The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-03-04
The Constitutional Amendment.


The Kentucky Legislature have re-
fused to ratify the proposed amendment
TO the Federal Constitution, prohit iting
slavery. Gov. Bramlette makes this
action Of the Legislature pretext for
submitting to that body another of his
Characteristic messages. He informs
the Legislature that by rejecting the
amendment they have only RENTED the
question to the people and succeeding
General Assembly. Rejection" he
adds, "no more precludes future ratifi
cation than refusal to adopt any other
measure would preclude the action of
your successors in this opinion the
Governor is correct We presume no one
will question this fact The Governor
takes pull at his trowsers, and adds /:
Believing that slavery is irrevoesbly
doomed to speedy determination that
no one can entertain the faintest
hope Of is possible continuance; that
il has ceased to be valuable, and has
become burdensOme 10 our people, and
must grow more and more so until re-
lieved of il; that compensated labor
taking the place Of the present slave
labor can only restore US to advance
ment and prosperity; that the true pol
icy and real interests of the State
would be subseryed by an unconditional
ratification of the proposed amend
ment' -
I'VE break this sentence in the mid
die TO cry bravo, bravor whilst we
can, for il is known that the Governor
is great at striding, and frequently at
tempts the feat of equestrianism called
the two horse act" Bravo" again,
and now for the remainder of the SEN
tence:
-" with concurrent but indepen-
dent enactment emancipating the
slaves in Kentucky to take effect and
be declared when Congress shall have
appropriated and secured to the State
the last assessed value of slaves Tin
1861 10 enable the State in conformity
with the constitutional requirement., to
make compensation, and declare
immediate emancipation, thus leaving
the onus upon Congress of retaining
slavery in Kentucky for an indefinite
period or Immediately relieving US of
It by enabling US to emancipate by
making compensation therefore l most
earnestly but respectfully dissent from
the resolutions rejecting the proposed
amendment"
So down he tumbles between the two
horses. His stride was magnificent,
but the foothold was weak. Get up
and brush yourself Governor, and
make another trial Enlivened by the
jests Of Merry Andrew Jacob, probably
you may be more successful
But, seriously, does not Gov Bran
lette place himself and Kentucky, in
most unfortunate attitude2 IL slavery
is irrevocably doomed" as he says,
most truly, what can he aud Kentucky
effect by attempting to stem or turn the
current which is bearing it to destruc
ton? Would il not be far more manly
70 initiate the example of the people
of Maryland and Missouri, and aban-
don the institution TO its fate, instead of
persisting in being paid for acquies-
cence in the DEGREES OF Providence
Kentucky has had the services of her
slaves without pay long enough. In
demanding what she calls justice at
the hands Of the General Government,
does it il ever occur to her that justice
would require her to refund to the
freedman, out Of his hard earnings, as
q slave, something to start him on his
career as a freeman to encour
age him in eneountering the re-
Eponsibilities Of his new life ? He /
has toiled and suffered that she
might be enriched If she cannot now
award him his freedom, and assist him
pecuniarily, let her at least snake a
virtue Of necessity" and do the one,
with as much grace as possible. As for
for this act Of mercy"
hats out Of the question