Head-Quarters Department of Kentucky,
Louisville, Ky., April 16^th, 1865.
Personal and Private
My dear Governor:

I this day send you a letter on a subject of much importance. I have written this letter after consultation with many of your friends as well as your enemies. I believe you are in favor of the speedy ending of Slavery in Kentucky for the good of the State and that you will ask your Legislature to pass the constitutional amendment. The time has come for you to speak out and I trust you will do it. You are much abused and misunderstood throughout the States and you owe it to yourself to remove all misunderstandings. —

What little I can do to set you correctly before the people, will be done. Personally I have a strong feeling

of friendship for you and I now believe I have misunderstood many of your opinions and acts in the past. You are not aware, Governor, how extensivily you are misunderstood in Kentucky, throughout the Northern States and at Washington.

The harmony now existing between the civil and military authorities of the State and the desire to completely cement the good feeling led me in part to prepare the enclosed letter, calling for your council on a subject so vitally interesting to your people.

What I wish is that you will prepare an answer as soon as possilbe to the letter and that the matter may ^you will return both to me with permission for them to^ be laid before the country through the associated Press.

If you say in your answer what I think you will, a new era will commence in Kentucky, that will bring happiness and prosperity

to your people. Those, who now misunderstand you, will then read you correctly to the public and a perfect harmony and sympathy will grow up between the civil and military — between you and the people — between the military and the people and all this will result in the rapid reestablishment of complete civil power and control in Kentucky.

I have deemed this subject of sufficient importance to send one officer^a messenger^ with this dispatch, who is instructed to await and bring back the answer, as pamphlets are now being written for the people of Kentucky on the constitutional amendment by distinguished gentlemen and I desire that you should be correctly represented in them.

Ja^s S. Brisbin
Brv^t Brig. General
G. S. O. U. S. Troops

Hd Qrs Dept Ky
Louisville
April 20/65

Since writing the within I recd orders to stop recruiting in Ky and I had thought not to send it to you but I have this day recd orders to recommence recruiting I will pass through Frankfort this P M on my way to Washington and I hope you will be at Genl Lindsey's Office so I can see you while the train stops —

I beg you will consider this matter and answer my letter so that I may take my letters and yours to Washington — I think if you will say that you will recommend the amendment to the Legislature Col^d recruiting would be stoped — It is cruelty to Kentucky not to say so, If possible reply to my letter to day — if not write your answer so I can get it at Lexington Saturday Evening before I go to W

Yours Respy
J S Brisbin