The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-02-08
THE CALIFORNIAN.
Letter from Kentucky.
To tie Editor Of tie Cledon'an

ton to public opinion upon the secession ques
ton; and especially to determine the action that
Kentucky shall take in the great pending crisis.
State Conventions of the Douglas democracy and
also of the Union party. have been held. both at
Louisville. on the memorable 18th of January
As the spirit that actuatcd the members of each
body was a "kindred' one. the conventions CO.
a.eSced. and two became one. in form and action
This was good move. ard resulted in the great
est harmony. The ableSt and most distinguished
men of the State took active part in the proceed
inSs- and many speech made. that for dep,h
Of thought. searching analysis into the nature of
our government. and eloquence Of delivery. would
do credit to any Of any age Ornation. W hen
such men as Garrett Davis. Archie Dixon, Josh
ia F. Bell, Leslie Combs, &c, enter with heart
and soul into a concert of action upon subject
of such monen: the theme now before the
country, YOU may rest assured that it no
child's play, but the noble action of men, matur-
ed by many conflict in lifes great battle, and
fully sensible of the weighty responsibility devol-
we'd upon them by the exigency Of the tines
The speeches and resolutions were eminently
patriotic and high toned n.anifestng chivalrous
devotion to Kentucky interests, as we'll as an I'M
dying attachment to the Union. The former
could best be maintained under the Flag Of our
country. whether argument or arms were to be
The deinier resort employed. 1t was believed that
the North does not seek to drive off the South by
aggressive acts. but is willing to meet the slave
ate ha of adj
this expectation shall be actually realized before
the arguments Of the secessioniSts shall operate
too much upon the Southern mind, our country
NAV vet be preserved from the untold miseries of
dissolution, and its progress in wealth. honor and
greatness may be still continued on. in the same
ratio as in the years that are past.
Secondly, the working men of Mason County,
a. we'll as of other places, have had meetings.
and passed resolves to stand by the Union but
whether they would do so by putting down seces-
sion II ct arms is matter upon which they
have failed to speak out. In my intercourse with
the people of the State. l find many that are
openly in favor of employing force to preserve
the Union, while some take the opposite side of
the question. and think South Carolina has done
4 noble deed in the step she has taken, and that
it would be better for Kentucky to cut loose from
the ..cursed abolition Yankees" in accordance
with her example. These latter, | notice, are
generally men who haven't a "niggcr' at their
command personally, and consequently nothing
to lose in a pecuniary sense, in the event OF
conflict of arms, or the humiliation OF the pres
10 nv hot hpr
their motive is favorable or unfavorabie to the
institution of slavery, one thing is certain. that
the pc icy they profess. If carried out would re-
suit in the death Of the constitution III the Dor
der states. The great body of the people here
are for the Governments protecting the I. s.
property, collecting the revenue, and attending to
its own business, just as though South Carolina
< Co. had not Jumped out of the frying pan into
the fire.
buchanan, il seems. has at last been worked
up to this standpoint, by force of public opinion
and with a Cabinet purged of dlsunlonlstS. to
give him counsel he NAV do his duty hereaft er
As his oath and honor. if not his patriotism.
would dictate. He is certainly a weak and wa
vering old man, especially afraid Of the smell and
smoke of gunpowder. although he promises to
defend the Capital against all outsiders-untll
the 4th of March. From the tenor of his late
Message, he seems to intimate to the secession
lists that if they will only hold off from Washing
ton until the expiration of his term. after the 4th
day of Spring they may turn up Jack, play old
Nick. and swallow alive the whole city and con-
~,
relish so much aboitionism as his body contains
By the way. there are various rumors aioat as
10 the manner in which Lincoln is to be kept out
of office by pcaceablc means. such as the neglect
10 count the electoral vote in Congress in a Con-
sttutional manner or by the resignation OF the
Chief Justice whose duty it is to administer the
inaugural oath, and the appointment OF no sue
cessOr
Nobody believes that a raid will be made upon
Wa shington with view to prevent the inauSu-
ration or that if so foo-hardy step should be
taken the men of the North are so craven heart
cd as not to meet it with the same measure Of
violence it would invite and deserve.
Our Legislature convened on the 18th inst, but
nothing of importance has as yet been done
Vice President Breckenridge. who seems to re
gard himself a, tutor and guardian for the State
of Kentucky has Just written a letter to its Leg
stature and people. through Gov. Magoitln, II
which he shows the cloven-foot of secession, ant
urges the State to put itself in readiness to marcel
under the Palmetto or some other foreign Flag
at 1.-THE dolefu command Of Toombs Iancey
Keitt x Co. He says that all hope Of pacihcatiol
or patching up the Constitution is gone. by tn
refusal of the Republican leaders at Washington
to concede anything for the sake of uuiCn; tina
it is the policy of the incoming Administration t
maintain the Union by force. and ergo. (patrioti
conclusion y it is the duty of Kentucky to Sc
her house in order and be ready to depart hence
and land away down Souf," in "DiXies land.
or in the Cotton Swamps of South Carolina
What influence this letter may have to counterat
the Union sentiment that has been on the increas
for tae past two weeks, it is impossible to fore
ntell 1t will be likely to lead to division in on
Legislature, and also among the people OF tn
State. Brcchinridge's supporters at the late eiec
ton, and some others, will probably endorse hi
position. while his advice will be garded by tn
major part of the people as that of mailman
seeking in the frenzy of the hour, by a suicide
hand, his own and his countrys destruction.
hope and pray he may live to see and feel an
suffer and sink under the terrible mistake
which he intimatcS he may nave made and Thc
certainly he has made, in the spirit and temper
his letter.
The late papers here bring startling reports
tho stonoage. at Natchez, of down-rver boats,
ascertain the nature of their shipments; and ais
Of the seizure. at New Orleans, of large quar-
,;.r os ,,,r,ovJ.r Skinned from the East. a.