The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-05-02
How Cancellation has Worked in
Kentucky,

Kentucky.
4 kentucky soldier, (Col. Mckce) in
a speech at Carrolltou, Nd, made some
remarks we'll worthy tho attention Of
West Iirsiuiaus. lie said
The last armcd host Of the rebellion
almost q year ago fell before the gallant
advance Of the federal army, led by its
yrea, leaders. Then had there been a
popular course pursued, had the Ameri.
can people and the heads Of tho govern
ment realized tho sront fuct that the foe
We had cof1trre in the field were only
.ubdncd by arms. VIC mig ght bavc fiuisiicd
the victory ut once But II mistake was
committed. 10 the language Of the Pres
dcp, of the United States, mercy to
those misguided men who l"i those ter.
riLls onsIaushls against liberty has
proved, in my Judgment, 'rcnson to the
State" Through Il misguided philan
,hrcpy; through that great lcnicncy
which fills the hearts Of Americans to
forgive the past, we iind ourselves o=day
with country a.ilatcd almost TO as great
an extent as it UGi when We Hcrc
plunged in the mids; Of war. We fnd
! TO day. not what We found one ycrr ngo.
IA people only asking that their lives
MI: ht hc spared, ani that they might be
allowed to pursue their avnca'ons, under
whntrvcr laws We, the vi"tor$, hi sht
prescribe for their go:"rnmcnt; but We
! (nd an arrogant party Of men, who have
committed treason, with the government
again turned over into their hands.
: Therefore, | say am still in the field,
aud, for ons. if ain asked a-nln to trust
: the rcins uf government III their anls.
no matter who may ial;cr in tic contest,
my voi'c will ever b" heard against il.
| don, desire vengeance. simply ask
that justice may be done. Like the Pres
idcnt Of the United States, | consider
! treason to be the greatest Of crmcs--o&c
lrscrvin. the scvercst punishment, that
the people Of this land should be tau. ht
4 lcs son, and that treason should be rcn.
dcrcd odious forever. | WAS raised in II
country lying along th" border--thank
God, u border no longer. We were
called the border States because We
marked the lines between freedom and
slavery. To day, as one Of tho results Of
this war, there bre4thcs not $ ave in all
this land. But Maryland aud kentu:ky
are border Statcs no longer. Another re.
suit uf the war was demonstrated in the
fac, that the voice Of the people shall
rule. 1t has never done 80 before. The
schools must be opened. The people
must Icaru, however hnmblc or poor.
let ~ carry out the doctrine that tl.e
loyal shall rule, and extend that bcncii
cent system Of educational Influences
which pcrvalcd tho Northern States, and
which has made them wha. they are.
Extend sucl, influences throughout the
South, and that people will never again
he dragged into miscrics like those Of
the rebellion. That people must be cdu
Gated, educated in the right. My fellow,
citizens, a previous speaker has alluded
to something in my own State. | would
draw from that lesson Of warming I"
YOU men of Maryland. While ths war
ragged, aad while federal hayoncts were
powerful in the State Of Kentucky. the
loyal people were secure, and passed a
law by which. they pcrpetuatcd the e&'
cluson from the franchise OF all men
who had engaged in treason, or gave Hl'
and comfort TO the enemies OF 'hc;r
country. They excluded them from par
rcipa,iug in the political affairs Of the
State. After the wn:, the people OF Nc":
lucky, in their lcnioncy and Kindness o!
hcari, repealed that Isw. Now, not only
the Legislative departments, bat the
whole judicial system Of tho State Is IN
| the hand. Of traitors or their symra'h'z'
crs. Treason is made respectable there,
aud loyalty odious. This is the result OF
all this lsnicncy. And even the i'@S;''
Ia,ure Of Kentucky, 10 carry out the Or.
ganizcd prosecutions of the courts OF
law, have NOW statute upon their BOOKS
by which service in the federal army is
no defense to suit broagh' against
party for any injury done by him, though
in tho legitimate exercise OF his duties
in the service. And at tic same time it
SHOULD be remembered that similar ser.
vice in the rebel army is made by law a
.uilicicnt dcirusc to like suit And
when the proposition Vas made that the
benefit Of tho net should o1tcnd to loyal
soldiers, i, was voted down by majori'
,y Of three to one. That will be .yo"r fate
il you pcrm, these RECONSTRUCTED men t"
20 back into power. ( dare say shat snch
i, thor desire to.dny in this State. But
YOU mus, stand firm. You have n willy foe
to contend with. | would rather trust
traitor who fought in arms t"an such
men. know, NY fellow citizens, there
is g,ea: noise 10 the land because Con
yrcss don. do something DO something
for Whist? Can any body ans"c: the
question? And when it is answered
why let the South come back? For
what? To submit to the laws We have
made? They say they arc all uncons'',
tu.ioual. OF course. thcu, they are not
willing to submit to them. 1t would
simply lead to a recurrence Of such
scenes as wo have had iu the past. They