The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-04-10
PRENTICES So, 900 EDITORIAL.
THAT WAS WRITTEN TO THROW KENTUCKY
on THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE WAR, But

THAT WAS WRITTEN TO THROW KENTUCKY
on THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE WAR, But
WHICH WAS SUPPRESSED.
Louisville Post, 13th.-On the 18th
ulr. the particulars were given il this pa
per as to the suppression of an article
urging the secession of Kentucky, writ
ten at the beginning of the war by George
ID. Prentice for the Louisville Journal.
The editorial, had it been published,
would doubtless have added vastly to the
magnitude of what is now known as the
"lost cause" for it is generally conceded
that the Legislature, then in session,
would have followed Mr.. Prentice's lead,
his influence at that crisis being at its
highest. Had Kentucky then cast her
fortunes with the Southern Stairs, Mis-
souri,, Maryland, Delaware, and perhaps
some q the non slaveholding Common
wealths, would have gone over also. 1t
will be remembered that it was stated
that $50, 900 had passed from prominen.
secessionist to Mr.. Prentice through the
hands of Mr.. William Calvert, clerk in
The Journal Office, shortly before the ar
ticle was written chat Mr.. Calvert hap
pened to read it on a proof slip, and,
calling in Mr.. Paul r. Shipman, Mr..
Prentice's associate editor, he was the in
strument of its suppression, and possibly
saved the Union.
Since the publication referred to Post
reporter has seen letter written by Paul
+. Shipman, which confirms all said there
in. The letter is of a late date, and was
written at Mr.. Shipman's home at Bever-
ly, n. j. He states in substance that
Mr.. Calvert was the cause of the suppress
sion of the editorial that his attention
was called to it by Mr.. c., and he pre-
emptorily ordered the foreman of The
Journal, Mr.. Belligan, to remove it from
the forms. He says further that had the
article reached the light, it would have
had a damaging effect upon the cause of
the Union, not only in this State, but
throughout the land that it would have
made an impression so profound that The
Journal would have been utterly power
less to efface it by means of retractions
or counter editorials. He likens the ser
vice of Mr.. Calvert to that of an out
post before an advancing army, who, dis
covering an ambush of the enemy ready
to engulf his comrades, gives timely
warning to his General. The letter is
signed paul r. Shipman, and the hand
writing was recognized by the reporter,
who knows it well.
Since the publication last week it has
been stated by one who should know that
Mr.. Prentice shipped the $4,000 paid
HIM to Canada, and that about two years
afterwards it was returned to him and he
squandered it. Also that the party who
had given the money called for its return,
when he discovered that Mr.. Prentice
had not published the article, and that,
the demand being refused, disturbance
occurred in the office. Mr.. Calvert, in
answer to direct question, said the other
day that he did not know the name of the
party who furnished the money, but that
he was satisfied in his own mind that it
was to secure the publication of the edi-
terial in question.
Within the last few days various re-
ports as to the article have been heard !;
they relate mainly to the circumstances
under which it was written. One is to
the effect that it was done at Walkers
Exchange, now the Turf Exchange, which
was then the rendezvous for politicians,
sportsmen, and, in fact, all who were
given to high living or having high old
time. 1t is said that on the night before
the day on which the suppressed editorial
would have appeared, Mr.. Prentice and
three others ordered a big supper in a
private dining-room, and that, during the
jollity that ensued, the article, which
might have altered the history of his
country, was dashed off by the great edi-
tor. When it was finished, so the story
runs, Mr.. Prentice's companions piled
him with champagne until, after an hour,
one of them obtained the manuscript
from him, together with an order to the
foreman to place the article conspicuous
Il in The Journal of the coming morning.
Shortly afterwards gentleman was lift
ed into hack in front of the restaurant,
and was whirled, unconscious, away to
his home.
The exact story of this editorial may
never be told, but it was written, set up,
placed in the forms and suppressed at the
very last instant are truths that form an
important episode in the history of our
great civil war.