New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-12
TEE pRGsrDENT,s PROCLAMATION
IN KENTUCKY.
nTessnge of Gov. Robinson "A Precious
spccinicn % Border .Stu:e Unionisin.

she has rendered 10 ito National Government AS
approves Of the grant made by Congress 'o' 'Ne e.
tablishment Of agricultural colleges, and ieeoiu eHuS
the Legislature TO take steps to comply VIII 'ne
conditions Of the grant. The second part OF the mes
sage is devoted 10 the Slavery question: III ro'eton
10 the Presidents Proclamation OF Emancipation
The portion we give IN fun;
After tli. cursory view OF the c0nolsscu OF Tue
State as an indeI euaent member Oh the hepuOilc,
and IN the conduct OF whose affairs you, as Tie Leg
,slative Depaisient, take tie lnltLory III what ID
,,rectoly In tie management OF them, proceed now
~ The cor idesaion OF the attitude which Kentucky
ss oecupied in rhe Inauguration aud prosecution OF
The unhappy civil WAR that eonvnlses the nation, and
Ia its consequences affects the civilized world.
And here let me premise that Kentucky staIcs
onilIless of all the blood that has been shed In tins
Soploruble controversy From the Countless battle
fids covered with the boaes of the slain none can
arise TO arraim Der as tie cause of the slaughter
From the beginning her voice has been Tor peace |,
j. every conceivable mode IN which that voice could
tnd utlerance ahs was heard begging and mp!oflng
for peace. She spoke 10 the nation through her
Legislature--tbroueh her representatives in Con-
Qress-through special delegation sent 10 the Peace
Convention at Washingtoni and, sui more recently
and empha,cay, in the Border-sIate CONVENTION |
hid IN this city, And TO her, too belongs the high
honor Of propong 10 the Congress, throush our dis
tneuished and venerable statesman ana palrlot, u
compromise, known ss the "Crttenden Kesoin-
tons which, if adopted, would hove settled The
all and which mus, IN the cad be the basis OF any
satisfactory adjustment consistent with the present
Constitution. Every sensible consideration, Affect
ing either naiioaal, state, or indiyiduai Welfare
prompted her 50 to act. She regarded the integrity
OF the nation as her buckler against foreign
interference, and her slueld against luternai
disturbance. She regarded the state as SOW
ereign within her chartered limits for al pur'
uoses not speoaIly committed to a national Con-
kitutonal Government. And locking beyond mere
Governmental regulations she considered carefully the
happiness of The individual SlINen' ana properly
concluded thst il could only be secured by stfict
adherence TO the Constitution OF the United States
anu maintenance Of the undelegated 20 Ners them
selves La this latter view she had, al very early
period OF our national history, eminently distln-
guished herself and shown how sensitive she was
yp0n even tie appearance OF any eDcloschment
upon the rights OF the States H. IN per zeal IN de-
Tense OF those rights, ste over-steped tne hmils oi
State mower something must he pardOned TO the eA
cite1nept OF l7gS which in resisting encioachment
fell into IN by construetlyey asserting for the
States On snsgonistc 10 national usurpatlon pow
ers equally inconsistent with the existence OF the
stability vi the Republic AT least such has been the
srgur eut upon the Virginia and kentacky resou.
ti0ns OF that period. But even then 1t was never
contended that redress was to be sought Tor Out
OF tue Union and moi IN 1t. Nhlls hIunnca-
ton was declared TO be the rghtfal remedy, ii was,
ss explained by Mr.. Madison, only 10 hoo III abey-
snoc the exercise Of power untIl the question 81
jurisdiction could be settled by the ar0iter pio
vided for in the National Constitution Her wlo,e
history is that of Union-loyng, loyal people. She
has stOwn this III peace and In war; The war OF
1872 ana the war With Mexico were signalized by |
kentucky vaor, ana the cones Of ner We're leie
upon every battlefield. And when, too, the fret
germ OF this Rebellion opened IN South Carolina,
upon the pretext OF an oppressive tariff, 10 State
was more severe in its denunciati0n and none more
efficient to suppress II. But whatever OF glory she
may have achieved, either combating the foreign
erodies OF the country, or III Its diplomacy, OR IN he
Naaonal councils, IL Will al lie eclpsed by tho man.
I.sr in which she has horne herself in the present
ss nj crisis. The future historian will give to her
Eae yrase Of having been calm when All others were
excII.d-as having been far above all mere questions
OF pecaniary interest or OF party success, ina, self
poised and eelsasained, planting herself upon the
Constitution and the Uhion and the rights Of the
States, she placed herself and Gil that she had upon
the altar OF patriotism.
To 90 this was no easy task. In the angry us
cussions which preceded hostites, and in The CON-
plication Of party issues the Legislative and Exeea
tive Departments Of the State Government had been
placed IN hands known to be Southern IN theii Gym
psthies, and disposed ~ obstract the General Coy
ernneu, IN the exercise Of lis legitimate powers.
revolution at home bad first to be effected, and tis
by appeals TO the reason and justice OF tue
people themselves The loyal Of Kentucky,
, with profound wisdom, eLdeavored to keep the
State out OF this frarcdal quarrel, and to maintain,
80 long as 1t wac practicable, al informal neutrality,
under cover Of which she might the more power.
fully address herself 10 tue people of the North ana
Of the South, ana bring them to reason She there
fore threw herself, like massive wall, between The
exssperated sections, hoping that nom her central
States and having the great rivers OF the Cuuber-
land and tennessee 0ebouching within her borders,
and upward OF seven hundred miles OF coast on the
OHIO and the INLAND Sea her geographical i'm I
: ,rtauce If nothing else, might her voice 70 ,
Il h. ard. But during this whole trying interval /
y go, against Secession, against AboltiObists ;
s@,irst A. taiors; yet she never was guilty OF the
feiIy Of den; ing 10 the Nation the night to /
. Vn' eyar,ise Of any powers III this State that
were conceded to II IN v:.hhers.; inc right r.
to nossess forts and hospitals aud OF transit t3f
troops. was too unquestionah,e 10 he cvhtrc-
veried, how much soever e necessity for ITS exer-
rise might be depi"".d. Kentucky neutrality never
meant anything like this, although 1t was adroity
sezed upci by SOuthern synpathizers aud construed
80 ~ a declaration of war against the Iuloa Ali
ner Ell rts proved nnayaillDg-the Southern heart
was fiji ed--the fatal blow Wac struck at Charleston,
and Kntucky herself war seized upon as " military I,
necessity" by Southern Generals When example,
entrealy, and suppcatiOn had all failed, heutuchy
was compelled to choose between Union vi 9isoliOh.
She unhesiiatngly ranged hersel nnder the old Nag OF
our country, and PAINFUL the alternative was, she
threw all Of her energies Into the contest, ana has
responded, from that moment up to TINS hour, 10
every legitimate call upon her by the Government
for aen or means with which to prosecute the war
10 q successful issue. She has furnished hity.One
regiments aud two batteries for the field, aud the
battles of Mil Spring. Fort Doneson and Shiloh,
on the Sandy al Nild Cat, at the Cumberland Gap,
al Perryviiie and Last, though hot least at Murfrees
boro avouch for iie bravery Of her troops and the
pkill of her officer
Ffoui this brief but not van-gloricas allusion to
the action of Kentucky, ore would naturally sup
,ose tina. 90 much loyalty and much sacrifce l
would have cndeaIed her TO all her sister S:ates
aud that her rghts wonli have been most scru-
Yulously regarded. But kas il been TO Has X en-
lucky no right to complain Of disregard Of !