Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-07-17
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IiEc: !iii$HGpcTSEai'tii!S b'E''t''@. ~ -"
Knoxville q" Chronicle" III regard 10 the feal
position end sentiment of KENTUCKY IN 'niS
war. And cruel injustice IS $50" uo"0 '" Inc
feelings of her people III ''"S''lA''''0 u t'''S
misunderstanding ,,
Many have FRI the ''Ts' we Know ucuo'e'
ro,.,,o,. -, o,,cance to the Coniederatecause:
I 49,. just suspicion has been greatly in
| - Since the return Of Gen. Bragg's army
I'M her borders last fall. In the absence or
ignorance Of facts, kentucky has been ad
Judged and harshly condemned as weak and
temrosizins i'll her policy, abolitipniztd in SEN
tincnt, even hostile to her Southern Sisters,
and 50 TT subject for the society and hated
tyranny Of the Yankee nation.
4 brief statement Of facts may not be unin
tcrcsting to our readers; and may serve to cor
rect in some degree the unjust ccnsurcs cast
upon this loyal Confederate State.
We state on authority which is deemed re-,
liable, that Kentucky has in the Confederate
service near thirty Thousand soldiers. Five
thousand of her sons laugui>h in Northern
b,tilcs and dark pr son cells, i'll proof Of their
devotion IL our cause.
We have 10 mcans Of estimating the num-
her 81! Kentucky cxics driven from then
homes AID kindred to take refuge i'll other
States Of the Coniclcracy; but wc,know it Is
large and embraces the very best and brightest
of lcr sons and daughters. Tllcsc-hcr sol
licrs. her captive SONS and her cXie>-havc for
sakcn all and followed Us. hat shall they
have ;hcre;or, oar ccnSurc or our gratitude :
Shall we lightly esteem or condemn
Kentuckians Tor having done and sui
lercd 80 much, because they have not done
and suffered mere. Does any one AK, were
there not ten in kentucky, Lut where are the
nine? II she has furnished thirty thousand
to the Confederate ranks, has she not fifty thou.
sand to swell the ranks Of our enemies" We
answer, no. NOT kentucky. Ohio and In
diam. may. hut Kentucky never tthe Of that
number.
Or legitimatc KcnluckianS there may have
been gathered to the Federal armies in all
five thousand men, inclusive ii officials bought
over from that venal class which is to be found
everywhere and ut all times; but Of real sol
diery rank and file, two thousand, not more,
make up the army Of Kentucky under Fcd Cral
banners. Two thousand Or less We have au-
thority TO say.
We heartily wish, indeed, that there were
none. Or less than none ii that were possible:
and so do we wish, with q sad heart, that there
were no TenncSSeeanS, nor NirgiuianS, North
rarolinianS, AlubGmi;lnS, nor tories from any
other Confederate State arrayal under the
same hated bunting. But such things as hire
lings and traitors arc matters oil course, and
ever to be expected in revolutionary times like
the present: and. therefore. lei it he accounted
to the honor Of Kentucky that the humber Is
not greater, since it can he no less. For she
has, indeed. been surcly tempted: tried as by
lire froHi the hcS inning NJ this revolution up
to now. There never has been Il day Ill krn-
lucky, when, to become 4 Confederate, aid
not impcril cvcrything-property, life, liberty
aud the pursuit Of happiness never day
when the tempting lure Of power and peil
have not been tccciy offered to scducc her
sons, and bring them over 10 tho prosecutor
and oppressor hitherto in vain.
Our readers will rcmembe:-no Confederate
should forgst-,hat in the State elections last
August no man in Kentucky was allowed by
the Yankee squads in her midst to become q
candidate for office unless his loyalty to.l.n-
CDlnlSnl was dDUNc HusliClOi VI l'tinI. <huu
none were allowed to vote. for these approved
Abolition pinks, or against them, without first
Iorswearing all allegiance to the Confederate
Government or sympathy with its cause and
taking the oath Of tcalty to that Of eur mortal
enemies. 10 vote otlIc wise was treason; not
to vote at all was prima .tacia evidence OF
reasonable sympathy and intent. And Yet.
fTG;:t vail this, out of 100000 voters i'll Ken
the polls. The great BOD" S 81 hs dIHSasel IL
HI .DG0 voters, in Confederate camps, in North
cru prisons. and by sulicn silence in their
homes. testified to the extent and strength Of
their fidelity 10 our common cause and coun'
Try. And we are warranted by the facts in
adding that. had it been in the power Of Ken.
!urkans, us it has been in'Uthcr States OF the
ConieIcracv. she would, indeed, instead Z!
81, 900, lay, had l00,GGu sturdy sons this day
battling against the common foe. and bearing
onward the glorious banners Of oar comnoi
cruntry.
We To not give her up. There i life and
loyalty in tic old State yet.
b~-------
W. end ;f,a T,liupr;nr hall words iu -np