New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-24
THE KENTUCKY CONTESTED ELECTION

mportan "a setting forth the principles by which the
Committee will be guided in its consideration OF all sim
lar cases which may arise while the reconstruction OF inc
late Rebel States is in progress
The Committee Of Elections TO whom referred the
credentials of John Young Brown. claiming 10 be a
In the present Congress from the Hid DIS
tricf In Kentucky and the memorial OF samuel H. en'
claiming TO have been duly elected such Representa-
tive, submit the following
REFORT:
Under the resolution OF reference the Committee were
Instructed TO enquire and report whether John Young
brown is disqualified from sitting as member OF TINS
House on account OF his having been guilty OF acts OF
dsovaty to the Government OF the United States, or
having given aid and comfort TO its enemies"
The said Smith contests the right OF the said Brown 10
e seat upon the same ground and claims for himself the
seat upon what he insists 10 be the legal result OF such
acts Of Sya G ha a Pd GyS al % Brown must
fore, be first inquired INTO, and them If established their
SUBJ Committee Of the Committee of Elections under
the order of this House. visited Kentucky for the PURPOSE
eecff hat state and the result OF
their investigations Is embodied IN Misc DOC NO 80
first session. and so much thereof pertains 10 the
present inquiry embodied in pages 30 To l2 inclusive
There some other documents, which accompany
this report laid before the Committee at the nearing W
agreement of parties ,,.or,
Both claimants heard by themselves and by coui
The conclusions to which they have arrived upon careful
consideration OF the whole evidence on the 2u Vi ''
1862. ,., -. .,,o,r,ed
of trust under the Government Of The Riea
excepting the President Ste shall before entering upon
Office, and before being entleu
emoumnis thereof take and subscribe 70 the following oan OF
ton H. b. do soemnly swear Cor smo '9'i na s citizen
thereof; that have voluntarily given no ald b
have the sought accepted attempted exercise The iane
no1s any 20 o Ss nd states t,t have moi Yielded 1ort,
support any pretended government authority pow % S Sy,ir
swear Tor affirm that the best Of knowege aud ability VII
.pDG ISS .s % and s . sGS'P q this 1S &
faithfully discharge oee which about to enter
60 help me GoiF :. ,...u,.,os
to inquire whether the said Brown has committed any OF
the which hc Is required by said statute before enter
ing upon the duties Of Representative TO make oath
The evidence relied upon support this charge OF dis
LOYALTY against Mr. Brown Is contained IN the following
letter written by him at the time II bears qate 10 tne
editors of The Louisville Courier and published III that
ELiL,BgrurowN. April 10. 1901
Ms attention called the following paragraph which appeared
JcaS YouSG STh gentleman 10 reply to some
President for four regiment, Of yae',ef, TO 1Ieh
goss "a AMI oe 1lo ro,ser should oes"
hi, ambiguous report Of ms has fnd been saae stood
o. o sos S1G OF @e ccndrGr SG What dd ~. w,
in hi. nriog ,Sar against south u MS Noeg army ,h9g At.
tempt borders ee rii reaa ul ~ asa ana one
1a5 and believe be Will b. shot t>or ~ sl
wa "a. Ps; ,. 81. ..t s ssG no oy i l S
c and I1rGi,y prior TO my debate With him Ee,gsSk sovx
Mr. Brown in refuaton Of inference from this let
ter that he had voluntarily given any aid counteahce
EiIt, 70 the Tinted states Insisted that II should DO
Judged by the position OF his state at the lDe u was pun
1sbcd and bs own cotempOrancous acts aud speeches
And he claimed that Kentucky had undertaken at tnat
time TO assume position of strict neutrality DtlNteh Io
tfo' and those who were seeking it, destruction by
omen war and that the Union o the state were
making this effort In aid OF the Union Itself hu ti1 Ohy
possible means open to t9eh 10 Pet1 and hot jpa
much as there existed more apprehension III the minds OF
H. ooe ~ fiat state of an invasion from the Govern
he
was necessary convince them of The lca vi
the neutrality professcd. and was written Tor That purpose
OF Ills construction Of the letter he ap
pcalcd 10 the documents which accompany ts iep3, 10
wit: an account Of Union meeting held In Louisville on
the day OF Of the letter NJ which he addressed
he ncope. card published by him on tie 18th day of
MAY following, announcing himself ~ candidate Tor re-
election Congress- and comments upon the SAM III "
Tovjsric DcDocrdf and Jot1ia with the additional fact
10, mn aci of hostility 10 the Government since the pub
LEGATION OF the letter of the 18TH OF APRIL b" pro'
Does the letter OF itself admit OF the construction now
put upon II 10y Mr. Brown as that OF ever lo''eIinE @
raty between Government and it, foes, or n thefc
ANYTHING shown in the cotcinporane0uS history OF SUD
sequcnt course Of lis author To aid such ~
The rational import OF It's language is n9t Una, ~
trality but instead breahes the most deadly hoSu 10
the Government OF his country, ana threat OF uea 10
any Of his fellow citizens who should ald IL against It's
enemies. ,,-.., Ill, ~ a..
