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their sentiments.
On the contrary, the
House, six days thereafter, resolved--71 to 26--that the
Governor be directed to order by proclamation the
Confederate troops encamped on the soil of that State to decamp immediately.
An attempt so to amend the resolution as to require all
Union as well as Disunion forces to quit the
State, was decidedly voted down; and the two Houses united in passing, by overwhelming votes, the following:
Resolved, That Kentucky's peace and neutrality have been wantonly violated, her soil has been invaded, and the rights of her citizens have been grossly infringed, by the so-called Southern Confederate forces.
This has been done without cause: therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That the Governor be requested to call out the military force of the State to expel and drive out the invaders.
Resolved, That the United States be invoked to give that aid and assistance, that protection against invasion, which is guaranteed to each one of the States by the 4th section of the 4th article of the Constitution of the United States.
Resolved, That Gen. Robert Anderson be, and he is hereby, requested to enter immediately upon the active discharge of his duties in this military district.
Resolved, That we appeal to the people of Kentucky, by the ties of patriotism and honor, by the ties of common interest and common defense, by the remembrances of the past, and by the hopes of future National existence, to assist in expelling and driving out the wanton invaders of our peace and neutrality, the lawless invaders of our soil.
These resolves were adopted — in the
House by 68 to 26, and in the Senate by 26 to 8.
Magoffin promptly vetoed them.
The Legislature as promptly passed them over his veto by overwhelming majorities.
Gen. Grant, commanding at
Cairo, had already telegraphed to the Legislature, Sept. 5th, that
Western Kentucky had been invaded by a large Rebel force, who were then holding and fortifying strong positions on the east bank of the
Mississippi at Hickman and
Chalk Bluffs.
The Legislature referred this dispatch to a Special Committee, which telegraphed thereupon to
Gov. Harris, of
Tennessee, who thus responded:
The Confederate troops that landed at Hickman last night did so without my knowledge or consent; and, I am confident, also without the consent of the President.
I have telegraphed President Davis, requesting their immediate withdrawal.1
Gen. Grant did not see fit to depend on the fair promises of
Gov. Harris, nor the amenity of
Gen. Bishop Leonidas Polk, nor yet of
President Davis, for the safety of his department, but occupied, next morning,
Paducah, on the south bank of the
Ohio, near the mouth of the
Tennessee, with two regiments and a battery, finding Rebel flags flying over many of the buildings in that little city, in anticipation of the speedy appearance of a Confederate force, reported