Freedom in Kentucky
--Breaking up of Public Meetings by the Yankees--The Baltimore Sun of the 19th inst., has the following dispatch:Frankfort Ky., Feb. 18.--The rebel sympathizers of this State assembled here to-day, ostensibly for the purpose of making nominations for the August election. The House of Representatives by a decided vote, having refused the use of the hall, they rented the theatre.
Delegates from forty counties were present.--David Merriweather was elected Chairman, who, on taking the chair, said he hoped the Convention would do nothing that good and loyal citizens should not do. In the meantime a regiment of soldiers, with fixed bayonets, formed in front of the theatre, and when the call of the counties was made. Col. Gilbert appeared and caused to be read the following order:
"Reliable information having been received at these headquarters that a number of rebel spies and emissaries are in this city, it is ordered that all persons now here not residents, or members of the Legislature, or officers of the State Government, will forthwith leave their names at these headquarters, accompanied with satisfactory references as to their loyalty to the Government."
Col. Gilbert took the stand and said, to facilitate proceedings and save the Convention trouble, he, with his Adjutant, would take the names of the delegates as they were called. He said: ‘"There are those here whom we know to be rebels of the worst kind, under disguise of the name Democrat. You have assembled here with the hope of perfecting your designs, but it will not do. Repudiated by the Legislature, who have refused you the use of their hall, Democratic papers scorning and disowning you, there is no use in your holding a convention in Kentucky."’
"None but men of undoubted loyalty to the Government will be allowed to run for any office, and such meetings as this you shall not hold within the limits of my command. To avoid difficulty you will disperse to your homes, and in future desist from all such attempts to precipitate civil war upon your State" The assemblage then adjourned. There is some excitement in the city, but no disorder.
