Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-29


enclosure we subon In full promising that the enclosure
was Mr.. Lineon's letter to Mr.. Hodges.
LOUISVILLE, (KY) July 80, 1864.
10 ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States.
BIZ; have the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your letter. proposing 10 discharge from arrest 10
many ways yeIatious and announcement upon my signing
DO nor say any thing which will either directly ind-
recty tend to hinder delay embarrass the employment
and use OF coored persons soldiers seamen other
Vice. in the suppression of the rebellion long the Uni
ted States Government chooses employ and them
In answer to this proposal have frankly to say that
cannot bargain for liberty and the exercise Of rights
az freeman on any such terms. have committed no
crime. I have broken no law of my country Of my
State have not violated any military order or any OF
usages OF No act word of mine has given
encouragement to the enemy have sympathy with
the rebellion. All my sympathiea with and all my
hopes for my country The triumph of the national
the preservation of the Union the maintenance Of
the Constitution the restoration of the supremacy of the
law over all the States and the perpeuaton of civil and
religious liberty the objects most dear to my heart
may say without presumption that have done more to
enlist white men in the army Of the Union than any other
man in the State of Kentucky have done nothing to
hinder the enlistment even of negroes because do not
associate with them and have influence them.
You, Mr.. President, if you will the buntness of
soldier by exercise of arbitrary power have caused
to be arrested and held in confinement ntrary to
awnot for the good of common country but to in.
the chances of your election to the Presidency aud
otherwise to the purposes of the political party
whose candidate you are-and you ask to stufy
myself by signing pledge whereby shall virtually admit
your right to arrest and virtually support you in de-
terrng other from crcsing the policy of your Ad-
minstraton No. sir, much as love liberty, will tester
in prison. or die gbbst before will agree to any
that do abandon all charges aganst me aud fully
acknowledge my innocence; Since you have taken my
case into your hands, Mr. President let appeal to
your of JUSTICE and ask that you will give to what
have say in my defence candid hearing, aud then do
hat you shall it. And here trust shall be par
doned if speak of myself somewhat more largely than
the caaons OF good taste to warrant for
my acts are the subject Of the accusation against me-
they are my sole defence Whether or not they form
triumphant defence you, sir, shall judge.
On the 10th day of March 1884 in the city of Licking
ton, Kentucky, the Union men of Fayette county
pleased present with very fine sword, pair of
valuable stos, and pair OF spurs In response to
eloq presentation speech, made by learned divine,
delivered Union speech, the leading purpose of which
to promote the recruiting Of men Tor division of
airy which then had the honor to command whose ranks
had been greatly thinned by heavy losses batt.e-he
division having just to Kentucky from the front for
the purpose of recruiting, re6tting and remounting.
made long speech in which fully discussed the wicked
ness of the rebellion and cOnrasted the misery and des
potism of the called Southern Government with the
happiness and freedom of In the of ths
speech spoke of your abolition policy and condemned it
But insisted that it was the duty of all good citizens to
defend their country by fighting the rebellion whether
they approved the pursued by the Administration
For the true character OF this speech refer you
to the statements of M G johnson and Others which
enclose The men whose are subscribed thereto
of the highest order OF intellect and OF the most
elevated moral character The substance of what they
say therein be proved by five hundred ladies' and gen.
u-men.
For this speech was arrested and sent to Knoxville
in the State of Tennessee whore remained without any
charges being preferred against me, until you in
duced by wicked men in Kentucky, who knew that
no court martial could be found who would
me for any thing said n that speech to issue order
founded on bare rumor, you yourself informed me,
dishonoraby Diminishing from the SERVES of the United
States for violation the fifth article of war; for dsoyal
ty and for conduct unbecoming officer and gentleman
Now Mr. President, what wish to call your attention
part cuay is the fact that every word contained 10
this order OF dismissal is asehat there is not the least
foundation in truth for any thing contained in it, did
not violate the fifth article Of war, did ever violate
any article of in my life. 1t was my duty to study
the articles of war; and teach them to my and think
understand them. The only thing said about you per
soualy that you had told great political truth when
you said that you had no under the Constitution to
interfere with the domestic institutions of the States
further said that you the President of the United
States and such the commanderinchef Of the army
which made it my duty TO respect your position and to
obey all the legal orders that enanated from you.
Your order charges with dsoyalty. Surely am
not dsloyal. did disoyal act, spoke disloya
word thought disloya thought in all my life. Dsoy
atty treason and is the highest crime known to
the law The charge of dsoyalty should not be lightly
made against any officer citizen. As proof that am
not disloys let set before you few facts At the
of this opposed the doctrine of
traity in Kentucky. When Governor Magou refused to
respond to your call for volunteers, raised company
my own responsibility and held it 10 readiness for my
country service.
the auspices of the amened Nelson, raised the first reg
meut Kentucky vountt cavalry and had it mustered
into the service of the United States raised this regi
ment at my own expense without asking the Govern
ment to refund the money was almost three years in
the service always 'front.' and always present in the dis
charge of my duty, although all the time suffering from
severe wounds received in battle. almost all the
time fighting that the fghts and skirmsbes was in
number over three hundred. almost all the fights
that we're fought the States Of Kentucky and tennessee
was in all the cbases after Morgan, and present aud
second in command when be captured In many fights
commanded a regiment, in many others brigade, and
for long time and 10 many fights division. For proof
that did my duty 10 the field aud IN the camp, and that
nv command always behaved we'll and always fought we'll
refer you Generals Burnside, Shackelford, Hobson.
Stureis and Carter made any written reports Of
the battles fought because seldom had time besides
was not seeking fame and did not desire promotion.
Loving my men from long association with them
solved after dismissed to join my old regiment
priyat. but was 40 disabled by the wounds had re-
ceIyed in battle that could not pass the examination Of
the surgeons then thought Of going along with my old
comrades at my expense, but was prevented from
do ng 80 by an order.
Being thus cut off from doing any thing for my country
n the army accepted the nomination OF the Conservative
Union Convention as a candidate of that party for the
Office of esctor at the Presidential election and
nenced canyass of the State My first appointment
Mt on the 2Sh day OF May 1864 aud from there
had q number of appointments filing up the month Of
Junes
On the Goth day Of May received from Gov. Bramlette
this note
Headqudrters Kentusky Vo,unteers
Frankfort, May 20, 1854
Col FRANK WoLFoRp: You requested raise regi-
months troops You will rendezvous at Leba-
non. 1Hos II. BRAsLETTE,
Governor Of Kentucky
determined to comply with his request, and accord
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