struggle for it's life. but also To the very neutrality OF his
Kentucky which. however well inen led by some OF us
supporters. itself aid and comfort to the enemy ID a
war i'm which there was middle ground ana lac who
was for the Government could not help beng counted
against 1t. A., ,,..,..o ,,.o, .,
discuss the question Of Kentucky neutrality II was
alike anomaly and an mp3sSDliy ana al Traces Oi
masked support Of the cause most III accord VAIN Ills
sympathcs. ..,,, - =. .,, ..,.,,.,
y" He complains In this letter that he has been mis-
UNDERSTOOD aud he writes 10 correct that
ing Somebody has put into his mouth these words "
rouh not send solitary man 10 did hd G0ref"men
and those rho volunteer shodd Dc shst aG,, %, Me
trucks" This, he says. ia ambiguous that ~ may AZ
ply to side well az the other ana some are ielt
he says to believe that may apply to the G9yeInen.
OF the Confederate States lie VIII not permit any one
TO put words Of his character into his mouth thai VIII
apply equally TO one side or the other OF ihat any one
can nupiy TO the OF the Confederate StnleS
That IL not the neutrality" he Is striving ior ana ten'
for he corrects 1t in these words What dld sly s ws
this: Not one man dollar will Kentucky iuthsh
Lincoln to and him in his uphOiy WU against NC nguM'
II thisNOre army shall attempt to cross our poiHeis
re oH resist unto he death and II one man siaLl De
found III our Commonwealth to volunteer 10 JOIN the
he ought aud believe will be- shot dorm before ne hares
Understand me- fellowcitizens Of Kentucky this my
position. "NOt man or one dollar VIII Kentucky iur-
nish Lincoln. 10 aid han IN ms nnhoiy waF dgau" me
South" Mind you, has right 10 conhtrle my
language to apply to the Confederate Government III
this Northern army-take notice, say Norhein army
no has right to apply my language To the So"heh
armyif this Northern army shall attempt 10 cross our
borders we will resist DEATH and II one man snail
be found In Commonwealth to volunteer 10 JON the
do Mt mistake me- use no ambiguous language ,,
and believe he will be shot down before he leaves the
State" -
The Committee cannot understand how such Language
can be used to ASSURE the people that s author was nen
trail They OF opinion that does not admit OF such
constructions but the other hand will bear no other
interpret ton than that Of deadly hostility TO the Union
and the hwartiDg with opposition every ono III % state
that should 90 its support. IL language had been
sought the people beyond the possibility OF
doubt that enlistment In the Rebel army would be safe
but that death would follow supporting the Union cause
IL could not have been nty chosen Nor does any
cotemporaneous act Of Mr. Brown, nor any OF the sur
rounding circumstances which have been shown 10 the
Committee, relieve this language OF It's natural ana
obvious import The attention Of the Committee is called
the fact that Mr. Brown othe day OF the date OF TINS
letter. addressed large and enthusiastic Union meeting
i'm Louisville and the question In asked, Would he,
on the very day that letter was written, III
the very town where it was published. have made q
Union speech IL this letter truly in aid OF treason
All that known Of that meeting by the Committee
derived from the account OF IL annexed to TINS report
furnished by Mr. Brown from paper OF the next day IL