New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-21
KENTUCKY As A RAnKERr

100000
the response of Mr.. Clay would induce
the apprehension that several hundred
thousand armed Kentuckians will start
up from the blue grass and march upon
Washington to install the Democratic ad-
ministration. This is not probable. The
people of Kentucky are too well fed to be
desperate. They are too comfortable in
their farms to risk the chances of revo-
luton. Kentucky has always been
eompromiser. 1t is owing altogether to
the profusion of hog and hominy. Life
is too easy. The iron oppression of the
tyrsnnical government, as seen through
the haze of chicken-coek whisky, is too
remote to stimulate deeds of desperation.
The average city Democrat, who sleeps
wherever the police will permit, may
arise with determination to risk his mis-
cradle life for regular rations. Not so
the Kentuckian; he will not relinquish
q good living with any hope of getting a
better by going to war for it. 1t has been
ever thus since the day when jackson
MORALLY offended the Kentucky militia
by disparaging their services in the de-
tense of New Orleans.
We turn to Diapers "History of the
Civil War in America" to see the more
recent Kentucky record. The statesmen
of Kentucky, headed by the gallant Crit
tenden, were imploring peace when the
voice of compromise was drowned by the
cannon of Sumter. The Democratic party
was headed by the Governor of the State.
He said 'emphatieally that Kentucky
will furnish no troops for the wicked pur-
pose of subduing her sister Southern
States" He assumed the success of the
Confederacy, and asked Gin what attitude
Kentucky should stand" in regard to it.
The Legislature prudently declined to
call convention. The Unionists of Ken
lucky expressed their sympathies with
the protection of slavery, but acknowl-
edged their fealty to the United States
until its government became regardless of
their rights in slave property. The Ken
lucky State Guard was admonished
to remember that its fidelity was
pledged equally to the Union and
the State. The Governor again called
upon the Legislature to call convention
or grant him three millions of dollars for
arming the State. It would do neither
the one nor the other. It even so amended
the militia law as to require the State
guard to take an oath of allegiance to the
Union. Then the Last Ditch Governor
issued proclamation of-neutralityl de-
nouncing the war as horrible, and for
bidding either combatant to trample the
blue grass turf of Kentucky. The Legis.
laturs would not indorse the proclama.
ton. 1t contented itself with declaring
that Kentucky
Would not severe it's connection with the
national government nor take up arms fol
either belligerent, but would arm herself
for the preservation of peace on her borders
She fortified this very prudent position
by giving a Union majority of $4,000
votes in the election of delegates to 9
peace convention. The Governor ther
came around so far as to say to Presiden
Lincoln tilat Kentucky earnestly desired
to avoid being involved in the war; tina
she had rebelled against no authority, en-
gagged in no revolution, and had don
nothing to provoke the presence of
military force. He therefore urged tina
the national troops should be removed
It was not long after that that the Legis
lature resolved that the neutrality of Ken
lucky had been violated by the Confeder
ate forces, requested the Governor to cal
out the militia to expel them, and in
voked the United States to give aid an
assistance. They passed these resolu
tons over the veto of the Democrat
Governor.
We may remark that Mr.. Guthrie,
member of the Democratic Cabinet {
{ Pierce, took the Union sidS with the &C
operation of Crittenden and other leadin
men, and SO fixed the Union position {
Kentucky. The failure to come to tn
} rescue of Fort Donelson and the evacua
: ton of Bowling Green, settled the Cor
7 federate hopes in regard to Kentucky
While she had undoubtedly many men {
gallantry and character in both armies, q
State, Kentucky took sides with neither
; When, therefore, we hear of men rantin
about what Kentucky will do in such an
. such event, we see what the Democrat
Governor of Kentucky swore he would DE-
! and what the Legislature said should M
be done, if they knew themselves.
When weTead of a people declaring thi
. they would not support the Federal gov
eminent if it interfered with their righ
! of slave property, and then read that the
!. called out the militia to repel the Confe'
crates, fighting for slave property, frol
d their borders, we naturally grow incredI
lous that Messrs. Watterson and Clay ca
lead any hundred thousand men TO Wasl
4 ington for any other purpose than to hay
: a good time in the festivities of the occ
S sion.
o Old Pennsylvania, with her millions
+ men and money, has made no profession
}, Of what she viii do, but she has made b
q preparations for anything that others mi
# do, and whether neutral Kentucky come