The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-03-05
CONSUMPTION OF NEaRoEs IN r..

CONSCRIPfION OF NEGROES IN Ken.
TuCKY.-The conscription of slaves, proyid.
coined in Maryland and Missouri AZ !,
means OF Fastening the process of emanci.
patton, already popularity accepted, and of
furnishing to the loyal masters larger COW
pensation than they were likely to 20,
either from the State or National povesn'
ments. 1t is only in Kentucky that i. w;iI
cause much dissatisfaction. and there :
the failure Of the rebellion were NOT ~
ready sure thing, there would probable
be open revolt against the measure. Gov
Bramlette, though as soundly loyal as .nr
man can be, has committed himself war;
ly against the enlistment of negroes in TIC
State, and Mr.. Clay Of the House, who snn0
ports tue administration in almost every
measure, demonstrated and voted ayain:,
the conscription Of negroes.
But, the measure having been adopted
there are other considerations besides the
impOssibility OF successful resistance
which will tend to reconcile the Kentuck,'
ians to it. Although less slaves have left
their masters in Kentucky during the war
than in any equal period before, according
to the statistics of the State auditor. vet the
assessed value of the slaves in the Staie
has fallen from sl07, 900, 600 to S57, 900, OOO-a
decline OF fifty millions, or nearly one-half
In less than three years. This has happen-
ed in consequence Of the war. It was tho
the inevitable result of the emancipation
going on in connection with the war. ,hA
disturbed and uncertain condition OF the
institution. and the consequent general
decline in the value Of slave property. II
must now be evident to intelligent Ken.
tuckians, that even if this negro conscrip-
ton bill had not passed. the time was close
at hand when slavery could not be profit
ably maintained in Kentucky. Certainly
if the emancipation proclamation is enforc.
lA<{ Nm
nlanentiy slave state in the heart Of
country otherwise free. 1t is therefore the
duty OF her statemen to act in the line with
inevitable events, and make the change al
little burdensOme as possible to the State.
There is another consideration, which will
very soon have force in Kentucky, if il has
none now. Unless the slaves areconscript-
ed the draft must be very heavy upon the
poor whites of the States. Will they sub
init to it out Of regard to the interests OF the
rich Shareholders Not if they compre-
bend their own rights and their political
power in the State. Ifthe Kentucky poll
ticians decide TO set themselves against the
slave conscription they may very soon find
they have made radical mistake. for
there are enough white voters in the State,
having no interest in the perpetuation Of
slavery, to take the control and carry i'm
mediate emancipation at any moment
when they shall get their eyes open to the
real, situation. Ard nothing would be a
quicker eye-opener than to find themselves
conscripted in order TO spare the negroe. Of
their rich neighbors.
1t is unjust end needlessly aggravating
at this time to decry the loyalty of Ken
lucky, or to deny the possibility of patriot
ism in STAKEHOLDER. The passage of Ken-
lucky through This last and severest trial
OF her attachment to the Union should be
made as easy as possible. And in frank
ness it must be confessed that there is no
higher style OF loyalty possible than that Of
the STAKEHOLDER. brought up in and believ-
ing in the Institution, and yet standing uE-
his belief that the emancipation war pOlis
cy il unjust and hurtful. 1t is easy and
natural for tine abolitionist to be loyal and
patriotic under existing circumstances;
the Shareholder, who cOnquers his preju-
dices and fights for the Union against bic
class and his institution, gives evidencesof
toughness in the fiber of his loyalty such -
we Yankees have no opportunity to sho
The loyal STAKEHOLDER should have gene
GUS sympathy and praise, not for his slave
holding, but for his patriotism, and the
compensation provided in the CONSUMPTION
bill for the slaves taken from loyal men
cannot he fairly objected to. The great
thing accomplished by the negro conscrip-
ton will be the immediate initiation Of
emancipation in Kentucky. Whatever the
people of that State may now do or say, the
thing is fixed. Slavery can not long sur
vive III State whose bodied slaves
are transformed into free soldiers. Ken
lucky may be angry now at what she con-
siders an invasion of her State rights; she
will have reason to be grateful hereafter
that she was not allowed to lag behind in
the grand march towards freedom and So
clal renovation. Republican.