The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1865-01-03
The Louisville ] JOurnal ON slave.
~ I'm Kentucky HH


We have already called attention to
the fact that since the election, the Lou-
isville Josrna! has declared itself In fa-
vor Of an amendment Of the Constitu-
ton abolishing slavery. But the Jour
nal does not content itself with merely
expressing its assent to such an amend
ment. 1t is vigorously urging the adop-
ton of such an amendment in series
Of able articles In the latest of these
articles it declares that slavery is SO de-
moralizing in Kentucky, and so great
are the present evils caused by it, "and
so much greater those in anticipation"
that the Legislature at its approaching
session "wouh be sustained By the peo-
pie in avowing: First, that the rebellion
has virtually destroyed the institution"
in that State. Second, that the sooner
Kentucky "can get rid of the shddow of
slave labor system and grasp the SUB.
stance Of compensated labor system,
the better it will be for the interests Of
labor, the moral condition ofths negroes,
and the welfare of the industrial pursuits
Of the Commonwealth. And it urges
the Legislature to recommend 20 the
Representatives of Kentucky in Con-
gress to cause that body ".to place the,
constitutional amendment before the
people at this session, and thus anticipate
ytar for the removal Of still vexed
question from the councils ofthe nation
Such an action on the part of the Ken
lucky Legislature, it believes, "would
procure the immediate passage" Of the
proposed amendment.
"No stakeholder" it declares, "can
now expect the perpetuation Of the in
stitution." Even if Hood could tempo
rarily occupy the State, I" no event could
possibly more contribute to the utter de-
struction of slavery" He would -inev-
itably be driven out, "and the success
i've waves Of contending armies would
sweep away the broken and demoral-
lied fragments eff this institution"
The Constitution will be amended,
and would it not {" be more judicious"
for Kentucky, urges the Journal, to
yield gracefully +" to the nations doeiro
than sullenly to hold on to a hopeless
species of property, never desirable, and
Gisooys in fact a source of evil epery ~ay?
BY such course she might obtain" aid
from the general Government for the
gradual but total removal of the negro
to Africa" Ifnot, her support of the
amendment of the Constitution, "would
win the good feeling ofthe nation," and
enable her " hereafter to obtain efficient
aid for the great object of removing the
African from our borders"
The Journal concludes as follows:
"We have always believed that the
people were in advance of the Legisla-
ture in recognizing the necessity of
adapting themselves to the rush Of
events ever since the rebellion broke
out. If, then, the members of the pres
ent General Assembly haye any doubts
let them rise above timidity and act
with the foresight, wisdom, and vigor
which the crisis demands, and they can
hardly fail to receive the approval of
their constituents at least they will be
justified by their own good sense. If
promptness is not used, and the solu-
ton Of tho question is laid over to the
consideration of a succeeding Legisla-
ture, what will be the result? The Re-
publican party have already proposed
to organize, and have called q State
Convention on the 4th of January at
frankfort for the purpose Of carrying
the next August election upon this ques-
ton. Where is the necessity of enter
ing into an excited contest, and making
fight over the wake of the dead corpse
of slaveryp Let us bury the fostering
carcass out of sight, and let the present
Legislature be the undertakers. We be-
lieve they will render their names mem
orable in the history of the State, and
when the calm verdict is stamped up
on their action they will win the graft
tude of the present and of future gene
rations, If they shrink from meeting
the issue, and refer the question to the
people, we feel perfectly convinced that
an overwhelming vote will be cast to
rebqke their timidity, and send repre-
sentatives to Frankfort, who will pro-
claim that slavery in its present putres-
cent condition, is an incumbrance to
the growth, prosperity, and moral adj
vancement of the State. Out of the
CARCASS of the lion they will extract
sweetness from an effete SYSTEM o LeaT-
tiful improvement will spring up to
solve the riddle of Sampson, symbol
zed by bees and honey-the emblem of
industry"
As regards the hopes of our contem
porary, that the negroes of Kentucky
will be sent to Africa by the aid of the
Government, it is entirely welcome to
entertain them. Kentucky can spare
none Of her laborers, and slavery will
not have been long abolished within
her borders, before her landowners will
be glad to employ their former slaves
at wages. If they will not, they will
sell their lands to men who will. The
negroes may very probably not be the
best laborers for Kentucky, but they
must be retained for lack of better
Neither the nation, nor any State, will
have laborcrs to spare for many years
after the end of the rebellion.
But the remaining arguments OF the
Journal in favor of the immediate abo-
lition Of slavery, are most convincing
and we are not entirely without hopes
that they will be so regarded by the
Kentucky Legislature, to which they are
addressed. detroit Tribune.
Coon HIr-The Joyrnol of Com
merce, one Of the most contemplate Of
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