The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-03-08

VI the nlllitary force nov organized auu
in camp withirfthe STATE. Ii such ac-
ton as is hereby urged be promptly
taken. l firmly believe the peace OF the
people of Kentucky will be preserved.
and the horrors of a bloody war will be
averted from a people now peaceful and
tranquil"
President Lincoin's Reply.
To this the President replied:
In all | have done in the premises l
have acted upon the urgent solicitations
OF many Kentuckians, and I'm accord
ance with what / believed, and still be-
lieve, to be the wish of the majority OF
all the Union-loying people of Kentucky.
while L have converSed on this SUBJ
ject with many eminent men of Ken
lucky. including large majority Of her
members Of Congress, l do not remem
Der that any one of them. or any other
person. except your Excellency and the
bearers of your Excellency's letter. has
urged me to remove the military force
from Kentucky. or to disband Ii. One
other very worthy citizen of Kentucky
did solicit me to have the augmenting
OF the force suspended for a time.
Taking all the means within my
reach to form judgment. / do not be-
lieve 1t Is the popular wish of Kentucky
that this force shall be removed beyond
her limits; and with this impression i
1t.
IT most cordially sympathize with
your Excellency in the wish to preserve
the peace Of my own native State, Ken
lucky. 1t is with regret ! search, and
cannot find, in your not very short let
ter, any declaration or intimation that
you entertain any desire for the preser-
walton Of the Federal Union"
Again, man who entered into con-
troversy had season to regret it. Gov.
Magofiin made a poor showing on paper
In comparison with the great President.
In Louisville.
/ Louisville. then a city Of $4,000. was
the most considerable town in Ken
lucky, and ranked Immediately after
New Orleans and st. Louis among the
largest cities in the South. 1t was
strongly Union, made SO by its large
population Of skilled mechanics. AS a
rule. the better classes OF workingmen
everywhere were strongly opposed to
slavery and slavery extension. In the
Municipal election the Citizens and
Workingmen's Association which de-
manded unqualified allegiance to the
Union, without regard to former party
affiliations, had elected ]. NJ. DELPHI as
Mayor by a large majority. although
the Knights Of the Golden Circle. with
the notorious Buckley at their head,
openly drilled IN the streets, marched
definatly through them, and made every
effort to intimidate loyal voters. Prom
inent among these was John w. TOmp-
kins. a notorious bully, Clerk to the
Board of Aldermen, and we'll known
to be recruiting men for the Confeder-
ate army. Buckner's State Guards also
gave all their assistance to electing the
States Rights candidate. Collisions be-
tween Union men and SecessiOnists
were Of daily occurrence, and civic war
seemed often imminent. The Seces-
sionists were insisting that they be
stroked gently the right way, or they
would crimson the streets with blood
One of these occasions was upon the
celebration Of WashingtOn's Birthday
by public meeting in the Court
House grounds. Hon. James Speed de-
livered a stirring patriotic address. and
the Star Spangled Banner was raised
with reverent ceremony. Buckner, who
was present with strong force of his
State Guards withdrew them, without
saluting the Flag. Mayor DELPHI, car
rying out the purposes of his election,
was organizing Louisville as a Union
Government, independent of what the
State Government might decide to do.
The Union men were all properly dis
trustful Of Gov. Magoffin and his CO.
terie as to what they might attempt.
The city had it's own Union army
the command OF Maj. Woodruff. who
subsequently became Colonel Of the Cd
Ky. The Marion Rifles refused to fol-
low the State Guard, but remained and
properly saiuted the Flag. AS soon as
the Union organizations began to pa
rade the streets the secessionists ceas-
ed. because 1t made a revelation of how
far they were Outclassed.
The killing Of Tompkins.
The decisive demonstration came in
a most unexpected way. The Seces-
fngs upon receipt OF the news from
Bull Run, and assumed that now their
opponents were demoraliZed. In real
ity Bull Run only stung them into
sterner determination. The situation
became terribly strained, and any mo-
ment an outbreak might occur which
would deluge the streets with blood.
J. W. Tompkins took this opportunity
to make himself exceedingly offensive
by promenading the public places
shouting for jeff Davis. G. A. Green,
Union policeman, ordered him to
cease disturbing the peace, to which
Tompkins replied by drawing a bowie
knife and defying the officer Of the law.
Green promptly fired upon and killed
him. The widest excitement followed,
and It seemed that the reign of blood
which Buckner had been threatening
was at hand. The killing was a chal-
lenge to the knights of the Golden Cir
Gle to do their worst, and they started
in viciously. but the sudden array of
Union men in support Of Green was SO
overwhelming that they were awed into
quiet, and from that moment lost
ground.
Mayor DELPHI began the organization
Of Home Guards, with the Marion Ri
fes as nucleus, and soon had two fine
regiments, with the Mayor as Com
mander-in-Chief and Lowell III. Rous-
seau as Brigadier-General. When the
latter determined to raise a regiment
under the Presidents call Gen. Jas.
Speed succeeded him in command.
Mayor DELPHI felt himself strong enough
to demand the keys Of the State Ar
mory at Louisville from Gen. Buckner,
who reluctantly surrendered them, and
then Delphi ordered all the State Guards
in the city be disarmed.
The Home Guards became the model
for similar organizations all over the
State, which reduced the State Guards
from their aggressive intolerance to a
defensive attitude. The crisis came
when it was decided to send 5000 mus
kets, 100000 cartridges and a supply
of powder and lead to Gen. Nelson for
ho Of ho he