Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 40

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452

USA > Kentucky > Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I > Part 40

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

184

ANNALS OF KENTUCKY.

1867.

of the late civil war." He calls attention to the fact that of the nine Ky. representa- tives in congress, only Geo. M. Adams has been admitted to his seat. "Kentucky, entitled under the constitution to nine rep- resentatives, has at this moment but one !"

Dec. 4-The report of quartermaster general Fayette Hewitt shows that the U. S. government has refunded, during the past year, $399,224, and still owes Ky. $1,468,937 for expenditures arising out of the late civil war. There are now in the state arsenal, 8 pieces of artillery, and 18,077 stand of small arms, of which 9,377 are cavalry guns.

Dec. 7-Death, near Cornishville, Mer- cer co., of Mr. - Ould, aged 103 years.

Dec. 11 - In the house of representa- tives, John W. Leathers, of Kenton co., offers a resolution to appoint a joint com- mittee (of 2 from the senate and 3 from the house) to ascertain and report the names of all citizens of Ky. who have been-1st, " Put to death, not in battle, by order of any military commander ;" or, 2d, "Ar- rested or imprisoned by order of any such commander ;" or, 3d, " Expelled from the state." And John J. Allnut, of Louis- ville, offers the following :

" Whereas, It has come to the knowledge of the general assembly, through the pub- lic press, that Gen. Stephen G. Burbridge, while commandant of the department of Ky., is publicly charged with causing many persons-citizens of Ky. and other states-to be murdered under color of mil- itary authority, and was, while such com- mandant, guilty of many other atrocities in the state of Ky .; which acts, it is under- stood through the public press, the said Burbridge denies. Now, that the country may be fully informed of the verity or falsehood of said publications, and that the said Burbridge may have a full and fair investigation of his acts and conduct while such commandant ; Be it resolved, that a committee of investigation, com- posed of 3 representatives and 2 senators, be appointed to take and hear proof, and report to the general assembly the result of their investigation-first giving notice to said Burbridge of the times and places of their meeting for investigation; and with power to send for persons and pa- pers." [Subsequently referred to the com- mittee on Federal Relations, where they slept the sleep that, in a legislative body, knows no waking.]

Dec. 17 to Jan. 10, 1868 - Admiral Ra- phael Semmes, of the late Confederate States navy and commander of the war- steamer Alabama, lectures on the "Cruise of the Alabama," in nearly all the impor- tant towns in Ky .- for the benefit of the Confederate Monumental Society. At a Christmas dinner to him at ex-Gov. Beriah Magoffin's. at Harrodsburg, with a large company of prominent ex-Federals and ex-Confederates, "hobnobbing together, and forgetting their animosities, Gov. Magoffin's toast was : " The fame of Amer- ican soldiers and sailors, whether rebel or

federal, is the common heritage of our people. And here is the health of my dis- tinguished guest, Admiral Semmes."

Dec. 19-Letter from Lieut. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman to Gen. Burbridge :

WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 19, 1867. Gen. Stephen G. Burbridge, Lexington, Ky .:

Dear General : I now have the pleasure to enclose you a copy of the letter I ad- dressed to you June 21, 1864, when you were commanding in Ky., subject to my orders. [See extract from it, on page 135 ante.] The instructions contained in that letter were commands to you, binding on you under the Articles of War, and for which you were no more responsible than for the execution of any other order. I alone am responsible; and I have no fear but my orders were right and appropriate. I hear the people of Ky. blame you for your acts under my orders. If so, they are foolish, for some of them were thankful that you were too lenient.". [Here follows a neat compliment upon Gen. B.'s services.]

Very truly, your friend, W. T. SHERMAN.

