The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-01-05
FROM FRANKFORT.
Message OF Governor Bramiette, of
Kentucky.

morning. The following Is q DrieI syn-
sis. He says:
Our people rs body have, since the
arbitrament of war, decided to uphold
and maintain the right, as determined
BY ulfimi rats populi, and the increase
of crime is far below the measure of the
most reasonable expectation. He is
gratifed to know that his policy at the
close of the war of granting pardons to
indicted soldiers of either army has been
rewarded with the happiest results. At
the close of a civil war peace and am
nesty are corrobOrative and dependent.
Without amnesty there can he no real
peace. Unless forgiveness covers the
acts of war, and relieves those engaged
therein, there is no real peace.
The war is but transferred from the
field to the forum, where timid and cor
rupt men may swear away that for
which brave men and true have struck
the manly blow to assume. That this
or that class has sinned too greatly to
be forgiven, is but TO declare partial,
not an entire peace. The breach made
by exceptions may widen until the
flames Of strife are rekindled, and the
diving cmbers of war may again lick
the life blood of orr people. Amnesty
ONLY can cool the heated ashes. These
principles have guided them and are
deemed applicable alike to the State
and the nation.
The Governor asks an amendment of
the criminal code of Kentucky, so as to
make proper graduation of punishment.
| He advocates the establishment of a
house of correction or reform. and of
houses of refuge for youthful offenders.
He advocates provision for the care o!
colored lunatics and the carefulrevision
of all the laws relating to the colored
population; to secure them the enjoy
mcnt of life, liberty and prosperity, and
regrets that bill No. "a, reported by the
committee on Judiciary during the first
session did not become u law, as it
would have avoided some unpleasant
conflicts of jurisdiction between the
State and Federal authorities.
l trust your wise and prudent legisla-
ton may be such rs TO remove the film
sy pretense Of an unreasOning fanati-
cism for any further disregard of the
Constitution of our fathers through
frccdmen's burcausand civil rights bills.
He asks the adoption of such laws as
will invite Il superior class of the labor
ing population to the State, remarking
that freedom bestowed upon the inte-
rior race of men withdrew from them
the protective care of the superior race
in the struggle for life, and must. by q
universal law of nature, rapidly destroy
from among us the inferior race.
The Indian, though superior TO the
negro, yanishes before the progress of
our race, and he testiiies by his decay |
TO the rcsistlcss course of natural law. |
True craftsmanship admonishes us to
make provision for the supply of a
laboring population. Until the leopard !
can change his spots or the Ethiopian
his skin. will all the efforts of fanaticism
to repeal or nullify Gods laws be un-
availing.
The Governor recommends n provi- !
sion by law for the annual collection
of statistics of population, productions,
agricultural. mechanical and mineral.
He hopes the act incorporating the Ken
lucky River Navigation Company, ap-
proved March 18th, 1865, will be carried
into successful operation, the compile
tion OF which will bring income to tie
State and regulation to the commerce.
He advocates Il similar disposition of
Improvement III Green and Barron Wv
crs.
The finances of the State are in a
very satisfactory condition. The pres
ent indebtedness is 5,43S ,3i1 /; the re-
sources of the sinking fund is estimated
at 8. l27 ,6Sl. The treasury on Decem-
Der 3lst had Sl.s64,4i4. Onr claims
Il, E,l.rn1 VAT shnws
q balance in our favor of ~, ABS ,3F.
This claim is being actively and per-
sistently pressed for settlement, and
have insisted on payment OF a least
one-half a million of the debt, so as TO
enable us TO discharge our out standing
war debt. But these hopes have been
without speedy realization. For this
delay in adjustment of claims by Ken
lucky, no good reason can he given.
The Governor recommended the Com
missioner of the Sinking Fund to apply,
from time to time, any surplus, over the
estimated expenses, To the cXtinguish-
memt OF outstanding bonds of tie State.
Upon national subjects the Governor
saws: The restoration of the Govern
ment of the United States upon the ba-
sis liked by the Constitution and laws
pursuant thereto, which was the legiti-
mate result OF the victories of the Union
armies and the entire surrender of rebel
dom. followed by peace. Is yet denied to
us. The organized rebellion against
the Government, which was overcome
by arms, was not more hostile or less
dangerous TO our free form of govern
ment than the spirit and temper of the
dominant sectional majority that now
: denies constitutional restoration.
The armies raised by our Government
were for the avowcd purpose of preserv-
the Union as formed by the Constitu-
tuti0n-the soldiers fought to attain
this object. Now that victory is ours,
and armed rebellion has ceased, We have
the strange spectacle of dominant sec
tional majority in Congress denying to
those who rebelled the privilege of snb-
hitting TO the Government as it exists,
and TO those who fought 10 maintain it,
the fruits of their victories and security
of government, which they fought to
maintain. 4 now and different govern
ment is sought to be forced upon the
nation as condition precedent to the
recognition of the existing Constitu-
ton.
The frenzy for destruction which
seized upon the people of the Southern
States, now that they have returned to
reason, has been transferred to the
northern and some of the western
States, and the fires of fanaticism stir
the blood of the soldier north whitman
intense glow and heat of sectional hate
of the South, and urges forward its vo-
taries with fatal blindness TO the de-
strnction of that government which has
Just been so successful and triumphantly
; sustained and vindicated by the valor
and endurance of our soldiers.
| This denial is made under the pre-
teucc of love for the Union, when it is
patent that nothing bu a desire to per
petTate power in the hands ofsectional
: party prompts their action. The just
balance of power between the State and
National Government. is sought to be
destroyed and the Capitalization OF
! power 10 be established in the Federal
Government through amendments to the
II, =