Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-13
The Kentucky Controversy Again.

CARD FROM GENERAL BURBRIDGE
TO the Publtc:-Mr. Blackburn having assailed
me in an open letter, / am compelled to re-
spond. On receiving his last letter to me- dated
January 9Th, returned it to him with fitting in
dorsement which he had not the manlness to pub
lish. He profes5ed to feel no interest In my CON-
Inunlcatfon, notwithstanding my efforts to make
them as interesting as possible. The defiance to
formulate charge presumably against himselD
as being engaged in the damnable crime of intro
ducing clothing infected with yellow fever into the
northern cities during the war was as silly as it
would hay, have been to defy me TO i'm
IN the murder of President Garfield.
That the correspondence was commenced by me is
IS equally true. In the light of that correspon-
dence. which / am not surprised to find that he
regrets, can well afford to dispense with his good
opinion. The sop Cerberus which Mr.. Blackburn
throws to the soldiers of the Union army comes with
poor grace from man who, on every occasion,
vfes the holy cause which they represented
upon the field, and who declares his intention not
to rest until he had wiped out every vestige of
republican war legislation from the statute book.
To his complaint that preferred to indicate my
good name when despiSed only by men like HIM
self by referring to the people the estimation placed
upon my services by the only citizens OF my ma
loyal to her best interest," have this to say II the
silly tWaddle about formulating charges implicat-
ing him in the yellow fever plot could be surpassed
1t is found in the mock heroiCs which he affects
TO regret that l had not at once called him to
account for the insulting language in which he re-
1efred TO me In the presence OF Dr. OWSley. Ii his
course In perSistng in the opinion there eX-
pressed, is shared by Union men In the state OF
Kentucky after the reception OF letters written by
the most eminent Union men OF the state in which
his opinion is emphatiCally cOntratctei, is Salts
factory to his friends or TO himself it certainly
cannot be to all honorable men. | dismissed
MIN from any further controversy by re-
turning his letter with my endorsement
thereon. A decent regard Tor the opinion or man
kind, WHICH 1 suppose, in his estlmatlon, means
1.-THE uSages by which gentlemen have been gov
erned," could have prompted some gentlemen to
N mill thsln Let
Salye their wounded honor. ] have higher duty
imposed upon Inc tn N to send a challenge to Mr..
i bitckbuIn, and settle the personal phase OF
the issue" by Resort to arms. L am engaged in
coliatng evidence from rebel sources OF the afro
couS character OF the man with whom Mr.. Ri tck-
burn ci2tms thlt dealt 1nhumany. Men who
in the CuiSe OF confederate soldiers not only dotted
his district, but the entire state with the graves
of union men. No threats OF violence or chal-
lengeS to test ny courage upon the 81 field OF
honor" shall interfere with this most important
work. We VIII, therefore, continue the exercises
Morgan how, after L defeated MOrgans forces in
1854 some or his men scattered over the state
and became thieves and gueriilaS whose conduct
was alike obnoxious to confederate soldiers and
citizens. The rebel archives Will be called up to
testify to the charges made against the gueriliaS
by confederate officers In high command to the
provost marshal general OF the confederate states,
who, acting upon them, ordered tue arrest of
John Morgan, and his return to Richmond for
trial This portion of con federate history new to
most people, is from oriyi documents, and Will
afford ample proof OF the prime necessity or exter
minating a class OF men VINO having deserted from
the confederate service became organized bands of
robbers and murderers. II In the course OF their
determination rebel soldier occasionally met his
DEATH it might be pertinent to the occasion to ask
how the said soldier to be outside the enemy
line and within the district which had the honor
to command used all legitimate means to dis
criminate between soldiers and guer1llas, but In
many cases 1T was discrimination without a
difference. To those who can see In MI Black
burns assault upon me no reflection upon my
character which could not be efraced by the resort
to arms, l have nothing to say. If this reply to
his "Letter to the Public" shall produce the i'm
preston in the minds OF my friends, that am de-
tered from affording MIR. Blackburn this
personal satisfaction which he affects TO desire
through fear OF the consequences, shall deeply
regret it. 1t certainly cannot be egOtiStica in me
to claim that 1t is hardly necessary at this late
day, for me to offer proof that am not coward.
In any case, shall not jeOpardiZe my life until
have shown up, in their true eei0rs, the men
whose disregard for all the rules of civilized war
fare rendered them fl subjects for the hangman.
S. G.. BURBRIDGE.