New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-22
THE CONVENTION OF SLAVE
STATE EMANCIPATION


B. Gratz Brown, the four Radical Congressman
elect, Fr. Munich, and Emil Prctorius, mem
berS of the Missouri Legislature, published
call for Convention of the friends Of freedom
in the Slave States to meet at Louisville, Ken
lucky, on the 9Th of January, to interchange
opinions, and TO take such measures as may best
conduce to perfect the worl. of emancipation.
The Signcrs of the call justly remarked that 10
permanent peace can be thought of until in the
recovered Slave States the source Of the Rebel
lion, Slavery, shall have been destroyed; that
an energetic continuance in the policy Of free
dom must appear indspensably necessary, both
that this policy of freedom, both in the rccov-
cred slave territory ard in the loyal Slave
States, has become for us a question OF to be or
not 10 be-
The call met with many warm responses from
the Slave States. The Frce-Statc men OF Louis
lana, in particular, distinguished themselves by
prompt action, calling State Convention, and
clecting delegates. No such formal action has
as yet been taken in any of the other States,
but devoted friends were found in every one OF
them.
In order to mature the necessary preparations,
it was found necessary TO postpone the meeting
for several weeks, and it is now announced to
take place on the I'D of February. An execu-
tive committee has been appointed consisting Of
two members from each Of the following States:
Missouri, Kentucky. Maryland West Virginia,
Arkansas. Louisiana aud Tennessee Among
the best known names of the committee are
Gen. CAN'T of Arkansas, and Hon. G.. +. Flan-
dcrs of Louisiana, member Of the last Congress.
Kentucky is represented by James Speed, who
intends TO establish Republican newspaper in
Louisville, and George f0rster the editor of
the Louisville VolksJian, a German Anti-Slavery
organ in Louisville, and as yet the only Repub-
lican organ in the whole State. Maryland has
Henry W. Hoffman, a prominent Enancipa-
zionist, and member OF the General Assembly
for Baltimore.
Tho reception which this call met among the
Pro-Slavcry Unionists of Kentucky and other
Slave States is curious illustration of the
irrcconciable antagonism between the spirit OF
Slavery and the spirit of the Constitution.
Where in the civilized world is a country, ac-
knowledging the right Of free speech and of
freedom Of association, IN which the right Of
holding such convention as that conyokcd AZ
Louisville would have been contested But
the shareholders of Kentucky and their organs,
in spite of their protested Unionism, most
determincdly contest the right Of such all
assembly to meet in Kentucky The language
of the two leaGine rro..ssllee@2fy, Conditional
Union journals Of tie State, The Louisville Jour
nal s.Iia i Tie Frankfort Commonwealth, is so cm-
pha,ic. and so characteristic Of the spirit Of
Slavery, that il ought not to be allowed 10 fall
into oblivion. In the opinion Of the former, the
call is 4" both impudent and revolutionary" and
not only this. but "fcndish." at is purpose
fit to be conceived only by the demons Of hell. "
The Journal knows that "thcrc was a Kentucky
once that would have brooked the eternal devil
TO keep his state in Louisville as easily as such
convention" The language Of The Frankfort
tONfHUNNFuUU
movement" it says, ais fraught with mischief
and with imminent peril and whatever is ncces-
sary TO prevent such foul wrong and Outrage
upon loyal State, should be rosOrted to-" The
Commonwealth is opposed TO allowing Kentucky
" to be dcsecratad by such a meeting" /" III
there cannot be found some Col. Gilbert to sup
press these disturbers Of the public peace, and
real enemies to law, order, and the Union cause,
let the people-the brave, honest loyal people
in the exercise Of high duty to themselves
their families, and their State, expc the inccn-
diaries. They should be handled without
gloves"
Since this comment upon the original call for
the Louisville Convention was made in the
leading Pro-Savery though proiessedly Union,
papers Of Kentucky October, 1863, the cause
ofFreedom has made wonderful progress. Ma
ryland has even outrun Missouri, and elected a
General Assembly, in which al overwhelming
majority Of the members are for immediate
and which will call n Convention
to convert tho State at once into a Free State.
The loyal legislature of Old Virginia is equally
outspoken on the subject and has made similar
provisions for the abolition of Slavery in those
ountics Of Virginia which were not included in
the Presidential proclamation of January ],
1868. Louisiana and Arkansas have developed
an Emancipation party, whose strength and en-
ergy even many Copperhcad organs are forced
to acknowledge. Ncw-Orleans has now, at ,
least, four thoroughly Anti-Siaycry daics, and I