422 



KENTUCKY. 



from the Southern States, based mainly on the 

 declaration that the States, as such, can never 

 lose their place in the Union and their rights 

 under the Government. They declare, further- 

 more, their belief that a general amnesty should 

 be granted, because the right of secession had 

 been an open question, maintained by able and 

 sincere statesmen ; because punishments for 

 treason were unnecessary, and would be use- 

 less; and, finally, because the surrender of 

 the armies of the South was made in con- 

 sideration of a pledge, on the part of the Gov- 

 ernment, of amnesty and pardon to all who 

 should in good faith return to their allegiance. 

 The minority of this committee also submitted 

 resolutions couched in the following terms: 



Resolved by the General Assembly of the Common- 

 wealth of Kentucky : 



1. That the speedy restoration of the States lately 

 in rebellion to their practical relations with the Gen- 

 eral Government is of paramount importance to the 

 peace and harmony of our country. 



2. That to the attainment of this end we hope for 

 the speedy adoption of the proposed fourteenth arti- 

 cle as an amendment to the Constitution of the 

 United States, believing that this change in the law 

 of the land will, when carried into effect, tend to 

 secure justice, freedom, and happiness to the whole 

 people. 



3. That the power to determine the time and man- 

 ner of the restoration of the late rebellious States be- 

 longs to Congress as the immediate representatives 

 of the people and the States, and from the past course 

 of Congress we express our confidence that this 

 power will be wisely exercised. 



The administration of justice was seriously 

 interrupted at different times during the year 

 by an organized body of men who operated 

 chiefly in Marion, Boyle, and Mercer Counties. 

 This band numbered about one hundred, 

 and, under the name of " Regulators," professed 

 to execute justice in cases where the civil au- 

 thorities were inefficient. Jails were 'broken 

 open in many cases, and criminals summarily 

 disposed of before the ordinary tribunals could 

 pursue their investigations and mete out the 

 punishments prescribed by law. Citizens who 

 denounced the conduct of these " Regulators " 

 were in some instances notified by them to 

 leave the county or State, and in case of refusal 

 were kept in constant fear for their safety. 

 Their threats and edicts of banishment were 

 published in the public prints, and their violence 

 was directed not only against real offenders 

 whom the law had taken in charge, but against 

 all who dared to provoke their resentment. 

 The Governor of the State even was notified 

 to issue no more proclamations against them, 

 on pain of provoking their vengeance. Early 

 in September, Governor Stevenson issued a 

 proclamation ordering all such lawless organi- 

 zations to disperse and calling upon the citizens 

 to discountenance any attempt to forestall the 

 action of the regular authorities, and to aid in 

 the rigid enforcement of law. On the 1st of 

 October, however, the Governor received no- 

 tice of two murders committed in Marion 

 County, by " Rowzee's band," an organization 

 formed for purposes of private vengeance and 



for retaliation upon persons supposed to have 

 been connected with the " Regulators." The 

 Governor at once dispatched Adjutant-General 

 "VVolford to inquire into the cause and extent 

 of the disorders, with authority, in case of 

 necessity, to call out the militia to aid the civil 

 magistrates in bringing the offenders to justice. 

 General Wolford found it expedient in his judg- 

 ment to make use of three companies of the 

 militia in suppressing these disturbances. Soon 

 afterward, an attempt was made by a band of 

 thirty men to take a criminal from jail in 

 Mercer County, but without success; another 

 body of troops, under the command of Genera) 

 Sneed, was thereupon sent to the locality for 

 the assistance of the civil power, in case of 

 further disturbance. This prompt action on 

 the part of the Governor, together with the 

 very efficient conduct of the officers intrusted 

 with the suppression of these outrage?, restored 

 the disturbed communities to quiet before the 

 close of the year. These lawless operations are 

 stated, on good authority, to he entirely dis- 

 connected with political differences, and to be 

 owing, in no degree, to antagonisms springing 

 out of the late war. 



The political campaign in Kentucky com- 

 menced eai'ly in the year, as there was an elec- 

 tion for members of Congress in May> and the 

 regular State election occurred early in August. 

 The Democratic State Convention met on the 

 22d of February, at Frankfort. A list of reso- 

 lutions was adopted, in which the delegates of 

 the party announced the principles npou which 

 their political conduct was based, and expressed 

 their views with regard to the great questions 

 of the day. They professed an ardent attach- 

 ment to the Union, and declared that there 

 was, in their belief, no better way of maintain- 

 ing and perpetuating it than by upholding and 

 defending the Constitution. After expressing 

 their approval of the President's course in 

 vetoing several acts of Congress, they say : 



We declare that the attempt which is now being 

 made by Congress to reduce ten States in this Union 

 to mere territorial dependencies, and to hold them as 

 subjugated provinces under the iron heel of military 

 despotism, is not only the greatest political outrage 

 that was ever attempted in this country, but a mali- 

 cious and flagrant violation of the Constitution and 

 in direct conflict with the decision of the Supreme 

 Court of the United States. 



On the question of a general amnesty they 

 express their views in the following language: 



"We declare that it is the wish of the people of 

 Kentucky that the President of the United States 

 should issue a proclamation granting pardon and 

 general amnesty to all who were engaged in the late 

 rebellion, and we believe that such an act of magna- 

 nimity and wisdom will do more than aught besides 

 to restore concord, fraternity, and a perfect Union. 



They then proceeded to nominate for Gov- 

 ernor, John L. Helm, of Hardin County ; for 

 Lieutenant-Govern or, John W. Stevenson, of 

 Kenton County ; for Attorney-General, John 

 Rodman, of Franklin County ; for Auditor, D. 

 Howard Smith ; for Treasurer, James W. Tate ; 



