of subjuga-
ton against the Withdrawing States to Sc
cure union and brotherhood you determined
to take no part in the war, but to protect
your liberties by position of armed neu-
trality This decision was expressed by a
large majority of the people at the election
in May. IA
- I had opposed this policy before the cleo
ton, but afterwards, in common with the
great mass of those with whom / had acted,
1 acquieseed in your expressed viii and
have maintained it as the fixed attitude of
Kentucky. In obedience as suppose to
your wishes, 1 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; de-
handing in addition for Kentucky the right
to refuse not men only but money also to the
war, for I would have blushed to meet you
with the confession that had purchased for
you exemption from the perifs of the battle
field, and the shame of waging war against
your Southern brethren by hiring others to
do the work You, shrank from performing.
During that memorable session, a very small
body of Senators and representatives, even
beneath the shadow of a military despotism,
resisted the usurpations of the Executive
and with what degree of dignity and firm
ness they will willingly submit to the judg-
ment of the world.
Their efforts were unavailing-yet they
may prove valuable hereafter as another ad-
ded to former examples of manly protest
against the progress of tyranny.
On my return to Kentucky at the close of
the late special session of Congress, it was
my purpose Immediately to resign the Office
of Senator. The verbal and written remon-
strances of many friends in different parts
of the State induced me to postpone the ex
ecution of my purpose, but the time has ar
rived to carry it into effect, accordingly
now and hereby return the trust into your
hands.
And in this connection, since the Govern
ment at Washington has thrown drag-net
over the whole surface of society to collect
proof against individuals of connection with
the Government of the Confederate 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 politi
cal crimes, 1 deem it due to you and to my
self to declare that have not done said
anything inconsistent with the relations !
have borne to the State, and to the Federal
Government, or which could reflect stain
upon the commission which I now surren-
der.
do not resign because 1 think I have
misrepresented you. On the contrary, !
believe that my votes and speeches in the
Senate have expressed your deliberate viii
as attested through the ballot-box. Iresign
because there is no place left where South
ern Senator may sit in council with the Sen
ators of the North. In truth there is no
longer Senate of the United 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 a hope the rupture might be
healed, it might be assumed that the Union
was not yet dissolved, and such was the po-
sition of Kentucky, in declaring her neu-
trality and offering her mediation between
the eontending parties. But time has now
elapsed, and mighty events have occurred
which Danish from the minds of reasonable
men all expectation of restoring the Union.
Coercion has been tried and has failed. The
South has mustered in the field nearly as
many eombatants as the North, and has
been far more victorious. The fields of Ma
nassas and Bethel, of Springfield md Lex
ington have worked with a terrible and SAN
culinary line the division between the old
order of things and the new
1t is the right of Kentucky and her pecu-
liar duty to recognize these great facts and
to act on them. The constitutional compact
which created and upheld the old Union is
at an end. A large number of the original
and additional parties have withdrawn from
it. SO large number that its stipulations
can no longer be executed, and under such
no court has ever decided a
contract to be binding between the remain
ing parties, or attempted to enforce its exc
cution. The Constitution requires positively
that each State shall have at least one rep
resentative in Congress, but now twelve
States have none; that each State shall have
two Senators but now twelve States have
none; that all duties, imposts and excuses
shall be uniform throughout the United
States, but now in mose than one-third of
them none are or can be collected. Com
meree cannot be regulated between the re-
spective States, Uniform rules of naturali-
cation and bankruptcy cannot be adopted.
Post-ofices and post-roads, in nearly half
the States have been given up, and pref
erence is given to the ports of one State
over those of another. Even the election of
a President has become impossible. The
Constitution is mandatory on all the States
to appoint electors, and requires majority
of the latter to elect; but more than one
third of the States refuse to appoint and
hence no election can be made by the people.
If the election goes to the House of Repre-
sentstives the Constitution requires that at
least two-thirds of the States shall be repre-
sented in that body. The Constitution can