The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-12
Letter 90 Gao. -. Prentice from
- KentuekY soldier.''

~
vou have ably, periodically and bravely
conducted the louisville Journal"
Your pure and devout patriotism, your
great ability TO advocate the cause of
your country, 10 defend the right and
assail the wrong; your exalted idea Of
what a public journal should be, and
your faithful efforts to arrive At the
standard of excellence fixed, and so well
understood and appreciated by youj and
above AL, your devotion TO your adopted
State, and to your whole country, have
Justly endeareG you to the people OF
Kentucky And your social qualities
have also been fully appreciated by all
who knew you; and no one who once
possessed your friendship, ever lost It
without frst FORGETTING all claim to
retain il.
As an humble man who loved the con-
seryatism Of the old Wing party, and
applauded your lifelong devotion to 1t,
have never ceased to feel deep interest
in your success as an Editor, and your
welfare as man. You have possessed
to the fullest, as you deserved to possess,
the confidence Of the people Of Kentucky.
Indeed, with a large majority Of the
thinking portion of that people, the
Journal was q necessity, whilst your
teachings contained in it have been con-
sidered as their political Bible. Those
who acted with you, if they did not
blindly follow your lead, cheerfully
allowed you to shape the policy
of their party, never doubling its cor
rectnesf, or your ability to defend sue
cessfuIIy any position you might choose
to take. Hence your power for good or
| evil in Kentucky was Immense, and your
influence was not at all confined to KEN
lucky, for the Louisville Journal was
read all over the United States, with
avidity and with pleasure.
Such was the enviable position of the
Louisville Journal, and of its Editor,
GEoRGE D. PRENT1cE in the winter OF
1s6O-61. Ilsresponsibility, measured by
its capacity for good or evil, plainly in
dicated its duty to itself and 20 the
country. Up 10 that time you had served
your country faithfully and yell.
The cause of conservatism had grown
with your strength, and on all questions
touching civil liberty, the rights Of
individuals, the allegiance due from the
citizen to the Government and the pro-
lection that the Government owed in re-
turn for such allegiance, you had JUS
right to be heard, and yeur cOunse
cored MOI go unheeded. You had passed
through many vicissitudes, but the trial.
through which you had passed in you
eventful life, all put together, were 81
nothing, compared with those that hat
their beginning in the year 1850 Theil
ending is yet to come, VIZ
Allow me to revert briefly to the gen
eral course Of events in that year, ant
up 10 the Spring Of 1861.
In the Presidential canvass of 1860
| you advocated, with your usua
ability, the election Of JoHN BELL
of Tennessee. In that canvass
The charge of disunion made agains
BRKcK1NRIodE by BELL and DOUGLA
men, alike, was Indignantly denied b.
his friends, and thrown in the teeth o
those who made it, 0f.all those who de
nounced BREoK1NEraE and his disuniOl
purposes, you were chief No man SAT-
50 much or said it 30 well as yourself
During that canvass, in aspeech at Nor
folk, Va, Mr.. DOUGLAS (all honor to hi
memory was asked If elected President
whether he would attempt by force t
prevent the secession Of States desiringit
and he answered that he would do SO wit
all the power of the Government. Thi
sentiment sou never ceased TO applau'
during that canvass, and you applaud
to-day in your heart, and you viii 8
applaud it forever. In fact, you were 70
the Union, the Constitution, and the en-
fovcsment Of the laws. You were agains
secession and disuniOn, treason and trait
I ors-the thought of seeing the Govern
rnent Of your fathers go down without
struggle TO save it, never entered you
head or your heart. The whole cours
, of your life, and ell you had said or dOn'
9 or thought OF saying or doing, was agains
such course. And the people Of Ken
+ lucky, in accordance with your teach
T ing, in fact in accordance with tn
r teachings of her statesmen and official
from the great CLAY down to MAaoFFI
: the little, were with you in thi
: That canvass ended as il was designe
g 10 end, by the secessionists, |
4 the election Of Mr.. LINCOLN,
the Presidency. This result, fore
told thousand times, was unez
pected to nobody, and in no way Aifecte
the loyal men Of Kentucky. They wei
true Afterwards as before, and on all o,
I oasions did not fail to proclaim the fA
9 to the world. Indeed they were read
a to fight for the Government if necessar.
q For Kentuckians loved the old flag, an
: felt that it ought to be, and was require
70 be defended. and Il shall not be sci