Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-01-26
= . Ner Truly youT irlend, = =
IL u 3 .RIcHARp T. JAtos.

3 seE truly. Your iriend, -
q sRIcHARD T. JAtos.
Z IL was IN v int Gtion. if bad not received an
unconditional release. TO run the blockade TO
Canada. and from there to Kentucky on the con-
vening of the legislature. TO take my seat as the
presiding officer of the Senate, where the consti
tuition Of my state required me to be, and to tell
General Burbridge, that in defiance of a military
despot / would DO my duty. That was the rea-
son | made the attempt to escape to Canada be
fore | entered the confederate lines. In about
ten days | received the following:
"HEADQUARFERs ARMIES or THE U. 81
il FIELD, Va, Jan. >, 1865.
''By direction of the president. Lieutenant
Governor Richard i. jacob. of Kentucky, is
permitted 60 pass from the confederate lines into
che federal lines, and from thence 10 Washing
ton. ID. G.. Federal officers will pass him &C
cOrdingly.
BY command of
- Lieutenant General GRAsr.
7. s. BuEEs. a. A.GP
On my arrival II Washington ] called on the
president, who received me very kindly. He
handed me the dosing, which, beng an un-
cordi.ioual release, ] accepted:
Executive MANSION.
WAsHINGroN, January Is. 1865
Hon. Richard T. jacob:
Ok 4 HA - az AtftttF W liONCCn ~
lucky, ana remain at large 20 far a. relates to
any cause now past. In what l now 90. | de-
eide nothing IA 20 the eight OF wrong of your ar
rest. but act il the hope that there Is less liab.li-
" To misunderstanding among union men now
than there was at the time ct The arrest
Respectfully.
a.. LINCOLN.
During the course of the conversation, the
president remarked that certainly union men had
the right to discuss their rights and his policy, in
4 presidential canvass, and that it was not dis
loyal to do so. | remarked that | would go
back to Kentucky, and that | knew that | could
not only speak for myself. but FOR Governor
Bramlette. that we would do ell We could, as we
had done, to sustain the union cause That we
would uphold and praise him for what we be
iieved 10 be right, and would just As certainly
oppose him where we conScientiousiy believed
him to be wrong. That | hoped ne would not let
a few bad men keep the state 10 a turmoil.
In all this We co not end out Why, and by
whose influence I was arrested Some of my
friends called on the president whilst | was under
arrest to demand my release Mr.. Lincoln tele-
graphed 10 Burbridge to show the charges against
me. BuTbridge was absent. His adjutant gen
erai. ! suppose. telegraphed about the following
" 1t. Gov Jacob was arrested 81 the instance Of
DR., Robert Breckenridge, on the charge Of gen
eral disloyalty." On receiving this, Mr.. Lincoln
remarked This IS no charge at all"
= Now tor the cause Was 1t patriotism on his
part z No. it was revenge. \ few days before
the election, in his Church Review, prostitnted to
politics, Dr.. Breckinri5ge called me. in round
about. elegant language, a traitor. Without any
circumlocutiou, | branded him a. a liar" and
skinned him Ia abouttwo columns and . half of
the Louisville Journal. Unable to erase the
brand. which is indelible. he concluded he would
avenge himself upon me by having me kid
Mapped and sent through the lines, in the hone
that | would be murdered. | was not murdered,
but had a very pleasant trip, and am back again
in tine spirits and health and resiy to renew the
fight.
Many gentlemen Of distinguished ability, in
Kentucky, denounced the presidents policy as
much a [ did. or any one else. No one was ar
rested but Colonel Wolford, Paul Shiprnan. of
! the Louisville Journal, General Huston end my
self. Why we four 2 Because we were the only
ones that. in order TO defend ourselves. had to
d~enounce this apostate priest, De. Breckenridge,
Par Mobile EratrumI Breckenridge, Burbridge p,
Master, tool What has not Kentucky suffered
under their miserable rule2 Violence. plumber,
state filled with guerrillas by their policy. Eff
cient only in one thiGg-the arrest of loyal men
who will not bow 10 their arbitrary sway. Hun
dreds were shot without trial by order of Bur
bridge. Were all guilty ? God only knows.
Imagine this petty tyrast of Kentucky. \
pink checked. black haired. pretty feliow-cheeks
sutfused with chronic drunkenness head the
shape OF an old fashioned sugar loaf, and with
the most powerful microscope IL would be impos
sible 10 detect the first ray OF intelligence; under
the complete control OF ino-dinate vanity, whis-
XIV, and a broken down political preacher, and an
intelligent community can form some idea OF the
intoierable suffering OF poor. loyal kentucky
Without an army he could rot live an hour IN
that state. Men, women. and children would
rise up against him. In the name of God will
not the patriotism, heroism, and the blood OF
seventy thousand noble sons who have fought,
bled and died for the union cause, save their
state from such degradation este
But To return. If | was suspected OF treason
| should baye been arrested and tried by a proper
constitutional tribunal II guilty, | should have
been condemned and punished. No one knew
better than those who had me arrested, that !
was no traitor: that not a shadow OF a charge
could DC sustained. or they would have tried and
condemned me BY q military tribunal. Know
inS that l was not guilty, they kidnapped and
sent me, as fest as steam power could carry ne,
across the lines, meantime forging lies against
me, whilst | was where / could not defend nv
4 sell. | am back; what have they gainedE Have
they silenced mel By the living God-n0l
Where American liberty and unity are in danger,
exile. prisons. chains cannot; death alone can 81
lehce me, aud even then nv blood will speak far
more eloquently than ] can. aud with a voice of
thunder. echoed and re echoed bv aroused free
men. proclaim that American unity and liberty
must and shall be preserved, and woe to them
that stand IA the way.
RICHARD JAcOR