The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-11-30
Slavery in kentucky Hopeful sign.

y The Louisville Journal, not only the most
influential paper in Kentucky, but second to
none in the whole region west of the Allegha.
oies, has come out fat-footed in favor Of eman.
cipation as the only way of keeping up the
prosperity of that state. The extremes of the
state gave large majorities for Lincoln, while
the centre gave large majorities against him
The state Is thus divided in opinion, and the
division is becoming more and more apparent
with every election. After showing that in
the heaviest slaveholding region, the condition
of the people is deplorable, that labor is com.
pletely. demoralized, that no one knows al
night whether on rising in the morning a SER
want will be found remaining to cook a break.
fast, the Journal says that 1t has had numer
GUS communications and private letters, ask
ing If something cannot be done to prevent
this catastrophe, and all urging that to wait fol
the slow process OF an amendment or the Con.
stitution would beidangereus. It then adds
Emancipation, it is urged, may be effected
by the Legislature at their meeting in Janu.
airy, by making compensation for as our Con.
stitution forbids the Legislature to emauci-
pate without compensation, the necessary i'm
plication is that they may do it with compen-
sation. We have noidea, however, that the
Legislature will do this, even at the present
nominal value of the slave. When President
Lincoln proposed compensation, Congress did
not vote the supplies necessary for the com
pensation, and there is hardly possibility
that 1t will be offered again. The progress
OF the war will take our slaves away without
compensation, except the bounty for able
bodied soldiers. M f.-.,a s,.-sf
THE question now is not how shall we
save slavery, but how shall we raise our bread
and bake 1t after we have raised it. Where
shall we get the labor? We have now neither
slavery nor freedom; we have none of the ben
eilts OF either system oflabor, but are suffer-
ing the disadvantages of both, in the midst of
the decentralization and anarchy that prevail
around us. Shall we let events take their
course, and without effort drift with the
stream and land wherever our unguided bark
may bring up? Is this the part of wisdom, of
craftsmanship, or, better than either, of COM
mon sense? No one can assert it. We saw
again, let US meet this question practically;
iay ASIDE prejudices and look to our self inter-
ests. II we will not emancipate at once by
ieglsiauve act accompanied with compensa-
uon, Wnicn, as we have shown before, is per-
fectiy constitutional, then there is nothing
LETT, so far as we can see ut present TO prevent
our laborers slowly, yet wholly. leaving the
State, but solemn expression. of the legis-
lature OF Kentucky at its meeting this winter
that the rebellion has incidentally already so
demoralized slavery In the State that its res.
toration is beyond hope, aud that we must ac-
quiesce in its termination.
This would be but the expression of mat
ter of fact: 1t makes no difference whom we
blame or whom we do not blame, or whether
we are pro-slavery or antislavery. This is
concrete practical question ito be or. not to
be'-to eat or not to eat-'that 10 the ques-
tion.' Shall we let things drift along at their
own viii, or shall we interpose our active eff
forts to guide results ?" ad3 aq