New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-08-09

I in Deoember with 2O,ODO k0ntucky OiunletEs' ~
| tbe berinning OF March 1862, the Rebels were ez-
neled from the State. Humphrey Marshall, John O.
Rreckjnrdge and many other leading men, joined the
southern army. IL August, Gov. Magoffn resigned
hi, Office and the Legislature elected James T. RoDln'
son to Gil the unexpired torn.
A, this time new element entered the politics Of
the State. Mr. Lincoln'i proposition OF system Oh
gradual emancipation in the border States, was con-
silered BY the Legislature, and repudiated' IL al
other respects the Government was sustained An act
WAS passed authorizing a draft, by 6i to- All
tbouchts of neutrality were abandoned, anu the ma
ority Of the people had declared in favor OF the Union
oncrrilla war began in the southern counties, aud
the notorious John Morgan intensified the Union leei
ing by bis daring raids. The Provisional uo'elA
ment. which never had more than nominal exist
ence was driven from tho State by the advance o.
Cen Grant Little fighting took place IN Ken
lucky in 1903 and her troops were chiefly employed
in other States The value Of slaves declined; bus
ness was interrupted; the lower counties were ruheu
by raids many Of the railroads were destroyed
Kentucky now began to occupy position oil more
than usual political importance. II was evident lha
the Confederacy unless by some improbable ana
overwhelming victory would never gain possession OF
the State and her relations to the Union, on account
| Of SLAVERY threatened to cause new trouble.
In February. 1853, the Legislature renewed It's pro-
LESSONS of loyalty. but protested against the "uneon
sttutional acts of Congress and startling usurpationS
Of tho Executive" This protest was chiefly directed
against the Emancipation Proclamation. The ma.
ority. however while taking this view, were strongly
in favor Of prosecuting the war. minority report
the contrary declared against giving any assistance
to the Executive in prosecuting the war upon al anti
| Slavery basis, and in favor Of armistce This mi
nority, unable to do anything in the Legislature,
called Convention to oppose the war; but it was dis
persed by order che military authorities. Virtually
it was al attempt Of the SecessOniss to gain political
control OF tho State. The election laws of 1923
aided greatly to battle their schemes All persons
who participated in the Rebellion were expatriated,
aud oaths ofloyalty required. Previous to the
election OF Gov. Bramlete, August g. Gen. Burnside
/ placcd the State under martial law. To show how
greatly the vote was diminished By the tests Of 10y
altv and the number Of citizens who had joined the
Rebel army the total vote of 1850 stood li6 2l6 to
So 695 in August 1863 Gov. Bramlette's majority was
over $4,000. An entirely Union Senate was elected,
and of 100 members of the House. but five or six
message interpreted the public sentiment to be thor
/ oughy loyal to the Government in the attempt to
suppress the Rebellion but to be conservative in
regard to Slavery. The great measures Of the Gov
eminent which were meant to destroy the resources
of the Rebellion, could not be adapted to suit the
peculiar position Of Kentucky, as loyal Slave State
but this difficulty the Kentuckans failed to apprc-
cia,o Thus we see that its politics had passed
through several stages, which may be stated as
follows:
! In IS6O-l, position Of absolute neutrality.
/ In lsGi-2 legislative declaration of loyalty to
/ the Union.
In 1923, The expulsion Of the Rebel INVADER,
and the Rebel Provisional Government
IL 1851, the Union party was divided into two
great sections: one Of Unconditional Loyalists, the
other OF Conservatives who denied the right Of the
Government TO interfere in any way with the negroes
Of Kentucky. About the beginning Of 1854 it became
evident tina; tho Government intended to bring the
negroes into military service The Governor strongly
opposed this purpose and prohibited such recruiting.
The Legislature, in February, declared it impolitc;
but Congress on the cath, passed act enrolling in
the National forces oil ablcbodied male colored per-
Sous between the ages of % and 20. This caused
TO remove By his well.known letter Of April g. TO A.
g. Hodges, Of Frankfort, Ky, in which he declared
the drafting Of the negroes a military necessity. II
filled to satisfy the Conservatives and the Governor
complained TO the Legislature, so late as January
1862 that the United States military authorities in the
State violated the laws. The Union and the
Democratic parties speedily formed an issue on
the enlistment Of negroes At the Union
Democratic Convention OF May 1854, and the
Democratic Convention Of June. the course
OF the Government was warmly condemned
nor was the feeling lessened when in July, the Presi
dent, in consequence of new invasion of the State
and the conspiraces of the Sons Of Liberty" ETC..
found it necessary TO establish martial law. At the
Chicago Convention, the two Conservative parties
united, and Kentucky carried for Mcclellan BY
majority OF 6,5l5. The Presidential election Of 1864
thus cmphaticaly showed the political position Of the
State, and no movements of Importance occurred
until after the war ended in 1861 Events then tended
steadily to emancipation slave property was of little
value, and labor was disorganized The Legislature,
however in February refused by resolution to adopt
the amendment to the National Constitution abolish
ing Slavery The subjec. continued to be debated.
with much excitement. till il was finally
settled by the ratification of the amendment
By two.thr1s of the States. At the State election
in August last the adoption of the amendment
was the main issue between the Unionists and Con.
servatives and the vote resulted in tie in the SEN
ate and majority of l6 Conservatives in the House
OF the members of Congress, five were Conservative
and four Unonists the vote being 500 for the first
ticket and 81, OO5 for the latter. In November the
Legislature again refused to ratify the amendment,