Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-04-29
N fFrom he Ohio State Journa.l
Rsv Dr. HreokiurIdse apa the Legal
North

canse IN Keatucky, has recently paid most
beautiful tribute Of resnpot tn the loval
north. He had bepn invited 70 Philadelphia
n deliver On address IN relation tn the seces-
sioD eonsptraev; and At the close Ot his letter |
"a daclinsture. DR.. Breckenridge SAVE
avon hrethran, are accustomed 70 feel that |
he sr6ent and iutrenid corporation Of loval |
men N the Slave States has been migh'y |
belp TO youin the work thus far accomplisnedi
- are van mistaken In this But on the
other hand. you must never forget, for an IN
slant that II was the heroic loyalty OF the
Free States that saved tbe nation. Kentucky
wonld this day be deso'ation but for the
100 600 Northern men who come to the aid
~ our 30 600 or 40 900 soldiers ready 10
perish before an overpowerins host Of trait.
nrs. The safety Of the nation Is weakened
nv every conception that there was any hu-
man pozsr .hut the beroism Of the North that
could hsve averted the fate prepared for II nv
a revolt such ss no nstiOn ever before sup
pressed.
faithfully. vour obliged friend and brother,
..-l R. ] BREOKtNRIOGE
We bsIIevs that the above eloquent and
Glowing compliment that the distinguished
writer therein paid to the "heroic LOYALTY ~
tbs Free States" is hut Just, and was intend
al nv the writer. not as compliment mere
" bnt AZ the grateful utteranNs nt sincere
and honest heart, such as DR.. Breckenridge is
known 10 be.
And In this connection we deem it not in
snnroDriste TO aIlude to the course that our
own State Of Ohio pursued In relation to the
sending of troops 70 Kentucky. and the al
vsntageous results that ensued both TO Ken
| tvcIrv and Ohio. and eventually tn the whole
not;onsI csuse: and which reflected so much
credit TO our State aud to the administration
of Governor DsnnisOn.
It is known that the Governors policy
was, from the opening Of the war TO
strengthen the Union sentiment OF Kentucky
as much as possible that he regarded that
ss almost the pivotal State in the Hual
settlement of the qus atiou as TO the union OF
ali The slaveho'ding States in the rebellion,
and believed. that unless Kentucky could no
ksDt ont Of the hands Of the traitors, there
l vas danger of the theatre of the war being
transferred from the cotton and Mississippi
States "a the Ohio Valley. The consequent
c.s Of suoh q change IN the location OF sc'uai
bostilities are apparent. cincinnau would
have been the great point 70 which the rebel
batteries would have been directed, and the
border Of our State would have been expos
al n constant raids from Kentucky and
Western Virginia. That such was part OF
the rebel programme was even then an-
pounesd bv themselves, aud subsequent cir
cumstanees have fully confirmed their SINGER
itv IN this particular. And Il may not he
too much to say, that in the helpless condi
tion of Ohio for some time after the com
il meucemeut of the war, from the want OF
arms. which no effort could procure from the
Government or by purchase, the enemy 10
toree. provisioned by Kentucky, eonld have
seriously threatened, If not have actually IN
vsded the poil Of Ohio.
This the Governar provided against, as 1t
regarded Western Virginia, 6y early and
earnestly urging upon Cen Mcclellan 70
march our whole army into that region, ana
irving battle to the enemy at as distant a
point as possible from the0hio River. 1t is
true the Ohio troops were not sent there as
soon as the Governor wished; but by hisdis-
tribution of the State regiments along the
border. be had them ready to Cross the river
into Western Virginia as soon as Gen. NC
Olellau would give the order for their march
The SEQUEL Is known. Upon the approach
Of the rebel forces to Grafton, the Ohio regi-
ments were ordered TO cross the river to
meet them. This they did in the most gal
Isut manner; took possession of the railroads
leading to Grafton, and, aided by Virginia
and Indiana troo0s attacked and defeated
the enemy st PhiIlipi-the beginning Of oui
victories in Western Virginia.
Different results might have favored the
lioinipV of Kentucky to the Rebel COnfeder
acv. Her immense resources for enlisune
an army. and the great length of her oordel
! uuJue UhIo EIveri egTsFII99E 1t9ls - -,
rebels, would have made her formidable
enemy to the peace and security of Ohio.
All this the Governor fully comprehended
and hence his policy which be exhibited II
refusing to prohibit commercial intercourse
between Cincinnati snd Southern Kentucky
when urged to do SO by large numbers OF cit
isens Of Cincinnati, and denounced by them
for time, for his refusal. as well as in hi
proposition to Gov. Msgofin to unite will
him to prevent border raids between the cit
iEens of the two States; the effect OF Whici
] measure was to deprive the Governor o
> Kentucky and his secession friends of pre-
: text to charge the North with the purpose o
warring on Kentucky, and greatly strength
ened the Union cause in that State.
2 Still the professedly neutral policy OF th'
. authorities Of Kentucky prevented the UnioE
forces from going there TO protect the Unior
: people. But about the time of the conven
ing of the Kentucky Legis ature in Septem
3 Der, strong suspicious were entertained o
. 1 Governor Magofin having reasonable de
signs, and of his intending to transfer th'
State 10 the rebel Confederacy. 1t wa
thought be might possibly display such pur
pose in his message to the Legislature upon
its assembling.
That body wss to meet en- Monday; on thC
previous Saturday night at q late hour, {
prominent and accredited loyal citizen o
Kentucky came to Columbus, and sought al
interview with the Governor. BE represent
ed to the Governor the imminent danger o.
lhe Union cause in Kentucky-the appre
tensions that Governor Nagofin would
betrsy the Uniozists in his fOrthcom
Ii ing message-that they we're without
arms or military discipline; were
wholly unprepared to meet an outbreak o.
the seoessionists;-slso, that their relianc'
] for protection was upon the UoltiHteeTS o
Ohio Indiana, and Illinois. The Governor
instantly replied, that the protection should
be promptly given, 50 far as Ohio could
D contribute, and that he might return Il
r Frankfort and say to the Union members
Of the Legislature, that 10000 Ohio troop
would be sent to Kentucky, if needed, with
in q very days. The gentleman expressed
astonishment at the magnitude Of the force
promised BY the Governor, and assured
, him that such message from Ohio WoulC
strengthen the hands Of every Union maj
In Kentucky, cOnhrm the members Of th'
Legislature in their purpose Of depriVinl
Gov. Msgof8n Of the control Of the military
! II that State, an / greatly contribute to tht
speedy crushing out Of secession in tina
noble old Commonwealth,
The gentleman left for his home by tn
ia n