New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-07
KENTUCKY.
Letter from Gen. Palmer 70 the President.

Letter from Gen. Palmer 20 the President.
Gen. John n. Palmer, commanding the De-
partnent of Kentucky has addressed letter TO Presl
dent Johnson answer to the charge that the Provost
Marshals of his Department were in the pTactce OF
issuing free papers" TO cOlOred persons, WITHOUT
regard TO the legal right of those receiving them 10
freedom. 1t is forcble paper. and contains many
important facts which the farmers OF AentucAy VIII uo
well to consider He says:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KENTUCKY
louisville XIV. July q, 1900
"T0 his Ercellency ANDREW JOHNSON President Of hs
"SiR: have already by telegram acknowledged your
dispatch of yesterday containing copy o. dspatch OF
Mr. Price which states that provost marshals issue
free papers TO negroes Unfortunately refer you
80 my dispatch in which no free papers are issued
by officers of this Department Which, though liter
ally true does not quite meet the facts as they are.
II forward you my General Orders. Nos. ~ and A..
Under these orders many passes have been issued by
yroyostmarshals, &C. to negroes who hold themi and,
told in many cases, they regard and act upon them
free papers.
1HoUsANDS OF NEGROES ABANDONING THE STATE.
1.-THE reasons for issuing Order No 80 will be found
the face of the Order but the reasons which nu-
enced the Mayor and his friends to apply to me do not
Large numbers of negroes were then in Louisville
from the surrounding country, who had escaped from
or repudiated the authority of their masters
The Mayor and others desired myapproyal OF plan
they had arranged for the general enforcement OF the
laws against vagrancy and the law which orbidS slaves
10 go large and hire themselves out as free persons
To have enforced these laws would have produced
great misery and alarm among the blacks 10 leave
tle negroes in the city would have Alarmed the ehf Oh
Che citizens who beforehand taught 10 MINK thelr
presence would cause pestence They sought to make
NE responsible for either consequence
TO avoid both issued order No 81: Inuer IL
over 900 negroes have crossed the Ohio River at this
place alone.
xxpEcTED EMANCIPATION on INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Before the 4th OF July an Impression got abroad
among the negroes throughout the state that on that
day they would all be made free. lnlamed by this be-
lief thousands of them left their masters houses and
into our posts at different points in the state
Every nook agd hiding place at such places as Camp
Nelson Lexington, Frankfort, Bowling Green. Nun.
fordville &C. filled with Them They were with
out work means; aud the greater the number and
the more destitute they the more the people re.
sisted employing item. J compelled from these
causes 10 issue General Orders No ~. and the free
papers referred 10 IN the telegram of Mr. Price are
merely the passes issued under that order.
The CONSERVATIVES MAKE TIE NEGROES tx
PECr THEIR FREEDOM.
"Ihave been greatly embarrassed in respect to the
coorod people by the acts and declarations of politicians
snd presses in the anti Administration interest They
have given the negro extraordinary ideas OF the pur
poses of the Government by announcing IN their
speeches and columns that II was the intention OF the
Government to free them all, furnish them with food
and clothing. and put them on an equality with the
whites. Invariably conservative gathering in q
neghborhood is followed by stampede of negroes.
ONLY SIXlY-FOUR THOUSAND SLAVES IN KENTUCKY.
Il think and respectfully submit that it is impossible.
under the existing of facts here TO enforce the
laws of the State in reference to slaves aud Slavery
AT the beginning of the war Kentucky had about
100000 slaves:
SSVVVo
Our reports show number of negro en-
HStmentS. .2c,olo
Estimated number of women and chill.
dren freed by resolution of Congress of
March 3 1866, q for each man. s6,
Balance. .i29, IS;
One.balf OF this residue ere presumed to have be.
longed 10 Rebels, and are therefore free... sos
From this small number ought still TO be taken
percentage for the thousands who have escaped from
The State.
OPPRESSION OF FREE CoLoRED MEN.
"Fo- the sake of keeping the small number in sub
fiction masters the whole in the state most
cruelty oppressed and OUTRAGED under color Of laws
which renders freedom to negro in Kentucky mpoSsi'
be
Il have felt il ny duty to give protection to this
large free population for possible but in doing SO,
Ihaye been, on occasions compelled 20 do acts winch
In effect greatly impair the tenuie OF tie small LUmoeI
Of persons who still technically masters OF slaves
Indeed II mus; be admitted that many slaves have left
.he state under Orders Nos. 81 and 49, which are In
closed and every decision make in favor OF negro
seems TO start host Of individual cases which comes
within the same principle.
THE STATUS OF NEGROES N KENTUCKY
In short Slavery has no actual existence IN Ken
tcky and If the Constitutional Amendment Is de-
faed at the election the whole active colored popna-
ton will fly unless employ the troODs TO prevent 1t,
aud you have not, and viii not be likely TO order that
90 be done. .
"To illustrate heefreot OF any fair rule upon the
status OF Slavery in Kentucky viii advert TO the ef
feet Of one rule which AN compelled to recognize ana
observe
"By the laws Of Kentueky--laws once when all were
slaves juss enough in their apploation-a negroes
were presumed TO be slaves. Now large majority are
certainly free. To presume Slavery from color
alone is contrary to justice; 10 presume freedom
without regard to color and give protection according
". is 10 end Slavery. AIN often called upon 10 afford
protection where there is proof at hand, and ain
compelled TO presume way or the other.
II submit these difficulties TO meet Of the com.
plants which will probably reach YOU from the loyal
people Of Kentucky
- have the honor 10 be very rpsnectfullv
IL NJ pAINyp Maior.Cfn