Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-07-04
ANTI-SLA.VERY BUGLE.

quentes Of holding ON to it. Yet she has not been
subdued by 1t. Neither her industry, her mtelli.
gence, nor her morals have been 50 far subjected
to the blight MS to destroy Der conscious power of
reuoyatiOn. The elments Of strength are there,
within herself: not exhausted, nor thoroughly cor.
rupted. She has never pledged herself, lirc and
soul to slavery as q part Of our national System.
In all the cflorvescence Of debate about a southern
cOntcderacy, her face has been turned STEADILY to
the North. Her editors denounce and DEFY what
they call the interference OF the free states with
her domestic affairs but they arc not slow to warn
their more southern neighbors that they will
scccde, if at all. WITHOUT her, from the federal
brotherhood.
Kentucky is on the right track. She has a com.
mon school system supported and guaranteed by a
state tax. So broad and deep has she laid the
basis OF popular education, that but "a few years
must suffice to bring upon the stage a more intei.
ligent class of voters and legislators. She is now
in the midst of u geological survey, which for
thoroughness and adaptation to practical results
have not been excelied, it equalleJ, by any other
state. 1t will embrace q complete analysis Of her
soils, and Of her iron ores, of which tue variety Is
almost endless d-the quality unsurpassed. Her
coal mines cover more than ono.third Of her ter
ritory. Her forests are immense, yielding every
kind Of timber of extraordinary growth. She has
mineral springs in abundance no swamps, but II
rcning surface congcnial to health and favorable
to II vast range of culture. Her lo3al position for
availing herself Of these resources is one Of the
most fortunate in the country. Tho Ohio river,
which runs the entire length Of the state, is n th-
ing less than "a great moving highway, nearly
seven hundred miles long, with navigable streams
falling into it from tie interior. The current,
always downward, is itself o propeliing power,
giving the cheapest transport in the 'worlG, and a
a continuous market to the mouth Of the Missis-
sippi. What a market is that when she is ready
to supply the machinery of all the rivers south
,-A .,a,t - Gil -. - --- IL
of the Gulf of Mexico! When she gets the cap
ital and the enterprise, Kentucky can have nc
rival 20 dispossess her Of this vast ma rdct.
when she gets tho capital and enterprise"
That is just the point. This great state, with con.
tiguous beds of coal and iron underlying more
than one.third of her territory, goes ID Pittsburgh
for the former article, aud for the manufactures OIL
the latter to the cities and towns of the Atlantic
coast! But her people are now waking up to thu
humiliation of this dependence, and to n keen per
ception OF the fact that, instead of receiving 4
large income from their home resources, they are
paying an immense annual tribute to the labor and
the shops of distant communities. What is more
practical yet, they are widely convinced that
slavery is the only obstacle to n change in all this
matter. To get capital they must have credit, and
to get credit they must have freedom. The money
lenders of Europe will take a Russian loan Of fifty
millions, at a low rate Of interest, sooner than they
will take five at double the rate from any of the
sluNc sllleo VI lillS CUIlCuSTutN Our NTptnIeN u
Kentucky may call this folly and prejudice, bu
they cannot overcome it. Its roots arc imbedled
in the moral sense of all civilized and lrowin,
nations.
This is the critical position of Kentucky will
respect to her own history. She has long beer
looking towards freedom, and she has taken a grea
step 10 opposition to the general habit Of the ole
slave states, 10y establishing a system of common
school education. Let her take n specific legisla
tive step at this crisis, when the thoughts of thu
whole world are active on the subject Of human
bondage, and she will be received Mt once into the
financial confidence of the nations. There are
periods inIhe history of communities when tn,
initiation vi IA policy founded on the advancin,
sentiment or morale of the people, may and ought
to be considered equivalent for practical ends tt
the settlement Of the question. We are inclined
to believe that now is that period for Kentucky
May the wisdom Of her people not let it pass un
needed! 1t is nothing new for them to talk abou
becoming a free state. Hardly an intelligent mai
can be found within her borders who does no
entertain, and, on occasion, freely express the con
%yiction that her lot and destiny is irrevocabl,
linked with the system of northern freedom an,
that if a separation of the Union is to take place
the present limo Of Mason and Dixon will b
! abolished.
There is good ground for Kentucky to expec
Immediate advantages as the result Ut such q legs
latiye demonstration as we have proposed. lie
'aios are MOI Impoverished ADO tneuue ot emlgrf
ton would flow in upon her. Her resources ar
not exhausted Her twenty-five millions CT acre
would be doubled in mar ket value IN n single Ga,
Her honor rs a dobtor has not the smell Of SUI ok
upon it Her citizens, to the last man, woul
repel reputation in any possible extremity. rs
deadly stain on their integrity. Wherever else }
American soil that lean spectre of dishonor ma
find refuge, is will not be within the limits of IL
state of Kentucky.
Il From the Providence journal, June IS.