USA > Kentucky > The story of Kentucky > Part 8
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" Who? " inquired Peterson coldly. She had not even seen his elaborate new evening costume on which he had spent so much time and money. " Who, the Marquis ? There he is," and he pointed. with rather a malevolent smile, to a little flippant- looking old man who was bowing and smiling and chattering away to the dense crowd that sur- rounded him. Was that the noble, distinguished "guest of the nation "! ' Mary turned away with a pensive smile which seemed to say that life. though quite a fine thing, still lacked a good deal of perfection. After that glance at the hero young Peterson did not find it such a difficult matter to command her attention. And had the Marquis asked her to dance, I fear he would have received a reply similar to the one Louis Philippe received many years before from a Frankfort girl, who, un. willing to wound the feelings of a rustic admire! whom she had just refused. declined to dance with the prince.
Mary had always liked Stanley Peterson - though!
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his father was a pork-packer and his grandfather - nobody knew who. But what mattered it, after all, about one's ancestors? The spirit of evil is no respecter of persons; and noble houses have their black sheep, too. Who, for instance, could be more unlike her noble grandfather Cabell than her eldest brother, Ferdinand ? That grandfather - the hero of the family beginnings in the deep Kentucky wilderness - was dead, and Ferdinand was the head of the house. But, though a brilliant and scholarly fellow, Ferdinand, with his extravagance and dissipation, had about ruined the family finan- cially. Under his administration the vast Cabell estate had melted away until there remained only the homestead and a few of the old family ser- vants; their daily living depending on the two energetic, industrious younger sons.
Lafayette had visited Frankfort before when the place was little more than a canebrake. The sim- plicity of the early settlers was doubtless all the more charming to the young Frenchman because of their familiarity with the artificialities of the first capital in Europe. Certainly one of his compa- triots lost his heart here- young Beaumar - and for the sake of his Kentucky bride, turned his back forever on the Old World.
A twelvemonth afterward Stanley Peterson sat in his father's office, making himself agreeable, long
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after closing-up time. "I see Henry Clay has at last induced Congress to acknowledge the indepen- dence of Greece," he remarked. " But for him South America would never have been recognized. General Bolivar, it is said, revives the patriotism of his soldiers by reading them Clay's eloquent appeals in their behalf."
" Yes," said the old gentleman, always pleased with the praise of his favorite, " Henry Clay is alway- on the noble side of every question ; foremost in every movement that reflects honor on his country.
" As for that duel with Randolph," continued the son, "he was forced into that." (Quite frequently the young men of Louisville settled their quarrels with swords or pistols for two, in a retired spot on the other side of the Ohio.)
" Forced !" exclaimed the elder sternly. " No man is forced to make a target of himself or to attempt to commit murder."
" If it is right for nations to massacre each other on account of a difference of opinion, it is right for individuals," said the son, who was a chip of the old block. " It is merely a question of wholesale or retail."
The father's reply was still more decisive, but the son wisely returned to the more agreeable theme. " Mr. Clay favors the copyright law," he resumed. " He says the literary period of a nation is its
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golden age." (Young Peterson secretly contem- plated the publication of a volume of poems as soon as he should have the time to arrange them.)
" Well, it's about supper time," said the old gen- tleman, quite aware of the perturbation beneath all this conversational glibness.
" By the way, father " - in an easy, off-hand man- ner-" I am going to be married next month. I thought I'd better tell you now."
" Who is it ? " frowning portentously.
" It's the widow Keith's eldest daughter, Mary. A lovely girl, and as good as she is beautiful," with gathering defiance.
" Has she got any sense ?"
" Plenty of it; and courage, too. She said you would object because they are poor now, but she wasn't afraid of you. She said you had too much sense not to make the best of a bad bargain."
The old man smiled grimly. "Well, if she is anything like her mother she'll do. As for her father, Keith was a charming fellow, but he had no business tact. In fact, I think he had some fool notion that buying and selling were low. Now his daughter is glad to marry a pork-packer's son. But her grandfather Cabell - you seldom see such gen- tlemen these days. He was offered about every office in the power of the State, but always refused. Was even talked of for Governor. Lived more
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like an English lord than like a farmer. Splendid farm ; superb horses, and about fifty likely negroes - but I suppose it's all gone into Ferdinand's crop of wild oats. That's the sort of life I want to live some day."
