, 1866-02-24
FROM KENTUCKY.

14S ActSs ana luelf 1I4cc In History
Especial Correspondence OF the Chicago Tribune. !
FnAyNroRT, Ky., Feb. 10.
The Legislature of Kentucky has adjourn
cd. A new leaf has been turned, aud what
ever record the future page may bear, 1t can
not he worse than the old one. The body
that has Just closed its labors was the rebel
yeast from the workings Of rebel sympathy
and completely in Kentucky. True to its
reptile type, it retains vitality enough to
w1egle thus long afler the head Of the SER
pcnt had been crushed. The exhibition put
forth has been painful to ali who, with loyalty
In their bosoms, felt pride in Kentucky.
And as verify believe, 1t has been q period
Of purgation to not afew who, commencing in
full sympathy with these Legislators, steadily
fell away through pure disgust 10 a condition
out Of which eound loyalty may come in
time.
The Legislature will not meet again, unless
specially assembled, until the Sd Of january,
1eC1. The Union men Of Kentucky will put
up no petitions to see them again In their
places before the appointed time, nor for the
prolongatiou Of their appointed career.
Their first work was 10 arrange for tho vn.
catian Of the seats Of all Union men, wherever
they could possibly find au excuse for so do
ing. And well did they perform their task.
They ouktcd, from the first to last, some
seven Representatives and four Senators, and
for no Other offence than their devotion TO
the cause OF their country, and, per consc-
quencc, theirsturdy opposition to treason and
to traitors.
The e1patriationl law as passed BY the low,
Legislature which met in 1Stl,, and threw ofl
the mask Of neutrality md placed Kentucky
In a position Of armed hostility to treason
and Of unconditional loyalty. 1t simply pro-
yided that all persons who have taken up
AIMS against the Government of the United
States, or of this State, nnd that all those who
have nidcd or abetted that treason, shall be
deemed TO have expairiated themselves, and
shall not be entitled to vote It also required
any such person, upon presenting himself at
the polls 10 vote, to negative on oath the ex-
patriation therein provided.
The Conservatives very we'll knew that II
they sent back The Union men before the re-
peal Of that law that then would every one
be reelected By the loyal men. So they dc
layed action until the repeal Of that act was
accomplished, and then the heads te1l thick
and fast. No respect was paid to oycrwhelm-
inE majorities, nor to the often expressed will
OF the people In elections held in other years.
They then went to work with the aid Of the
re-tufrnnchlsed rebels and United Stntes army
contractors, who made their thousands OFT Of
the Government, and elected Conservatives IN
every instance but three. THANK God, there
were loyal men enough 10 one county-
Campbel!-to defeat The schemes Of these
traliurs,]
Every act which In the slightest degree hint
ed at the fact that treason was crime and
rebellion sin, was carefully blotted ftom the
statutes OF the State And It would be IN id1.
possibility TOR any one to now find In the laws
Of Kentucky any act doubling the fact that
the rebellion was ! righteous cause. One bill,
however, they did not have time to pass ovci
the Govesnor's veto, and thus. by mcrc
chance. there Is yet one act making distfnc
lion between loyalty and disloyalty. The
Governor takes the ground that 1--WE are not
yet prepared to place treason on the footing
Of a political party. and to proclaim that we,
who have stood by and fought for the Union,
were fighting against political party" The
next step to be taken by these men
mans Bureau by pretended repeal Of the
SLAVE CODE.
or the Stntc. They passed several bills which,
10 a mere superficial reader and observer,
would almost appear to lave some merit in
them Int the real facts of the case are Tint
they have attempted, under great deal OF
sound and words, to cover up an attempt at
a reinstatement OF the Freedmen. They
have passed Law so amending the yag1ant
and have II bound to him until it comes OF
age, and also take up an adult negro. if he
docs not appear to have any work 10 do at q
time Which suits the gentleman, aud have him
or her sold to him Tor one year, giving tho
preference, in all cases. to the person who
owned the service Of the negro formerly.
The only thing they have done, which eau
be really and genuinely commended, Is that
they now require all negroes to be married I;
whereas, under the slave code, Is II formerly
wns, it ives unlawful for them to mnrry-that
is, The slaves.
They have passed some one or two acts
aimed directly st The Freedmen's Bureau and
the military authorities, which place very
heavy penalties upon any one who shall ar
rest OF aid in arresting any person in this
State without the warrant Of Stnte law. So
that If any person does m injury to q negro
and It is only witnessed by negroes, and Is ar
rested by the authority Of the Bureau, he
cnn Immediately bring q suit in tbs State
courts for damages aud recover the same, aud
to be confined in the penitentiary Of the State
for from five to twenty years. And we warn
gentlemen OF Kentucky that the first time
they attempt 10 enfore this law, they will fud
that somebody will get hurt, and that some.
body wont be the authorities making the
arrest originally
II any one, not aware of his locality, had
been suddenly aroused to consciousness, at
almost any time during the last two weeks,
in the Kentucky Legislature, he would have
Imagined himself in the halls Of the late Con
fedcrate Congress at Eichmond-so fierce have
been the dcnunciatfons of the Govsrnment
and its authorities, and 80 reasonable the III
terances OF The leaders Of the conservatives In
this body. Bat, they are gone. and their
eccptre OF power Is laid inside for a time, and
we'll Hay all truly loyal men exclaim, rs they
do, "God forbid that we should ever be cursed
with such another LegIslature!" And we
can but exclatm In unison With them,
"Amen!" HOWARD.