<title type="main">Unknown to Thomas E. Bramlette

Copy To his Excellency Gov.T. E. Bramlette Frankfort Ky --

The undersigned Citizens and property holders of Union Co Ky- would respectfully represent:

That they have carefully avoided the violation of any military ^order^ State or Federal law during the progress of the present Rebellion and that they have held themselves, and still hold themselves bound, in honor and good faith to yield obedience as non-combatants & law abiding citizens to any regulation that may be made for the government & well being of the people at large, by the regularly constituted authorities of the State of Kentucky & of the United States:

That -- knowing themselves to be innocent of any intention to resist the Draft or the execution of other Federal or State laws, they feel themselves entitled to demand that they shall not be made to suffer from unusual or extrordinarily oppressive measures -- measures that are enforced solely on the plea of the special disloyalty of the people of this locality:

That they feel deeply aggrieved by the action of Col Cunningham, a Federal officer of the command at present stationed at Paducah, who recently visited this Co. with an armed force of colored soldiers and forcibly conscripted about one hundred & eighty (180) slaves- some of them being dragged from voluntary concealment, the whole number being taken from a few persons, in one locality, thereby depriving innocent persons (some of them being widows and orphans) of their sole means of support at a time of unusual scarcity:

That they earnestly remonstrate against the action of said officer and demand redress for the present and safety for the future from like aggressions:

1st Because it is opposed to every rule of law, justice and common sense -- which no exigency military or otherwise can justify -- that the innocent should be confounded with the guilty, or that a few should be entirely ruined and impoverished by such an indiscriminate seizure of property, without reference to the loyalty or disloyalty, guilt or innocence of the parties affected. 2d Because it is an unprecendented hardship that unusual pains and penalties should be visited on this particular section where (as we solemnly affirm) the people generally were prepared to submit quietly to the operations of the enrollment law both as regards the white and black population, knowing that the loss of labor and property would have been thereby equalized, & because they expected as a matter of equity to bear their equal share of the burdens imposed by the necessities of war.

That we earnestly request you to delegate authority to some person of known & unquestioned loyalty resident in our midst, who is acquainted with the sentiments & conduct of the people, which will enable him to prevent us from being outraged in our persons or property in the future -- pledging ourselves in the meanwhile to acquiesce in the enforcement of every legitimate military & civil edict, & to be governed in our conduct by the laws of the state and United States, both in letter and Spirit

That we respectfully request, and do hereby delegate Dr Matthew Howard, of this place whose earnest and unwavering adhesion to the Fed. Government. is too well known to be called in question, to confer with the civil & military authorities on these & other matters essential to our welfare --

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Morganfield, Union Co, Ky June 10th 1864 Signed by the leading citizens, magistrates, & others

Copy

Petition of citizens of Union Co Ky to His Ex. Gov. T. E. Bramlette