Paducah Ky May 22^d 1862
Hon. B Magoffin
Gov. of Ky.
Sir

Col. Noble the Commandant of the U S forces at this Post, has ordered me not to exercise the functions of Judge of the M^cCracken County Court unless I volunteerly take the oath of allegiance to the government of the United States. I told him I had taken the oath to support the Constitution of the U. S. and of this State & all the oaths of office required by the laws of Ky and that I could not nor would not submit to take any other, nor would I resign the office. I am in the midst of his Soldiers and appeal to you as chief Magistrate of Ky to know whether my course is right or wrong and what course I ought to pursue. The oath is not merely an allegiance to the U S, but also requires that I should agree voluntarily to surrender the right of trial by jury and agree to be tried by a Court Marshall and suffer any penalty it may inflict even unto death. Hoping to

hear from you soon

I Remain
Yr Most Obt
G. A. Flannery
Judge M^cCracken Co. Court

As Clerk of the County Court I would resepectfully state to your Excellency that I have rec^d the same orders for the same reasons, have pursued the same course as stated by Judge Flannery, I am not permitted to exercise any of the functions of my office, in fact my office is closed to business. I join inwith the Judge in his appeal as to what I shall do

Yrs Resptly
Tho. D. Grundy
Clerk of the County Court M^cCracken County Ky

Executive Department
Frankfort Ky May 25. 1862

Hon J. J. Crittenden
Washington City D. C.
Dear Sir

You will see from the enclosed

paper just rec^d by me that another outrage has been committed upon the civil authorities at Paducah Ky, by Col Noble the Commandant at the Post. I hope you will Pardon me from troubling you again, to lay this matter before the Secretary of War believing he will redress the wrong without delay, I will only add that these interferences by the military with the Civil authorities and the numerous arrests of our citizens by them which are being daily made, without warrant, charges, Judicial authority, or investigation by the proper tribunals, with what is daily transpiring in Congress, will if persisted in greatly weaken if it does not extinguish the Union Sentiment in the State

With great Respt Your Friend
& obt Sevt
B. Magoffin

Copy of letters of Judge G. A. Flannery & Tho^s D. Grundy of Paducah Ky to Gov. Magoffin & his letter to Hon. J. J. Crittenden
May 25. 1862

Letters & c of Hon. W. P. Fowler to Governor Magoffin