Year: 1861

his hospital stores, or anything that is his


Indeed, SO impressed are we with the obi
cations Of this law, that we would no more
think Of plundering from our neighbor hall
a million of dollars because found in one Of
his unprotected mints, than we would think
Of filching purse from his pocket in a
crowded thoroughfare. Write us down,
therefore, "submissionists." Again The
law says, "Thou shalt not swear falsely ~
we submit to this law, and while in the civil
or military service Of the country, with an
oath to support the Constitution OF the Uni
ted States resting upon our consciences, we
would not for any earthly consideration, en-
gage in the formation or execution of a con-
spiracy t, subvert that very Constitution,
and with it the Government which 1t has
given birth. Write us down therefore again
"submissionists." Yet again: When o
President has been elected in strict accord
ance with the forms and spirit of the Consti-
tuition, and has been regularly installed into
Office, and is honestly striving to discharge
his duty by snatching the Republic from the
jaws ola gigtntic treason which threatens
to crush it; we care not what his name may
be or what the designation of his political
party, or what the platform on which he
stood during the Presidential canvas; we be.
leve we fulfill in sight of earth and heaven
our highest obligations to our country, in
giving him an earnest and loyal support in
the struggle in which he is engaged.


Nor are we at all disturbed by the flippant
taunt, that in thus submitting to the author
ity Of our Government we are necessarily
towards. We know whence this taunt
comes, and we estimate it at its true value.
We hold that there is higher courage in
the performance of duty than in the commits
sion Of crime. The tiger of the jungle and
the cannibal of the South Sea Islands have
that courage in which the revolutionists of
the day make their especial boast The ar
gels of God and the spirits of just men made
perfect have had, and have that courage
which submits to the laws Lucifer was
non-submissionist, and the first Secessonist
of whom history has given us any account
and the chains which he wears fitly express
the fate due all who openly defy the laws of
their Creator and Of their country. He re-
belled because the Almighty would not yield
to him the throne of heaven. The principal
of the Southern rebellion is the same. In
deed, in this submission 10 the laws is found
the chief distinction between good men and
devils. A good man obeys the laws of truth,
of honesty, Of morality and all those laws
which have been enacted by competent au-
thority for the government and protection
of the country in which he lives; devil
obeys only his own ferocious proAigate pas
sions. The principle on which ,his rebellion
proceeds, that laws have in themselves no
sanctions, no binding force upon the con-
science. and that every man, under the
promptings of interest, or passion, or caprice,
may at will, and honorably too, strike at the
Government that shelters him, is one of ut
ter Generalization, and should be trodden
out as you would tread out spark that has
fallen on the roof of your dwelling. Its un-
checked prevalence would resolve society
into chaos, and leave you without the slight
est guarantee for life, liberty or property
1t is time that, in their majesty, the,pcople
of the United States should make known to
the world that this Government, in its dig
nifty and power, is something more than
moot court, and that the citizen who makes
war upon it is traitor, not only in theory
but in fact, and should ha1e meted out to
HIM 4 traitors doom. The country wants
no bloody sacrifices, but it must and will
have peace, cost what it may.


Before closing desire to say few words
on the relations Of Bentuoky to the pending
rebellion, and, as we are all 'Kentuckians
here together to night. and as this is purely
family matter, which concerns the honor
Of us al, 7 hope wef may be permitted to
speak to each other upon it with entire free
dom. shall not detain you with observa.
tons on tie hostile and defiant position as
sumed by the Governor of your State. In
his reply to the rcquisition made upon him
FOR volunteers under the proclamation of the
President, he has, in my judgment, written
and finished his own history, his epitaph ins
cluded, and it is probable that in future the
world will little concern itself as to what his
excellency may propose to do, or as to what
he may propose not to do The response
has made for Kentucky record that has al
ready brought burning blush 70 the cheek
Of many Of her sons, and is destined to bring
it to the cheek of many more in che years
which are to come. tits shame, indeed a
crying shame, that State with so iIlustrious
past should have written for her by her
own chief magistrate, page Of history SO
utterly humiliating as this. But your Leg
islature have determined that during the
present unhappy war the attitude of the
State shall be that of strict neutrality, and
it is upon this determination that wish re.
spectfully, but frankly to comment. As the
motives which governed the Legislature
were doubtless patriotic and conservative,
the conclusions arrived at cannot be con,
demned as dishonorable, still, in view of The
manifest duty Of the State and Of possible re


suits, / cannot but regard It as mistaken and
false, and one which may have fatal conse
uuenceS Strictly and levallv sneak;po