The country life was the ideal life in those days. Lawyers, physicians, merchants, politicians - all were struggling toward the time when they could retire to a principality of about fifty colored souls, and a thousand acres of blue-grass pasture, dotted with grazing herds and horses of the bluest blood. This was the sort of life to which Henry Clay has- tened at the close of each session of Congress.
CHAPTER VII.
"THE FIRE-BELL IN THE NIGHT."
M
GEORGE
D PRENTICE.
UCH has been said and written, in a face- tious way, about the belligerent character of the Kentucky peo- ple. In the first place, only a hardy and high- spirited race could have overcome the difficulties and dan -
gers incident to the settlement of Kentucky. The pioneer had inherited from his English ancestry that same peremptory, masterful spirit which has helped to give John Bull the dominant power in the world ; a tendency which a generous admixture cf Scotch and Irish blood has not tended to diminish.
After their long-continued warfare with the In- dians it was impossible that people of their tem- perament and experience should settle down at once to entirely peaceful pursuits. Conflict had
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become habitual. The cultured class adopted the premeditated and ceremonious style of homicide prevalent in France -the duel; a fashion which the law-maker endeavored to check by making the participant in a duel inelligible to office. Those of 1
smaller pretentions used less punctilio. Often whiskey, which was more freely used then than now, was almost wholly to blame.
In 1838, at the Galt House in Louisville, -a hotel pronounced by Charles Dickens as equal to any in Paris, - an affray occurred which is a fair sample of what whiskey and bravado could do in those days.
Judge Wilkinson of Mississippi, accompanied by his brother and friend, stopped at the Galt House on his way to Bardstown, where, in a few days, he was to be married to an accomplished young lady. His brother ordered a suit of clothes of Mr. Red- ding, a fashionable tailor of Louisville, depositing one hundred dollars in payment. He wore the coat away, but soon returned with the judge and his friend. The coat, it seemed, was all wrong. . 1 quarrel ensued, which resulted in a fight, inter- rupted by the bystanders in time to prevent blood- shed. An hour afterward, Redding, accompanied by his brother-in-law. John Rothwell, went to the Galt House to obtain their names for indictment. The quarrel was resumed in the bar-room. Red-
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ding offering to "whip the three of them if they would lay aside their dirks." " I will not fight with a man of your profession," returned the judge, "but if you interfere with me I will kill you." A few more words and the bar-room was converted into a battle-ground. Besides the. Mississippians' dirks there seems to have been no weapons more dangerous than a cane and a " cow- hide " whip. When the room was cleared, two of Redding's friends were to be found mortally wounded - John Rothwell, his brother-in-law, and Meeks, a bar-keeper.
The trial, held at Harrodsburg on the plea that an unprejudiced jury could not be obtained in Louisville, was listened to by about one thousand men and two hundred ladies - or, in the language of the local reporter: "the fair enchantresses who hold the magic wand over man's happiness in this sublunary sphere " - "two thirds of whom were distinguished for great beauty." Traces of their influence are discoverable throughout the trial, in many an extraneous peroration.
Hon. John L. Bridges presided. A brief resume of the facts of the case were given by the youthful prosecuting attorney, Mr. Edward Bullock, and the law bearing on it briefly stated. No law, he de- clared, could excuse a man for resenting by the murder of his enemy a blow from a "cowhide
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whip " or a cane - the weapons used by Rothwell and Meeks.
He was followed by Col. Wm. Robertson, "a polished gentleman of the old school, with ruffled shirt, starched frills, gold-headed cane, and the studied sauvity of a courtier." The colonel de- clared that the man who " allowed another to whip him and live, was eternally disgraced ; an object of scorn and loathing; " both the judge and his friend Murdaugh, he declared, " stood justified by every principle of divine, natural and municipal law." "God forbid that a jury should ever be found in this country to condemn a man for killing one who made so felonious and unwarrantable an attack on himself or his brother." If they had acted otherwise " never afterward could they have looked society in the face; nor would they have received the countenance of any honorable man."
