New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-18
NEWYORK DAILY TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 49, 1863

And while acknowledge the obligations ofthe State to The
Constitution and laws OF toe United States latter bound
to respect the Constitution aud s Of Kentucky and the
Union troops this State cannot be allowed 10 eutce s.ye,
from their maste and protect tbeD IN their camps against
civil process.
Possibly 1t Is wise not to boast of Kentucky
Loyalty. The discretion of the Committee can.
not DO too much admired "Haif her ioyal
population in the field against the Rebellion.
Yea, but ia half her population loyal7 Ken
tucky has furnished we cannot say how many,
but certainly many more soldiers to tho Rebel
than to the Union army. Not at any one mo-
meut siuce the beginning Of the war have her
own troops been sufficient for tho defense of
her own soil. She has been always burden,
never o support mtarily, while in politics aud
war together she has assumed to direct the
national councils as if the national cause was
solely dependent on her efforts for success.
The arrogance of this not half loyal State is
in proportion to her weakness. The United
States, says the Kentucky Legislature, are
bound to respect her Constitution and laws,
and the Federal troops in this State cannot be
ALLOWED to entice slaves from their masters
(which implies an assumption of fact as un-
founded as the threat of resistance is insolent.
1t is understood that this majority report
consodates the expression Of whatever loyalty
exists in Kentucky, yet its whole purpose is to
strike balance between the advantages and
offered by Rebellion on the one hand
and loyalty on tho other No pledge Of support
to a Government known to be in imminent
peril from treason at the North not less than
armed Rebellion al tho SoUtE--nOthiDg but
protest and appeal, and doubtful choice be-
tween bullets aud ballots as q means Of consti-
.utiona opposition. The Union is nothing with
X KENTUCKY, yet she demands that Kentucky
shall be everything with the Union. The vision
IF her statesmen never overpasses tie border
of the State, nor even at tAis hour lie there
me expression Of generous devotion to tue
,ause of the nation. IL is the interest of Ken
lucky alone, separate from % even opposed TO
hat of the other States, which claims Der un'
divided regard. The Government, says the
Committee, has adopted its policy against the
veil known wishes OF TIE State an incredi-
bic assumption of independent authority which
. rebuked in tho follow ng porteDtous resolu-
ion:
Re,orsd That our institutions ssaisd by armed r.
eor on one side which only Do met ~ the sword anc
"a he uucon,titUona ats o! Congress AMI saf
ng u,urpatioEs 81 power by the Executive, which We haze
hy experiment be corrected By the bo,-oor fo-
cy as a principle Requires tat kentucky sil a. sic
no Yroccs. OF IA, which is SOW bt sure snd essn
rom al unlawful and uuconsti,V .i9ia a which hlle a.
ndy BROUGHT terrible calsmcs the country he we
the AID of all Ia,Otc - avert the evils that
hr-aion FREQ ins,.iutous
Vita this evidence before us of what cOnst.
tutes conservative loyalty in Kentucky, we
surely need not consider the und ssuiscd trea
son of the minority report in order to be sat
sfed that the whole weight and Influence OF
this State is to be thrown at the most oppor
tune moment in favor Of whatever plan is
finally resolved on by tie Northern conspira-
ors 10 overthrow the Government or put en-
md to the war. The day is very near when
mother than the present test of loyalty is to
pplied-whcn the Government is 70 be sup
ported or opposed in its efforts to crush trca- '
on at tho North. We trust there may be
more reason than the action Of her Legsla-
ure has given to hope that in that issue Ken q
ucky VIII be found on the Governments eide. Il
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