, 1876-05-13

the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution OF
TIE un!tsd n sateGs the Legislature Of has
Intelligent foreigner, who was ignorant OF the
events that have transpired in this country within
over the present Constitution and statute laws OF
Kentucky, he could come to no other conclusion
than that African Slavery etl exists in this State,
tion and testimony, and the laws relating to tie
subject Of education, and no sane man Gun fall to
perceive that il Slavery be actually dead the spirit
controls herlaw-makers. The statute OF Kentucky
which denies to 20 600 colored people OF the State
the right to testify in any case, civil o. criminal
affecting white person, has its origin tn the sup
posed necessities Of Slavc1J, and Ia indc{cnsib1e IN
land OF freedom.
This denial is . mon.trous and E1evous wrong to
both races. 1t IL practical denial O: freedom to
the colorcl race; yea. 1t is even worse than that;
1t is license if not an invitation. to base mis-
6rnn sp sae her No
pensities this unoffen1ing and defenseless race
For the credit Of my own State do not choose to
parts of the Commonwealth since the aboli.hment
OF Slavery, nearly all Of which are traceablc d.
rcctly to the criminal refusal Of the Legislature to
protection of law. Civilization has now progressed
etrosty Of The denial Of this right, which is abso-
cnri;y ] Of every man. No intelligent man will at
tempt justify the action or rather saoutd Eay
the action Of the Legislature In this regard;
lntts this subject to the tomb OF the Capu5ets and
refuses pledge itself to correct this fearful evil
saia no Intelligent man would nov lnstliy th,s
course; pcr.aps this statement should be qualified.
There are men in Kentncky-and the species is pc
culiar to Kentucky-who aecua to bc sane, and may
negro; but when he is introduced they become as
s1ad a. March harcs.' They tell us TINT it is right
to let the negro testify in all cases. that the highest
grest trarcenacd its constitutional power IN pass:
Ing the ''Civil Rights bill and therefore We VIII
not modify The Kentucky statute, Reducing t'lle
ment, It amounts to this Congress dld wrong,
and, therefore, VIC ought not to do right 4 T.
ycur-oid lad who would deducc such conclusion
in any log school house outside Kentucky.
But II cannot be admitted that Congress did
III r. the Gf ts as only NV say hat Il
Congress, after having taken part III the emnnc1pn
ton OF tho negro, had not passed some snch act 70
dicatnr Ills rights in States where all such means
were withheld it would have been untathfal 70
duty, ind justly ccnsufabe in the est'naton o1 Tue
civilized world.
THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY.
It Is my purpose, also, to spcak to you o. ma
toual politics, as m American citizen. feeling
Just pride my natqnsi and Z thst
which every man owes to his State.
The Republican par.y of hentnekg ptessen.a p,sea
iee to he people 81 tae 1en Sne watn ,ar wc aand
Discarding the dead things Of the irreparable
mast, it rrapples with tho living present, and
reaches forward TO seize the mighty events or the
romin. future. M:y1ne buried, 20 FAR as it Is cum
cc.lcd the hates and prejudlccs that belong to inc
past, and remembering that there il Vt common =?
addresses itself to the calm Judgment OF men, anu
invites the cooperation Of all in the great work
before u.s. 1ts utterances ara clear, ds'tncs' anu
Unlike the to-callcd Democratic party Of this
State the Republican party, by Its PLATFORM meets
taly and fairly every & oes ~ G1 the nt
mosphere Ct civil and religious liberty. be-
jtcyes in the progress and advancement OF man,
an eoks With 5 Takae tn 1T It.
from the Declaration Of Independence, It hnnonne-
es It's beiief in the inaieuaolc right Of all men
Ito ife liberty and the pursn,t o. of ii,
| ri:hts is the right OF each man to own himself.
| Accepting as automatic the proposition that GOV
| mcpr it proposes to modify the fundamental la"s
| of royc1nmenr rs experience or necessity may re.
