The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-07-31
A WORD TO sEoEssIONIsTs.


A WORD TO sECESsIONIsTs.
The secessionists, or, as they please to
term themselves, the States Rights men of
Kentucky, have always had it within their
power to prevent the struggle in that State
from degenerating into a guerrilla warfare,
which could only result in arraying neigh
Dor against ueighbor, totally destroying all
property rights, aud renew the scenes of her
early history, which baptized Kentucky as
the "dark and bloody ground" Neither
Morgan, Stearns, Forrest or johnson would
have dared to set foot within the borders of
the State, had they not been assured that
they would be welcomed feasted and feted,
and strengthened by money, horses, and
men.
The men who have encouraged these ma
rauding expeditions are wealthy, and many
of them men of intelligence. They must
know-tbey do know-that the independ-
ence of the Southern Confederacy, if
achieved at all, must be by the success of
her regularly organized armies in the field.
The liberties of no people were ever won or
perpetuated by wandering bands of guer-
rilIas, who, sneaking through the by-ways
of the country, would suddenly pounce
upon an inferior force of their adversaries
and put them to the sword, or in turn, be
surrounded and cut to pieces by soldiers in
furiated by their murderous style of war
fare. f. Fl
The madness of the wealthy Kentuck-
ians, who have countenanced the guerrilla
bands in that State, is uuaccountable upon
any other assumption than that they be-
lieved the forbearance of the Government
would be eternal and it would never pun
ish them so long as they did not openly
take up arms themselves If such have
-. lNoir calculations, they are doomed to
"A most terrible DISAPPOINTMENT Kiaduose
has been the rule of the Government. haze
tofore, in its dealings with Kentucky rebels,
forbearance ceasessto be avlrtue, and even
handed justice will be melted out to them
without fear or favor.
The secessionists of the counties just
across the river are beginning, we think, to
realize this truth. Heretofore, the most
scrupulous regard for all the rights of prop
erty-as well of secessionists as Union men
has been enforced upon the soldiers who
have at various times been there located
Npt thing was touched or appropriated by
, n any Of the commanders of the post at Hen
dersou without prompt payment being ten
dered. This, too, in the fact of the most
violent abuse of the Government on the
part of those whose in terests it was pre-
tecting. 3 4qrfu2 e
v0is Finally, every organized body of rebel
troops were driven out of the State, pur-
sued by our victorious columns. Having
rid the State of rebel soldiers, the govern
ment had right to expect that its proper
ty would be safe among the people whose
individual and property rights it had most
scrupulously respected, when its armies
were encamped in their midst. Had the
secessionists of Henderson county been
wise, that property would have remained
uudisturbed to this day. Blinded, however,
by the madness which seems to destroy
not only the moral faculties of those infect
ed, but even their judgments these men en-
couraged johnson 10 the formation Of his
band, gave him daily information to guide
his movements and assisted him n intimi-
dating the U MON citizens, and driving them
s from the county. Did they suppose that
this insult would be quietly and tamely
submitted to If 80, they are DOW realizing
their great mistake. Henceforward it is
understood that those who encourage these
troops employed to put them down. Guer-
riIa warfare is disgraceful to the 10th CEN
tury, bu. if that is to be the programme of
JEFF Davis & Co., our people will have to ac-
commodate themselves to his style of 6ght-
eing and wage the war accordingly.
We respectfully suggest to the secession
lists on the border, will it not be more in
accordance with sound wisdom to aid in
suppressing guerrilla parties of every des-
cripsion, and let the controversy between
the two sections be settled by the troops in
field To say nothing of patriotism, does
not common sense dictate the frowning
down of bands of robbers of every descrip-
ton? If the sympathsers with the rebel
igovernment do not join with the Union
men in suppressing these lawless bands oil
men, Kentucky will be made bowling
wilderness. Dssolation will reign through.
out her borders. iiaa -
REuesED-The following officers Of In