KENTUCKY. 



427 



many instances of lawlessness in different 

 |,:irts of tlie State, and several proclamations 



issued by the Governor in the course of 

 tho yi-iir. ottering rewards for the apprehension 

 vmliTs against the law, whom the ordi- 

 nary processes of the established tribunals 

 faileil to ivurh. No occasion, however, ap- 



! on which it was deemed necessary to 

 resort to military force in order to secure the 



Eeace of the community. The Governor, in 

 is message to the Legislature of 1871, calls 

 attention to tho necessity of prompt and more 

 stringent legislation for tho more perfect pres- 

 ervation of order. "While in the main, ho 

 says, " there is, perhaps, as much security for 

 life, and property in Kentucky as in the adja- 

 cent States, it cannot bo disguised that, since 

 the close of tho war, and as a kind of outgrowth 

 of it, lawlessness has, to a greater degree than 

 ever before, displayed itself everywhere. Dur- 

 ing and immediately following the war, Ken- 

 tucky, from its geographical position as a bor- 

 der State, was subjected to a more severe 

 ordeal from this cause than her neighbors ; 

 and accordingly, during the first years of my 

 administration, lawlessness in some portions 

 of the Commonwealth manifested itself in for- 

 midable organizations, which defied the local 

 authority, and perpetrated deeds of open vio- 

 lence under pretext of restoring order and 

 punishing crime. By the usa of the militia at 

 ray command, and the exhibition of my firm 

 purpose to suppress such practices at all haz- 

 ards, tranquillity was restored, and there has 

 not been for some time, in the localities which 

 had suffered from such lawlessness, any demon- 

 strations having the semblance of organized 

 resistance to tho law. Still, in various por- 

 tions of the State, there have been committed 

 by lawless persons, acting in bodies generally 

 under cover of night, and sometimes in dis- 

 guise, acts of violence upon individuals, either 

 wholly innocent of offence or only subjects of 

 criminal prosecution through the courts, most 

 of which class of violators of the law have 

 escaped detection and punishment." 



He recommends that some efficient means 

 be adopted to remedy these evils, and that 

 the Executive be invested with greater "dis- 

 cretionary power in any sudden emergency to 

 act where the public security requires it." He 

 furthermore urges a thorough reorganization 

 of the militia, as "an important adjunct in the 

 enforcement of law." 



The subject of inducing immigrants to settle 

 in the State was discussed on several occasions 

 by important public bodies. 



The Governor took occasion to repeat his 

 recommendation that a Bureau of Immigration 

 be established which should send agents abroad 

 to make known the advantages offered by 

 Kentucky as a place in which to seek a home. 



' It is through such a channel alone," he says, 

 "that wo can make Europe accurately ac- 

 quainted witli tho low price of our lands, under 

 which lie such inexhaustible supplies of valu- 



able coal and iron; our forests of lumber; oar 

 healthy climate ; low rate of taxation ; our ex- 

 tensive and expanding system of public schools; 

 and tho productive character of our soil." 



The ratification of the fifteenth amendment 

 to the Federal Constitution was celebrated by 

 tho freedmen and their friends in the different 

 cities of the State in the early part of April. 

 At Louisville, on the 8th, a very enthusiastic 

 and imposing ceremony took place, at which 

 the following resolutions were adopted : 



Whereat, After almost a century from the date of 

 tho grand declaration made by the founders of this 

 Republic, wo at lost realize in its fulness the fact 

 therein announced, " That all men are created equal, 

 endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable 

 rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit 

 ot happiness : " 



Resolved, That we recognize in the adoption of the 

 fifteenth amendment to the Constitution the grandest 

 event that has occurred in the history of our country : 

 a victory of right over wrong, of liberty over shivery, 

 of freedom over oppression, and in this the complete 

 and final triumph of the principles set forth in the 

 ever-memorable Declaration of Independence. 



Resolved, That as citizens we rejoice that the last 

 vestige of human bondage has been struck out for- 

 ever from our institutions, and that the laws of tho 

 nation now give equal rights to all men. We rejoice 

 that henceforth all the avenues to places of trust, of 

 honor, and of profit, are open alike to all ; we believe 

 that every citizen should stand upon his own merits, 

 and that, aa ho demonstrates his fitness only, should 

 he be preferred. 



Resolved. That we will stand by and still support 

 and uphola the Republican party, which crushed out 

 the attempt to perpetuate human bondage, and which, 

 by its heroic devotion to liberty, ground out of exist- 

 ence a rebellion which had its origin in wrong and 

 its purpose the destruction of that government con- 

 secrated to freedom by the patriots or the Revolution. 



Resolved, That we demand the entire abrogation 

 and repeal of all laws now on the statute-books of 

 our State, which discriminate between man and man. 

 That the words " white," black, negro and mulatto, 

 wherever they occur in our statutes, be erased. That 

 our laws shall be for man and man ; full and equal 

 rights in all our courts of justice, and in political 

 rights ; and especially do we demand that taxes for 

 school purposes shall be levied upon and collected 

 equally from all citizens and property in the Com- 

 monwealth, and that every child in the State shall 

 be entitled to share alike in the benefits of the same. 



Resolved, That we most heartily indorse the 

 courageous and manly stand taken by the President 

 of the United States in his inaugural address, and 

 his persistent energy in following up that position in 

 favor of "manhood suffrage," until the final ratifica- 

 tion of the fifteenth amendment has secured this to 

 all. In imitation of his reply on a memorable occasion, 

 we here announce that we have no terms to make 

 with Kentucky Democracy. " We propose to move 

 immediately upon their works. We demand an un- 

 conditional surrender" and the complete and final 

 abrogation of all laws now on our statute-books which 

 make distinction by reason of race, color, or previous 

 condition of servitude. 



Resolved, That we heartily indorse tho bill recent- 

 ly introduced into Congress by Senator Morton, of 

 Indiana, to enforce the provisions of the fifteenth 

 amendment, and we earnestly urge upon Congress its 

 speedy enactment into a law; that a law of this 

 character is urgently needed to protect the newly- 

 enfranchised citizens in their rights. 



Resolved, That we have no feeling of bitterness 

 toward those who sought to perpetuate slavery by 

 war, and who have persistently, to the very last, re- 



