American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-05-30
Secession Feeling In Louisyilie---A E0lG
State Rights Address.

Owen, a well known citizen of Jefferson
county, who is candidate for Tailor. 1t
eiyes evidence that there is yet in Ken
lucky some devotees of Liberty, notwith
standing Lincoln has put his foot down
firmly" upon her neck. and Despotism
has tried his " Prentice hand" so success
fully within her borders. As &" little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump" we
hope that the spirit that auimates the
patrio,ic Owen may be caught by all
Keptuckians, and that she may soon be
redeemed, regenerated and Olsen
thralled."
To TIE Voters Of Louisville
and jefferson County i.
Having already announced myself rs a
candidate for the Office Of Jailor of Jeffer,
son county, deem it proper to say thar
have not been brought out by any eau
Gus. clique or party. but have only avail
ed myself Of The common privilege OF
every freeman who may desire office. |
should also say that | am a State Rights
man in the true sense Of the term. | do
not believe that the Government Of the
United States consists Of a mass Of indi-
yiduaIs consolidated together in one body.
like the monarchies of Europe, to rule by
divine right | consider this Govern
ment to be a galaxy of States, held to-
gether By the free will attraction Of a
common interest, each State revolving in
It's own orbit. and absolutely exempt from
Federal domination within such orbit
think that W henever the Federal Gov
erGment shall attempt to obtrude itself
within the sacred circle " hch belongs to
any State, north or south, east or west, it
Is the duty Of every freeman to stand up
and bid proud defiance to such attempt
cd usurpation. The man who has not
the spirit to 20 so deserves not the name
of an American freeman. II is vain to
ihink of preserving a free Government
without such a spirit in the hearts Of the
people. Whenever the people OF the
States become serviie enough TO cringe
and bow down at every wave Of the Fed
eral wand, and, shiverng with fear. &C
quiesce in every fat that proceeds from
the central power. whether it be right or
wrong. they will be fit subjects for the
tyrant's rod, and the goddess Of liberty
may take her flight forever from this de-
voted land. We shall then hear 10 more
complaint Of demagogues and party lead
ers. for we shall be made slaves together
Fellow citizens, | am a. native born
Ken;uckian, and have spent the best years
of my life laboring to build up her pros
periiy and maintain her honor. [ love
my native State. Her best interest lies
nearest my heart. | have never been
able to assume that new tangled patriot
ism which spreads itself all over the world
besides and leaves out home. believe
IN sustaining, first of all, the immediate
governmental organization under which
| live. and afterwards my remoter con-
neclions. 1t is unnatural for me % love
Massachusetts as | do Kentucky. and
will not be guilty of the lying hypocrisy
that would make such a pretension. l
despise that demagoguery Of patriotism
so fashionable Of late, which, being ram
pant for notoriety, overleaps itself while
it attempts to cover its sinister purpose
under blaze of glory.
yield TO none in love Of country. Ny
love of constitutional liberty has been a
lifelong passion. The inaIienable rights
Of freeman constitute my political gos-
pei. My beau ideal of all governments
has been our old Union, with equal social
and political rights to all; bat any new
Union without such social and political
equality. would be to me the most detes
table of all governmental formations. A
Union between conquered and conquer
ing States would not be such a Union
as our fathers made. feel no desire to
see the proud spirit. lofty aspiration for
freedom. noble. generous and warm
hearted love for constitutional liberty
which has always characterized the south
ern people. crushed out By brute force.
or to witness these brave and intelligent
freemen subdued. hopeless. crushed and
bleeding under the northern heel. FIr-
ginia is the mother of Kentucky, and no
true kentuckian can rejoice at her humil-
iation. She has been the bulwark of
American freedom ever since our govern