New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-09
The paper
GENERAL BURBRIDGE's RECORD.

A sCATIHNG REPLY TO REPRESENTATIVE BLACK
BJRN-INrEREsTING LETTER FROM PRESIDENT
LINCOLN.
WASHINGTON, Jan. S.-Gencral Burbridge has
furnished for publication statement in reply to
tho charges made against him by Representative
Blackburn. He begins by giving the letter OF
December 81, 1881, which was teleeraphed hence
last night and follows 1t with the appended re-
'f'''7o WASHINGTON. Jan. 6, 1882
The Hon. j. S. C. BIACKBCEN ~ C., vi. District hen
SIR your letter OF the 9th nit in reference to mine
2lst received In II make the point thRt the
distinguished gentlemen who approved my conduct
must have acted without ful knowledge OF me
declining assai the characters OF men whose loyalty 10
their state and country at the period ofmy administration
in Knucy is in 5 sGg EaS contrast m fG y0pT ST9 f%9 OF
the facts The deeds which received the hearty
of m Ratio Union IRe the wah Of
rebels in Kentucky in 1864, not done in corner
from secretary stanton and General sherman and exc
cutcd the light Of day The letters copies OF when
will published in connection with your letter ana
tLs reply were written after my military career had
closed, and at time when the Democratic press q" hth
tucEy was oudest in its dcnunciatiOn Of my official
conduct. They were written by men who were IulIy
conyerant with all the facts both before and after they
had been distorted by rebel hate.
1t so be regretted that in passing sentence upon me,
as the officer 70 whom the execution OF ORDERS Tor he
suppression Of guerllas was entrusted you laleu 10 IN
in yOur denunciation the guerlIas lhehhse'cs'
Kalms, in the Bordeystown turnpike, while
he was protecting his wife from insult
pursued them until Mr.. Roberts the County Surveyor
vas Killed. Hundreds Of such crimes we're committed
refer to whose acts put them beyond the pale oi
civilized warfare in the twilight OF baTbarls or WOrse,
i'm tl,r domain of actual crime" Would IL have been an
of this character 10 hunt down Heiys bahd ana u
every one OF It's membersi II your district was dotted
over wit graves for such acts as these AS ~
formed you III my previous Letter not man was ps and -
convicted by regularly organized courtm3rtial rue W
acts winch place the Perperaor beI ond 1ne pT rr oI
In tie domain Of actual crime" were the very
acts which 1t became ny duy 70 to p.ni9n ps.rmrc
pardon upon promise OF future amendment ADMIT.
when the Kentucky Legislature had no powett 20
command me appeared voluntarily before committee
Won now refer fully Investigated. and upon he
advice Of the Hon. Asa p Grover of the scnate) the
investigation was abandoned by the Lower House.
In conclusion, allow me to suggest that there
acts attempted by the adnerents to Who like
risEcd their lives in battle, which not only put the
gb S 19 G or wan In
the domain OF actual crime which so iar suTpess
those above menile4ed as 10 pdTo%NOAe % tne Lhlur!
darkness himself
Ialude sirto the attempted introduction Of clothing IN
fected with the yellow fever into the Northern cities dur
ing the war do not know by whom tbs against
are and while your righteous soul about tie
babarous treatment Of thieves and cutthroats in Ken
tucRy it might be well TO allow some portion OF your IN
dfgpation to lind vent against this dabOcal attempt
murder innocent women and childIens Respectfully,
telegram from General Sherman, dated Big
Shanty Ga. June II. 1864 in which General Bur
bridge is instructed to hunt down every guerilla
and robber in Kentucky; a letter written the
21 st of the same month by General Sherman. urg-
ing at length that summary measures must be
adopted in dealing with the guerillas, and letter
from Secretary Stanton day aud month not given
written from Washington in 1864, and uthOrizing
General Burbridgc TO seize all he can lay his hands
on and to turn over 90 the Quartermasters Depart
ment all he cannot use, are given together with the
following: =, - go,
GcnrrI BURBIIDGE. Lcr,g gfOn. ny
| hear that arrested my relative Mrs Helm, and
released her on her showing YOU letter from II Ii
contains anything that allows her TO talk or act treason,
dsrt lard 1t and treat her as you do other rebels.
A. LINCOLN
Then follow letters from General Schofeld under date
Of Washington June IA, s64 and from President Lin
coin and Secretary SantonO the same day, cOngratu-
atiug General Burbridge on his victory over Morgan
Numerous other letters, including one from Mont
gomeIy Blair under date Of Washington June 81 1896,
aud one from Salmon p Chase, under date OF washing
ton June 49, 1899 submitted They indOrse General
Burb1dges manner Of dischargiDg his military duties
in Kentucky
the statement concludes with letters from Robert J.
Breckenridge, W c. GOOdlOe, James Speed 7. g Bell,
Indgc Advocate General Holt, W X Kinney, c. T. Bur
nam j. F. Robinson, d. NJ. Key and others, all OF which
tend 10 the opinion OF thor writer's General
Burbrdge record has been worthy OF commentator In