In conclusion he deplored the growing practice of employing hired counsel in criminal cases. The learned gentleman who was to receive one thou- sand dollars for his services (Hon. Ben Hardin. must have undertaken to convict, if he could. whether the accused be innocent or guilty; and he invoked the sympathy and aid of the "lovely beauty " by which he was surrounded. His speech occupied fully an hour.
The Hon. S. S. Prentiss of Mississippi, followed
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in a lengthy effort "ot transcendent eloquence " frequently interrupted by bursts of applause. " What ! a man whom he had known for years as the soul of honor, guilty of a base and cowardly assassination. Perish the thought!" The de- fense included, besides Mr. Prentiss and Colonel
THE COURT HOUSE PORCH.
Robertson, Judge Rowan and John B. Thompson (both United States senators), Samuel Daviess. Chas. M. Cunningham, C. M. Wickliffe and James Taylor (whose will in 1853 included real estate in Kentucky and Ohio valued at four million dollars).
The Hon. Ben Hardin devoted two hours and a .
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half in the afternoon to the prosecution and the same length of time on the following morning. " In this country," he said, " experience has taught us that a change of venue is sought, not to obtain justice but to evade it; to thwart and embarrass the prosecution, and multiply the chances of elud- ing the responsibility of the law." He questioned the "high character " of a "judge" who knock- down a tailor with a poker because there is a shade of fashion lacking in the collar of a coat. Such free use of personal liberty to avenge private quarrels was indicative neither of courage nor brav- ery. "In New England you can get no man to fight a duel; but when they have been called into the field for the protection of their country, show me where men have been more prompt to rush upon the bayonets of their country's invaders. Sir, courage and bravery belong to the respecter- of the law, which, in a civilized community. pro- tects every man's rights." In conclusion, he begged them not to "stigmatize their country by proclaiming these guilty men innocent and free o: crime."
Judge Rowan, in closing the defense, declare- that " the man who is attempted to be cowhided. not only may but must, if by any possibility he can, kill the man who attempts to degrade him." This he called "a law of Kentucky instinct which
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none are so ignorant as not to know, and few so dastardly as to deny its injunctions." Mr. Hardin, who had " engaged to take the life of the accused for one thousand dollars," he compared to " a turbid and muddy stream of large volume, emanating from the fetid marshes of exuberant avarice."
The changes were so rung on the influence of ยท that one thousand dollars, its corrupting power was so magnified and distorted by the whole of the de- fense, that the jury, in horror of the murderous one thousand dollar influence, unanimously pro- nounced the accused " Not guilty."
Ah, well, judge and jury, counsel and accused are now, it is likely, gone to their own reward, where eloquence, nor pride, nor money, nor station can neither avail to excuse actual guilt, nor to dis- tort and blacken innocence. And now, we are told, the " one thousand dollar power " is not so potent.
Kentucky was then, as now, distinguished in ora- tory and the profession of law. Lexington and Bardstown were especially noted for the eloquence and ability of their lawyers. The Clays, the Breck- enridges, the Johnsons, the Wickliffes, the Hardins, all have a national reputation. It was Judge Duvall, a pioneer Bardstown lawyer, who furnished for Washington Irving the interesting character of " Ralph Ringwood."
Political matters were still of as serious impor-
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tance as in the days of the "Old Court" and the " New Court " conflict, and of the struggle between the " Relief " and " Anti-relief " parties. The " Old Court " party had drifted into the National Repub- licans, generally known as the Clay party. This. in 1832, received the name of Whig. The " New Court " party became the Democratic-Republican, or Jackson party, now known as Democratic.
There were few movements of national impor- tance in which Kentucky remained inactive. The slavery question was now assuming threatening pro- portions. Much of the wealth of the State consisted in slaves. Some of these were inherited ; others were purchased - oftentimes out of pure pity for the unhappy chattel on the block. Yet to many of the Kentucky people, with their great love of freedom. slavery was as obnoxious as to the people of the North. As early as 1804 a society led by six Bap- tist ministers, was organized for the emancipation of slaves. The Baptist Association declaring it " improper for ministers, churches or associations to meddle with emancipation, or any other political subject," the "Emancipators," as they called them- selves, withdrew and organized " The Baptist Lick- ing Locust Association," or " Friends of Humanity."