Dec. 19-The Danville Advocate puts on record the following :

"We remember that on a dark night, in the early part of Nov., 1864, the steamboat Allen Collier was stopped at the Maysville wharf, and a lieutenant with a squad of U. S. soldiers left the boat with an order from Gen. Burbridge for the arrest of Maj. Jas. J. Ross, editor of the Maysville Bul- letin. Diligent search was made for him ; but fortunately he had some intimation of what was intended, and was not found. We were less fortunate. On that same night we were a prisoner on board that boat, securely guarded. Our paper had been suppressed, we had been arrested at our home, taken without any charges prc- ferred, and a decree of banishment issued without any trial. We presume our offense was that we were the editor of the Dan- ville Tribune-one of the half-dozen Dem- ocratic papers in Ky., at that time, that adhered to constitutional principles, and did not worship at the shrine of King Burbridge. We have reason to know that it was the purpose of the Lexington 'clique' (who operated through Burbridge) to crush out the opposition to Radicalism in the state by suppressing the Conservative pa- pers and banishing their editors. An at- tempt was made to arrest D. Carmichael Wickliffe, editor of the Lexington Ol- serrer, but he found out what was in the wind, made his escape from the state, and sought an asylum elsewhere. Paul R. Shipman, of the Louisville Journal, was arrested, taken as far as Catlettsburg, we believe, and released. Thos. S. Pettit, editor of the Owensboro Monitor, was ar- rested and put "across the lines" at Mem- phis, and was an exile for months from his home. Threats were made against Thos. M. Green, of the Maysville Eagle- which paper, with the Louisville Democrat, made up the list of Democratic or conserv- ative papers then published in Ky."

- 1

185

ANNALS OF KENTUCKY.

1868.

Dec. - Mason co., by 1,421 to 964, votes a tax of one per cent. per annum for three years on all her taxable property, to pay for her stock subscription to the com- pletion of the railroad from Maysville to Paris. In 1851-52-53, Mason co. issued $250,000 of 30-year railroad bonds. By judicious sinking-fund management, that debt is already reduced to $124,000.

Dec. 25-Death, near Louisville, aged nearly 79, of Maj. Aris Throckmorton, a soldier of the war of 1812, and distin- guished before 1830 as the landlord of the Lower Blue Lick Springs watering-place, and from 1835 to 1865 of the Galt House at Louisville. His social qualities were remarkable, and the greatest men of Ky. and the West prized his company and friendship.

Dec. 27-The Lexington Statesman, the leading Radical organ in the state, says :

" The legislature proposes to investigate the official conduct of Gen. Burbridge while in command in Ky. The general does not shrink from this investigation ; he rather courts it. If it ever takes place he will show : 1st, That Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Wm. T. Sherman both in- dorse that action, his alleged murders and all ; 2d, That no man was executed by him that had not been regularly tried, convicted, and sentenced by court martial ; 3d, That after such conviction ample time was given friends to get a reversal of the decree of the court martial from Washing- ton ; 4th, That fewer men were executed by him than by his. successor, Gen. John M. Palmer; 5th, That he showed a great reluctance in the execution of severe meas- ures, but that his orders from his superiors were explicit; 6th, That the charge that he received bribes to let prisoners off is false. Gen. Sherman, it is said, when the investigation takes place, will furnish the evidence that Gen. Bragg, while in Ky. in 1862, executed some 16 men without trial. He will also furnish Gen. Burbridge all orders and parts of orders given by him to Gen. Burbridge, which orders. justify the latter in what he did. For Gen. Bur- bridge's sake, then, we say, let the inves- tigation take place; and let this much abused man be justified before the public with the hearty indorsement of his supe- riors."

