Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-03

econd Saturday OF February, to secure a full rep
reBeRtation IN such state Convention, and
'hOFeash organisation 10 each sos u yN,.oa-,
chairmsn Union State Central Committes.
j. O. BURHErT, Secretary.
Now. that the Constitutional amend
nent hes become part Of the organic |
law, Of the land, and Kentucky, with
blind infatuasion, refuses to enact laws
for the protection of slaves made free
by it's provisions, the Freedmen's Ba-l
seati has been compelled to interfere in
that State in behalf of those whom it is
designed 10 protect Accordingly, Gen.
Fisk has issued circulars both to the
late slaves and masters, in Kentucky, in
which he asserts his Discrimination to
enforce becoming respect for the rights
of the freedmen until State laws are en-
acted guaranteeing to them ample pro-
lection in 9pefsonioand property. We
publish both the circulars in another
The conduct of tie people of Ken
lucky haze been strange in many par
ticuIars. Previous to the outbreak CT
the rebellion il was warmly urged by
politicians that slavery was creature
of latitude; that il would only exist
where it could be pro6tably employed,
and that IS you advanced North it held
to the soil with decreasing tenure, I'M
til finally il would let 60 altogether.
This theory, it was thought, was sufh-
cient to settle all slave controversies
growing ont Of the acquisition of terri
tory by the General Government The
great Henry Clay himself, was an advoi
cate Of this idea, and urged it upon
anti-slavery men with all the power of
his almost irresistible eloqueuce, Yet
we see to day that the State which holds
or to slavery with the most unrelenting
grasp is the State farthest north of all
the Slave States. It 10 State that came
near adopting an emancipation clause
in its Constitution years ago. This will
ful, foolish persistence in holding on to
an institution that has dwarfed her
greatness aud vithersd her best oppor-
tunities is an anomaly that future stu
dents of history will find it hard to com
prehend.
Kentucky has proven herself to be the
petted, spoiled child Of the Republic.
AS far back as 1898, she is found calling
conscientious and passing resolutions hav.
ing in. them the seeds of secession and
rebelIion--seeds that have brought forth
a harvest Of suffering and death, which
the entire nation have been compelled
to reap. All through her career, she
has been disposed to dictate and doDi-
nesr, using, as the most successful in
stfumentality in accomplishing her pur-
poses, intimidation and buster. At the
commencement Of the rebellion, she set
herself up, nominallys as apower between
two natagonistic factions-though one
Of the contending parties was the Gov
eminent to which she owed allegiance
and fidelity, and the other q rebellious
Aad insurfectionary faction seeking its
destruction--and she talked loudly and
grardilospently about neutrality between
helligereut powers, while she was giving
all her sympathy and best young men to
the rebels, and exsrsing all her. moral
influence against the Government HUI
moring her within, President Lincoln
plead With her to give the Government
her sssistance, by abolishing slavery
accepting such compensation as the Gov
eminent would cheerfully give for the
liberated slaves=-and thus place herself
distinctly ON the side of law and order.
: But the. pleadings Of the President we're
laughed to scorn. Treason was smiled
upon and encouraged. Guerillas and
bushwhackers were fed and protected.
Tine and again our armies were rolled
back from the farther South by the infor-
formation and assistance given the rebel
guerrilIas by Kentucky sympathizers.
We admit there were exceptions to
this conduct. There were noble men
and patriots in Kentucky, but they were
exceptions. The FIRST troops organized
for that State had to pitch their camp on
the soil Of another State. Gen. Rous>
seau, thar whom Drawer man or more
uuainching patriot never lived, met only
with coniumely and opposition in his
efforts to place the loyal citizens of his
State distinctly ON the side of the Gov
eminent. Te
1t is not, therefore, q matter of sur
prise, in the light of history, that Ken
lucky should hold on to slavery as dy
ing miser would clutch his gold. Nor
can we feel surprise that her Legislature
should repeal all laws in any way pun
ing those of her citizens who engaged
ia. the rebellion; or that it should re-
fuse to pass q law permitting negroes to
testify in the State Courts. 1t would
seem in that State that Justice had
fed to british beasts and men had lost
their reason"
Owe rejoice that General Fisk has thus
promptly stepped forward to defend the
cause of the oppressed Perhaps Q few
months Of efficient administration of the
Freedmen's Bureau in that State will do
more to convince them of the folly of
trying to perpetuate slavery than all
other Influences that can be suggested
or used. 1t has long since been DEM
onstrated that appeals, to the reason, jus.
tice, mercy, or common sense, of Ken
tuckians GA the slavery question, are
without avail. Appeals to their loyalty
have been equally without fruit Wrap
ping O mantle of peculiar warp and
wool about them, which they call con-
servatism, they are alike insensibls to
the demands of reason, or the dictates
of justice or the pleadings of mercy.
With the incorrigib!s but one course can
: be successfully pursued. Temperate
irmness in the enforcement of the law,
4 and the judieious administration of JUS
tice for its violation, may insure respect
if they fail to reform. And We are in
eIined to the belief that such result ID
all that the most hopeful can expect to
accomplish with the present generation
who have control Of affairs in our sister
State. Therefore, success TO the Freed