There is no account of insurrection among the slaves of this State until 1848 (about the time the French mob was surging through the Orleans palace
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and Louis Philippe escaping through a back door). In that year fifty-five slaves under the guidance of a party of Abolitionists, set out for freedom across the river. Thirteen escaped, the rest were cap- tured; and the leader of the Abolition party, who had received stolen goods in payment for his " services, was sentenced to twenty years' service in the penitentiary.
This evidence of discontent revived the interest in the emancipation question. In 1853 sixty- three colored people, emancipated for the purpose, left Louisville for Liberia, on the western coast of Africa. The following year forty-four were sent from Kentucky and in 1855 fifty-two more were sent. At this time sales of negro men are recorded at $1,378, $1,295 and $1,260. In 1856, when the Liberia scheme had proved a failure, on account of the unhealthfulness of the climate, emancipation meetings were held, and delegates appointed to a convention called for the purpose of amending the Constitution and providing for the gradual emanci- pation of slaves. New York had emancipated hers gradually; in 1840 Rhode Island and Connecticut had only a few; New Jersey had three hundred, and Pennsylvania about sixty-four. Why should not Kentucky pursue the same method ?
Hitherto slavery in this State had not been pro- ductive of any serious discontent. A " hard mas-
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ter " would have received the same condemnation here as in the free States. Few Kentucky slaves had availed themselves of the system of emancipa- tion known as the " Underground Railroad." This was a plan organized by the " Abolitionists," a sma !: but active band of whom had established regular stations for the accommodation of fugitives, and en- gaged conveyances along a regular route to the far- away land of freedom. Mr. Coffin of Cincinnati. who liberated thousands in this way, was called the President of the " Underground Railroad."
Although she had lost few of her slaves by the " Underground Railroad," Kentucky resented this method of " slave-stealing " as lawless and dishonor- able. Nor was it less distasteful to the majority of the Northern people. Even those who considered slavery wrong, preferred to attend to their own affairs rather than stir up the South and start a war; and they put some of the Abolitionists into jail as disturbers of the peace.
Yet there was a vague dislike of slavery abroad in Kentucky.
" Papa," said little Henry Clay Peterson, one day. "let's set Aunt Becky and all our people free." " What for ?" asked his father in surprise. " Well. Aunt Becky's hand is all burnt, dreadful, and she wouldn't have to get dinner, if she was free. And Uncle Ned out on the farm has got the rheumatiz.
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and he isn't very well, nohow. But he has to go out and work in the cornfield, any how; and, papa, he gets so little of the corn." " We all have to work, Harry," said his father. Nevertheless he, too, felt the same prejudice against the inequalities of slavery that Harry had expressed.
The admission of Louisiana to the Union had greatly strengthened the slave-power in the country, so that, when Missouri, the remaining portion of the French purchase, sought admission in 1818, Con- gress hesitated long, debating the wisdom of accepting her with her slave-supporting consti- tution. For nearly three years the two parties wrangled fiercely over this portentous question, which, Jefferson says, "awoke him like a fire-bell in the night, from dreams of security."
It was finally decided that Missouri should have her way, but that henceforth slavery should be re- stricted to the territory south of a certain central line.
In 1835, Texas, aweary of her long and futile struggle against the Mexican powers, presented "herself at the door of Congress asking to be taken into the Union. The annexation of Texas meant war, as well as the extension of slavery ; and Henry Clay, with the most of his party, opposed her ad- mission ; as much on account of an extension of " the national evil," as of her feud with a friendly
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power. In this way he lost the support of Kentucky. who was in strong sympathy with Texas. For nearly ten years Texas fought for freedom and a place in the Union; and at last (May, 1845) wa- taken under Columbia's protecting wing. An army under General Zachary Taylor of Louisville - who had fought Indians for thirty years, at the bidding of the Government - was ordered to her defense. This was " old Rough and Ready," beloved as much for his bluff honesty as for his readiness in the service of his country; though that service was oftentimes in opposition to both inclination and judgment.