1868, Jan. 2-The editor of the Maysville Eagle, Thos. M. Green, in noticing Gen. Brisbin's defense of Gen. Burbridge, relates several instances of innocent young men who were executed by order of the latter, without trial, without notice of trial, with- out notice to their friends of sentence until after execution ; an instance of a man guilty of being a guerrilla who was "sen- tenced to be shot, in connection with an- other man who was not within 100 miles of Henderson when the murder was com- mitted for which the former was con- demned; the mother and sister of the former interceded with Burbridge to change the death sentence to imprisonment, but he rejected their prayers ; they were ad-

vised to employ "an ex-Federal colonel who, for a large sum of money which was paid, undertook to secure the release of the condemned guerrilla, and succeeded- while an innocent man was hung in his place, at Henderson." He furnishes other instances and names, and alludes to still more ; and renews a challenge, first given in 1865, to Gen. Burbridge " to take such measures as would give him an opportunity to produce witnesses to prove these state- ments, either before a military or civil court." The article, while couched in respectful language, is strong, pointed, and crushing.

Jan. 3-During the entire year 1867 the steamer Magnolia transported to Cincin- nati from Maysville 2,102 hogsheads of tobacco, from Ripley, Ohio, 1,825, from Higginsport, O., 1,372, from Dover, Mason co., Ky., 994, from Augusta, Bracken co., 788, and from other points 2,083-in all, 9,165 hogsheads on one steamer alone.

Jan. 8-The city council of Louisville requests the Ky. senators and representa- tives in congress to insist upon some as- surance from the general government that Gen. John C. Breckinridge "will be free to return home at any time, unmolested by any agent of the Federal government in resuming the pursuits of civil life," &c.

Jan. 8-The central committee of the Union Democratic (or "Third") party issue an address calling upon their polit- ical friends, and upon all conservatives and Democrats, to unite upon the candi- date for governor who may be nominated by the Democratic state convention at Frankfort, on Feb. 22, and to send dele- gates to and take part in said convention.

Jan. 11-A report of the state librarian, sent to the senate by order, shows among the books in the library only one copy of any history of the state of Ky., (Collins', pub- lished in 1847) ; not a copy on hand of Fil- son's, published in 1784, Imlay's in 1792, Littell's in 1806, Marshall's in 1812 and 1824, Bradford's in 1827, or Butler's in 1834 and 1836.

Jan. 15-Samuel I. M. Major elected public printer by the legislature, receiving 119 votes, and John H. Harney 2 votes. Walter N. Haldeman elected public binder, receiving 114 votes, and Adam C. Kcenon 3 votes. A. W. Vallandingham elected state librarian.

Jan. 22 - Legislature increases the fee of witnesses for each day's attendance at court to $1. .25-Cities and towns on the Ohio river may contract to get their supply of water from, or may furnish water to, cities outside the state. [Especially adapted to Covington and Newport.]

Jan. 23-Samuel S. Marshall, of Illi- nois, on the floor of the U. S. house of rep- resentatives, of which body he is a mem- ber, denounces Gen. Stephen G. Burbridge as " the military Jeffreys of Kentucky," and characterizes his military career in this state in strong language. 25th-Gen. Burbridge replies, in very harsh terms, in a communication in the Washington City

186

ANNALS OF KENTUCKY.

186S.

Chronicle. 31st - Mr. Marshall has the letter read on the floor of congress, com- ments in respectful terms, and makes a personal explanation ; to which Gen. Bur- bridge replies, next day, in another news- paper article.

Jan. 24-The senate, by 29 to 5, passed a bill to purchase of the author 1,000 copies of a " Treatise on Pleading and Practice under the Civil Code of Kentucky, pre- pared by Jno. E. Newman," at $5 per copy. The house, Jan. 31, rejected the bill, 38 to 41; reconsidered it, and, Feb. 25, again re- jected it, 50 to 25 [51 votes being required to pass it].

Jan. 26-Death, near Louisville, of John H. Harney, aged about 65, editor since 1844 of the Louisville Democrat-a culti- vated and genial gentleman, and a grace- ful, vigorous, and spirited writer.

Jan. 27-Mysterious disappearance of Judge Andrew Monroe, of Louisville. May 28-His body was found floating in the canal opposite the Falls; the belief was that he was accidentally drowned.

