Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-12-01
The Destruction Of Slavery in Ken
lucky.
The Recognition of the Facts Forced Ur
on her People.
fEretn tho T.ouisyill,

By reference To the official returns OF the
Presidential election for our State, which
we publish this morning as far as receiv-
ed 1T will be seen that the extreme cas-
tern AMI western counties have given large
Ballard, Graves. Hickman. MrCracken.
and Fulton. of "Jack>un's Purchase" the
vote stands: Lincoln, 1,944; Mcclellan.
l.9lI. in the eastern sweep. from Lewis.
on the Ohio river. to Knox, on the Ten
nessee border. these ten counties. with
Estill, Greenup. Laurel. Lewis. Pulaski.
Owsley. Whitley. and Rockcastle. gave
Lincoln 53i7; Mcclellan 2.55l. BY the
census OF 1860 the five western counties
held S,62S slaves. and the ten eastern
counties only $3.50. McCracken and
Ballard, the two counties at the month OF
the Ohio river, owned as many slaves as
the entire designated ten counties in the
eastern part of the State. We will not
stop to discuss the causes why the
extremities of our State are opposed to
it's central part. There are several differ
ent theories. but they all point to one
certain fact-the State is divided in
opinion, and the division is becoming
more apparent every time an election is
held. After the result OF the Presidential
election was made known. our correspon
dent ID" suggested the constitutional
removal OF slavery by an amendment to
the Federal Constitution, through the ac-
tion of Congress. adopted by vote OF
two-thirds of both Houses, and ratified by
three iourths OF the Legislatures or Con-
ventions of the States. and he showed by
statistical statement that this can be
accomplished in accordance with the
provisions of the Federal Constitution.
We. in reply. referred to the fact that
slavery could not be removed in Kentucky
by constitutional Stale action under less
than five years. 1t is, therefore, evident
that neither of these methods meets the
exgency of The case and the pressure Of our
necessities in Kentucky. Taking the re-
cent returns. and the result so unexpected
by many Of our people in tie interior. OF a
heayy pvte for Mr.. Lincoln. we must look
matters fairly in the face and consider
them practically. What is our case. and
the pressure upon Us? In the central
psrts-the bluegrass and the green River
Countrywide heaviest slaveholdng portions
of the State, their condition is deplorable.
! Our system o.: labor is utterly denorsli
zed; no family know when they rise in the
morning. whether they have servant TO
prepare their breakfast for them or not
But this is by no means the worst. for a
family Of any industry may cnn,rive to
cook their own breakfast, and dinner, too,
but many of our farmers are almost or
quite deprived of their laborers. Some
have lost only one or two hands, but Some
have lost fourth or half. and ~ome all.
Of their servants. The important consid
erations here suggest themselves, how are
the farms Of such men 10 bs cultivated
3ext season, and if not cultivated. where
are Cur supplies of food to come from?
These are practical questions for Kentucky
planters and farmers to meet, AMI they
have nothing to do with the result OF the
late election; they are contingent solely
upon the rushing tide of uncomfortable
events in the prosecution OF the war to put
down the rebellion. Again, many of the
farmers have had the wives and small
children of their men left on their hands, a
present and prospective burden, aud. what
adds to the perpiexity of their position.
the active men Of every age. and many Of
the younger and middle-aged women.
have been going away and will continue
to go until. apparently. the Institution Of
slavery will remove itself. aud with it we
shall lose nearly all our labor. The Gov
eminent wants active black men for sol
Fdiers; the policy of their enlistment has
bee ,me settled by legal enactment. and by
ths same power it is decided that the
wives and children of the colored soldiers
obtain with the enlisted negro the status
Of freedom. We are dealing with facts,