The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-12
Abolition Amendment in Force-Progress

Abolition Amendment in Force-Progress
The first official act has been recorded which
recognizes the final death of slavery in all
the States, and the full working force OF the
Constitutional amendment destroying and
prohibiting it forever on every foot of territory
over which the stars and stripes rightly wave
In Kentucky, State untouched by 'ne
Presidents Emancipation Proclamation,
State which refused last winter to rat'iy tne
constitutional amendment, State which vot-
ed for Mcclellan and Is yet under Democratic
rule Gen. Palmer was indicted for passing
certain slaves beyond the State line, and thus
virtually recognizing their freedom. The cast
came up in the us Circuit Court at Louisville:
afew days since, and Judge johnson dismissed
the Indictment on the ground that the requisit
number of States had adopted the Constltu
tional Amendment abollshing slavery, beIor
the Indictment was made, therefore all crimi
nal and penal acts of the KENTUCKY Lesisla
turs reiasing to slavery were of no effect Gen
Palmer, military commander Oh that Distrlci
issued proclamation declaring that SLAYER.
has ceased in Kentucky. 70 5a b m
This is really good news from "Old Ken
tuck" The first recognition of the full force
ofthe amended constitution is made in State
in which slavery had remained up to that hour
intact, in State determined to hug its Chains
in State that has done all in its power tt
perpetuate the Institution. Who will say tina
God does not reign, or that the world doc
not move? Who will say that the fiery lur
mace of war has not separated some of tn.
gold from the dross in the national crucible !!
Less than fve-and-twenty years ago, il
Baltimore, now an anti-slavery city in an anti
slavery State, a man by the name of Tore,
was convicted and incarceratel in the Peni-
Tertiary on the charge of stealing slaves, OF
aiding their escape, and, dying of disease there
contracted, fell a martyr to abolition. To-day
in Kentucky, U. S. officer actually send
slaves out of the State, beyond the control O
their masters, giving them freedom, and the
highest judicial tribunal dismisses the indict
ment from against him by the friends OF slav-
eryI -'s'i'i'' 5E e iH4s t'a'ai6
A little more than fve-and- twenty years age
Lovejoy was killed in free State for adyocat-
ing the doctrines of human equality, and pro-
claiming the wrongfulness OF human slavery.
Since then that same State has furnished
the nation with an Executive who had tht
unapproachable honor of proclaiming liberty
to the captiyes in the South, and ofbreakins
the letters of three millions Of slaves by sin
gle stroke of his pen! A third of century
since VIM. Lloyd Garrison. was dragged
through the streets of Boston with rope
around his neck, for his opposition to slavery
now he may lift up bis voice in Richmond Oh
Charleston, and none dare modest him. Six
years ago Henry Advise hung John Brow
in Virginia, for raid against slavery; now
Wise's sonfiscated mansion is converted into 6
schoolhouse for freedmen, while John Browns
soul goes marching onp Surely, "though tn,
mills of God grind slowly, they grind exceed
ing small"