Jan. 29-A young woman is found, in- sensible, at the foot of the cliff at the east entrance of the railroad tunnel, at Frank- fort; next day, when consciousness re- turned, she reveals the fact that she had been outraged by a negro man, and thrown down the precipice, 75 feet, to hide his crime by murder. He is immediately ar- rested and thrown into jail ; but the news spreading like wildfire among the Irish citizens, they gather rapidly in an excited mob, force the jail, take the negro and hang him at the top of the cliff-before Gov. Stevenson and Adj. Gen. Frank Wolford can gather police enough to put down the mob and let the law take its course.

Jan. 29-The house, by 74 to 10, passed a bill to take the sense of the qualified voters of the state upon the expediency of imposing an additional tax of 15 cents on the $100 for increasing the common school fund. It was defeated in the senate, by 18 to 15, by postponing further consider- ation until Jan. 6, 1869.

Feb. 1-Legislature declares it inexpe- dient to remove the seat of government from the city of Frankfort. The resolu- tion passed the senate by 17 to 12, and the house by 60 to 31. And yet, March 9, they passed and the governor approved a resolution inviting the cities of Bowling- green, Lebanon, Danville, Lexington, Lou- isville, and any others, to make propo- sitions, by Jan. 8, 1869, looking to the removal of the state capital to such place.

Feb. 3-Gov. Stevenson vetoes "An act to incorporate the Kentucky Silver Mining Company," in a very able message and for numerous strong reasons ; and the veto is unanimously concurred in.

Feb. 5-Legislature orders the remains of Beverly L. Clarke, who died while U. S. minister to Central America, to be removed from the city of Guatemala to the state cemetery at Frankfort, and a monument erected. 13-Appropriates $40,000 to

complete the new buildings at the Eastern Lunatic Asylum, $17,756 for same purpose at the Western Lunatic Asylum, and $20,- 000 at the Asylum for the Blind ........ 26- Authorizes the governor to borrow, from the commissioners of the sinking fund, $500,000, if necessary, in aid of the ordi- nary revenue of the state, to meet the ap- propriations of the present general assem- bly. .... ... 28-Makes it lawful to import Texas cattle at any time between Nov. 1 and April 1 in each year, but any party importing same to be liable to prosecution if thereby fatal diseases are spread among our native cattle. 29 - Telegraph lines to be taxed 50 cents for each mile of wire.

Feb. 6-Mr. Barlow, in a letter of thanks to the legislature for the appropriation of $1,500 to enable him to exhibit at the Ex- position or World's Fair in Paris, France, in 1867, the Planetarium invented and constructed by his father, the late. Thos. H. Barlow, and himself, says that "as Kentucky's contribution it was exhibited in the American section of the Exposition, and proved greatly superior to any other instrument of the kind. It attracted much attention, and was duly appreciated by many men of science ; also, by millions of intelligent visitors. P. Dumoulin Fro- mert, who is extensively engaged in manu- facturing philosophical apparatus in Paris, is manufacturing them of various sizes for the supply of numerous European de- mands. Thus Kentucky has furnished the civilized world the best school appa- ratus for the illustration of the planetary motions," &c.

Feb. 10-Resignation of U. S. senator Jas. Guthrie, because of severe illness pre- venting him from attendance "for many months." Feb. 18-Thos. C. McCreery, (Dem. ) elected to fill the vacancy, receiv- ing 110 votes, Sidney M. Barnes, (Union,) 9, and Aaron Harding (3d party) 5 votes. [In the Democratic caucus, the evening before. the 9th ballot stood : McCreery 46, Jesse D. Bright 30, Richard H. Stanton 24, Lucius Desha 5. Subsequently the last three were withdrawn.]

