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was met by argument, threat by threat, appeals to sentiment and prejudiceon one side by similar appeals on the other. The leading public men of theState, however, had been trained in a school of compromises, and they longcherished themselves, and kept alive in the people, the hope that some settle-ment would be reached that would avert war and save Kentucky from becom-ing the battle-field of contending armies. This hope accounts in a largedegree for the infrequency of personal affrays during those exciting days.
The struggle, kept up during three sessions of the Legislature , demonstratedthat the State could not be carried out of the Union by storm, and terminatedin adopting the policy of neutral-ity as a compromise. The Unionmen, however, had gained somedecided advantages. They had consented to large appropriations forarming the State, but on conditionthat the control of military affairsshould be taken from the governorand lodged in a military board offive members, the majority beingUnion men; they provided for or-ganizing and arming Home Guards,outside of the militia force, andnot subject, as such, to the gov-ernor’s orders, and they passed anact requiring all the State Guardto take the oath required of offi-cers, this measure being mainlyfor the purpose of allowing theUnion members of that organiza-tion to get rid of the stringentobligations of their enlistment.
As in most compromises, the terms of the neutrality compromise were dif-ferently interpreted by the parties, but with both the object was to gain time.The secessionists believed that neutrality, as they interpreted it, would educatethe people to the idea of a separation from the Union and result in alliancewith the new Confederacy; the Union men expected to gain time to organizetheir forces, elect a new legislature in sympathy with their views, and put theState decisively on the side of the Government. Events soon showed thatthe Union men best understood the temper of the people. The Legislature adjourned May 24th, four days after the governor had issued his neutralityproclamation. At the special congressional election, June 20th, nine Unionrepresentatives were chosen to one secessionist by an aggregate majority ofover 54,000 votes. The legislative election in August resulted in the choiceof a new body three-fourths of whose members in each house were Union men.
Under the first call for troops, Kentucky was required to furnish four regi-ments for the United States service. These Governor Magoffin indignantly
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