Then there came a call for volunteers; Kentucky was asked for two regiments of infantry and one of cavalry; three thousand men. In less than a week fifteen thousand responded ; ten thousand more than could be accepted. The Louisville Legion. commanded by Colonel Ormsby, a regiment of infantry under Colonel W. R. McKee and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Henry Clay. Jr., and a regiment of cavalry under Colonel Humphrey Marshall were ac- cepted for service ; also, by special order of the war department. Captain John S. Williams' company.
General Taylor was ordered into the very terri- tory under dispute. His first victory was at Palo Alto; this was quickly followed by that of Resaca de la Palma. After the battle of Monterey there
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was a second call for volunteers. It was privately given out how many would be wanted, and the two regiments of infantry required were filled some weeks before the requisition was received, so there was no chance for competition.
On February 22, 1847, occurred the terrible battle of Buena Vista, in which General Taylor's little army of four thousand five hundred were opposed by Santa Anna's twenty thousand. "You are sur- rounded and cannot avoid being cut to pieces," said Santa Anna, looking down on the little band with contempt. " I give you one hour in which to sur- render."
" General Taylor never surrenders," retorted old " Rough and Ready." His position in the narrow pass of La Angostura, with precipitous mountains on either hand and a labyrinth of impassable gullies on one side was almost inaccessible. All that day the battle went on in fitful, ineffective charges by the Mexican troops. Many of the Americans were fighting their first battle. When night threw her veil over the horrible scene, the shivering soldiers dropped down on the rocks to rest, while to make night hideous the howl of the jackal mingled with the groans of the wounded.
Next morning at dawn the battle was resumed, the Mexicans having gained a position on the hill- side in the night. Many brave Kentuckians had
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fallen. Col. W. R. McKee and Henry Clay, Jr .. fell like heroes at the head of their men. What thoughts of home and loved ones must have swept through the minds of these poor soldiers as they lay dying on the stony ground. Was not glory dearly bought at such a price ?
The American loss was reported as seven hun- dred and twenty-three, the Mexican, two thousand.
Once, it is said, this handful of untrained fron- tiersmen was actually defeated, but in their ign .. rance of military law, fought on until victory wa- won. Santa Anna's army was in full retreat; Gen- eral Taylor's mission was accomplished ; Texas wa- free. But General Scott, to whose relief on the very eve of battle General Taylor had sent a large portion of his troops, pushed on into the enemy'. country, taking town and fortress, until Santa Anna, the patriotic Mexican general who had fought and conquered Spain, was forced to sue for peace.
The object of Burr's ambition was achieved: Mexico was at the disposal of the United States. The loss and cost of this war to widen our bound t. ries was just half that of the seven years of Revo- lution.
News traveled slowly in those days. Kentuck: where it was known that General Taylor had parted with his veteran troops just before the battle, awaited the result in deep anxiety. Some months afterward
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the dead heroes of Buena Vista were brought home and buried in the beautiful Frankfort Cemetery, which Anthony Trollope declared the loveliest he had ever seen; and the poet soldier, Theodore O'Hara, pronounced above them that inspiring benediction, " The Bivouac of the Dead."
Not far away from the tall shaft commemorating the heroism of the Buena Vista soldiers, may now be seen the grave of this same Theodore O'Hara, who fought through the civil war and died in 1867.
In the same neighborhood is the tall monument erected to the memory of Colonel Richard M. Johnson, hero of the " Thames " and Vice-President of the United States, who faithfully served his country for a half century or more ; and near by is the column erected by Kentucky "to her brave and noble son, Philip Norbourne Barber, who fell at the head of his command at the storming of Monterey."
Standing high upon the cliff, clothed in majesty of towering pine and hemlock, the forest of marble shafts from time to time erected here, in honor of military bravery, imparts to this picturesque ceme- tery an air as martial as that of " Fame's eternal camping-ground," of which O'Hara speaks. Ken- tucky has never been found wanting when military service was needed by her country.
Many soldiers of the Mexican War took part also in the great civil war. Besides Generals Thomas
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L. Crittenden, William Preston, John C. Brecken- ridge, Humphry Marshal, Walter Whittaker. Lovell H. Rousseau, William T. Ward, E. II Hobson, James M. Shackleford, John H. Morgan and John S. Williams, there were many others who served on one side or the other in the civil war."
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