Feb. 12-The house had under consid- eration the bill to appropriate $200,000 for "enlarging the present state capitol, so as to provide suitable chambers and commit- tee rooms for the senate and house of rep- resentatives, and also suitable apartments and fire-proof rooms for the principal pub- lic officers of the state required by law to reside at the seat of government." [The city council of Frankfort, on Jan. 16, had tendered to the state " a sum sufficient to purchase the two half squares, one on the east and one on the west of the capitol grounds, to be incorporated into the cap- itol square," on condition sufficient money is appropriated to enlarge the capitol as contemplated.] The bill was lost, yeas 46 [5] being necessary to pass it], nays 42. Thos. L. Jefferson's motion to issue $1,- 000,000 in state bonds for the purpose of said enlargement, subject to approval by a

187

ANNALS OF KENTUCKY.

186S.

majority of voters in the state as required by Art. 2, Sec. 36, of the Constitution, was lost-yeas 39, nays 51.

Feb. 13-A committee of three senators and five representatives appointed to in- quire into the expediency of granting state aid towards constructing railroads in Ky.

Feb. 20-Grand banquet at the Capital Hotel, Frankfort, in honor of Thos. C. McCreery's election to the U. S. senate.

Feb. 22-U. S. house of representatives, by yeas 126, nays 47, not voting 17, re- solves "that Andrew Johnson, president of the United States, be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors." [The Ky. delegation (all of whom, except John Young Brown and John D. Young, were by this time admitted to their seats,) voted nay.]

Feb. 22-Democratic state convention at Frankfort, Jesse D. Bright permanent president. Acting-governor Jno. W. Ste- venson unanimously nominated for gov- ernor. Geo. H. Pendleton, of Ohio, rec- ommended as the Democratic nominee for the next presidency.

Feb. 25-Lead ore taken from several places in Bourbon co., the finest vein on Payne's farmn, 3 miles west of Millers- burg-a vertical vein, commencing at the top of a cliff 60 feet high, on the bank of Hinkston creek, very small at the top (about 1 inch) but enlarging to 9 inches in the depth of a few yards. At Ruddell's Mills it has been found ; and was mined on Esq. Nunn's place, to some extent, years ago.

Feb. 26-The senate, by 26 to 2, adopted the report of the committee on finance- that in directing the purchase of 235 ad - ditional copies of Adj. Gen. Daniel W. Lindsey's Report for 1861-66, or " History of Kentucky Soldiers during the War," per act of March 7, 1867, it was the sense and understanding of the senate that the price was to be $20 per copy, and not $94 :- 19, as charged.

Feb. 27 - Union state convention at Frankfort ; R. Tarvin Baker, of Campbell co., nominated for governor, and Ed. R. Weir, of Daviess co., and Wm. Henry Wadsworth, of Maysville, as presidential electors. Gen. U. S. Grant for president. and Jas. Speed of Louisville for vice presi- dent, were declared to be the choice of the convention.

Feb. 28-Death, at Mexico, Missouri, aged 83, of Elder ("Raccoon") John Smith, of Bath co., Ky., a preacher of the Gospel for 20 years, from 1808 to 1828, in the Baptist church, and for 40 years, from 1828 to 1868, in the Reformed or Christian church.

Feb. 29-At Paris, Bourbon co., the wife of Moj. Geo. W. Williams celebrated her 17th birthday, although 68 years old. The gathering of husband, children, grand- children, and friends, made it as remark- able and interesting as a golden wedding, than which such an occasion as this is much more rare.

March 1-In Bourbon co., Wm. T. Pur- nell sold, at 10 cents per pound, or for $302:50, a bullock weighing 3,025 pounds. John McClintock, the purchaser, expects to fatten him to about 3,500 pounds.

March 2-Legislature divides the state into two divisions, eastern and western, according to the capacity of the two lunatic asylums. The counties of Jefferson, Bul- litt, Nelson, Marion, Taylor, Adair, and Cumberland, and all the counties east of them shall belong to and be the Eastern division ; and the counties of Meade, Har- din, Green, Larue, Metcalfe, and -Monroe, and the counties west of them, the Western division. The Eastern asylum, at Lex- ington, will accommodate 525 patients, and the Western, at Hopkinsville, 325 patients.