qu;rc. Not doubling the wisdom, OF PATRIOTISM o.
onr ancestors, but according to them their Juat
| need Of praise. the Republican party believes man
Is capable OF ecl.-govcrnnlent to-day es nc
hax ever been, and neither the ftrpltlity o, 10Y
ism. nor the eicky eentiuentalism that ciinGs to
the pass only because it is past dcfers i t.on,
taking part III the Improvement ard perlccnon o.
republican form o dmd nccce.Isss b
u free people, it claims for them tEe right u pro-
sress in tic science Of Government: c... :,
| Looking into the Constitution Of oHr state. u
nnet us in uudamental law designed for the guild
ance and government Of . great ConmonWea!th c'
as cas End aessseins T in the Changes that
occurred By The approval Of some and in spite o. o.
the opposition Of oher: the Eenn1Gfan1 paGsy 3.
tution and laws Of our State be adapted to the ly.
ins requirements Of the peoplc, in whose interest
a ane1 aws desire shgna oa ability ~oaS so carry aSS
| perpetual strife with oar neighno:!n,s
Sister states, with the aggregate power OF tht
Govern1ment, We insist upon bringing oar laws ints
harmonious relations with theirs The present
Constitution OF kcntncSy was formed una adopt,ee
| mure than twenty yeRrs ago, mt u time When Lux
s,,mmum tonurn Of all political scsacit5 and so,
called atatesmanship. was the re7petuaf!on oi
human bondage Under the intnence u Inns It ~
institution Of Slavery aud tue people wc1e Rtae,a
caliy deprived Of the power to modify thcF oTl
startled to End In the third section Of the mscal!et
that absurd political dogma which announces M tha
cnr conatitutioual sanction; aud the right OF thu
owner Of slave to such slave and its increase II
the same and as invioahie as the right OF LII
! nwncr of any property whatever"
Always nnsound as political axiom, no arga
r1cnt is necessary to prove the mons5rous 70
surdity Of such declaration at 1h's nay, "aei e
syhrn even the most obdurate OF the two casse
| Of Democrats concedc that 1t can never again cS
hers na3 ths IS at ot State M Contains thte
sectIons. all OF which relate solely to the sublec
! ~ slaves ind that part of the once scrvile rae
i-nown Ms free negroes. The second section
the article is As follows:
..'rhe General Assembly SHAH pass laws pro
yidinr that any free negro or mnlatto hefea1Le
;nmi!ssatinc to, and any slave heFenfter enanel
natcd in, aud refusing to leave this state, Q!
having left, shall return aud settle within th
statc. shall be deemed gnilty Of felony and pun
ished nv confinement III the cnitentiary thereof
T,e noral scnsc OF many of tue people Of Ken
| t,ckv Tas shocked by the refinement or cruelty
| flint .nnrestcJ this section, but tile bcfesls Q
SLAVERY Ieuuired its adoption. and opposition +
r. .ras worae than vain. Every member of tn
| 1o"is|nturc Of Kentucky is required to take O.
onfh tn suppors the Constitution, OF which I'M
src.inn il j mart; and under its provisions it be
Games tie sworn duty of each meliiher 10 see taa
laws are passed for Furnishing ns lelons every IRE
nero or mulatto imInig-atiug TO tins state. ~
section is imperative md mandatory. IL leafe E
| nnthinr to The discretion OF the Legislature. -
say that this section lag become obsolete oy rca
| son nj the amendments to tue National Constitu
lion. or that the enlightened. Judgment OF mn
| forbids its enforcement now, Is no answer 70 ~
nhieciiou to its remaining in our printed Const'
| tution a ~, ,.no,d TIN
nil obsolete and dcf1nct PROVISIONS De etflChe e
from pnr Constitution, and that that instrument
made n Of li;ng words ind sections, adaptcd
the practical wants OF an activc moving anu pfo
Nor is Ills ali. Sec Of Art. II. OF our prescr
Constitution prcscrbes the qualification OF VOTERS