March 3-Legislature appropriates $4,- 000 to remove obstructions and improve Cumberland river between the mouths of South Fork and Rockcastle rivers [in Pu- laski co., about 31 miles long], and $2,000 to remove obstructions out of the Middle Fork of Ky. river, in Breathitt and Perry counties, as far up as the mouth of Cut- shin ....... .. 3- Dogs may be listed with county clerk and pay tax of $2, and thus "be deemed personal property and pro- tected as such.". .. 5-Fine, from $50 to $100, for making or selling adulterated candies ......... 6-Pay of petit jurors raised to $2 per day. .... .. The state divided into 16 circuit court judicial districts ...... Salary of the governor raised to $5,000 per year, of circuit judges to $2,300, and of superintendent of public instruction to $1,700 .. ...... $22,000 appropriated to erect 108 additional cells in the penitentiary. .7-County courts authorized to create additional justices' districts ......... 9-Char- ter of Ky. Insurance Company repealed, and receiver ordered ........ .County courts empowered to subscribe stock in turnpike companies, $750 per mile ..... ... Railroad companies required to keep ticket office at each depot open for 30 minutes before train time, under penalty of $100 fine ... Fees of county assessors increased to 15 cents for each list of taxable property .. ... Monuments ordered over the graves of Gov. Lazarus W. Powell and Gen. Henry Crist, the latter's remains to be removed to state cemetery, and the monument over Daniel Boone [which had been defaced by Federal soldiers during the war] to be re- paired .. ..... Elections for members of con- gress to take place on Tuesday after Ist Monday in Nov., 1868, and every second year thereafter .... .. Two copies of Col- ton's Works of Henry Clay to be pur- chased for state library .. .. Gold medal to be presented to Samuel Hatfield, of Floyd co., another survivor of those Ken- tnekians who assisted in achieving Perry's victory on Lake Erie, Sept. 10, 1813 ......

Resolutions in favor of general amnesty, and the unconditional restoration of the Southern states to their former place in the Union.

March 3-The senate, by 21 to 8, passed

ANNALS OF KENTUCKY.

1868.

the following preamble and resolutions, (which the house did not act upon, for want of time, at this late day in the ses- sion) :

WHEREAS, The Hon. Joshua F. Bullitt, during the progress of the late civil war, was compelled by military despotism to leave the state, in order to save himself from illegal arrest and imprisonment ; and being at the time oue of the judges of the court of appeals, and chief justice of the state of Ky., and the civil authority at the time being wholly under the domina- tion of the military, and unable to protect any citizen in his rights of person or prop- erty ; and whereas, the governor of the state of Ky., upon the address of the gen- eral assembly-during said military domi- nation, and at a time when the said Bullitt was absent by compulsion from the state, and dared not return to it-removed the said Bullitt from said office, contrary to law and in violation of all rules and course of proceedings in such cases ; therefore,

1. Resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That the proceedings of said General Assembly against the said Bullitt were unjust, ille- gal, and unconstitutional, and the remov- ing the said Bullitt by said address was a palpable violation of the constitutional rights of said Bullitt, and an insult to the honor, justice, and dignity of the state.

2. Resolved, That the proceedings and address in said case are hereby rescinded, and declared null and void.

[Several substitutes were voted down ; the votes thereon showing that every sen- ator disapproved the action of the legisla- ture of 1865 in "addressing" Judge Bul- litt out of office, while they differed as to the terms of condemnation to be used. A preamble and resolution, much more full and specific, were offered in the house, by John M. Rice, but not acted upon.]

March 4-Garrard county, through the members of the legislature, presents to each of her sister counties in the state, a package of Ambalema tobacco seed, grown in the valley of the Andes, in the United States of Colombia, and which it is be- lieved will prove equal to the Cuba tobacco, with the advantage that it does not dete- riorate in quality so soon by culture in a strange soil.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 40

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn Publication date: 1874 Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co. Number of Pages: 1452

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452