416 



KENTUCKY. 



$121,378.4-8 more tlian in the preceding year, 

 though the rate of taxation was unchanged. 



There are 108 fire and 16 life insurance com- 

 panies authorized to do business in Kentucky, 

 fourteen fire and one life company being or- 

 ganized under the laws of the State. The 

 amount of insurance effected in 1874, the last 

 year for which any report has been made, was 

 $100,720,124 ; premiums paid, $23,364,201 ; 

 losses paid, $829,583. 



The number of school districts in the State 

 is 5,693, in which 5,627 schools were taught 

 this year. The number of children report- 

 ed was 437,100 ; average attendance at the 

 schools, 159,000. There were 340 colored 

 schools taught, the amount of money expend- 

 ed on them being $34,657.28. The Agricult- 

 ural and Mechanical College, which has been 

 established as one of the colleges of the Ken- 

 tucky University at Lexington receives yearly 

 $9,900 as interest on its endowment fund. The 

 number of students has decreased from 300 in 

 1869-70 to 80. 



The charitable institutions of the State are 

 reported to be in good condition. They were 

 maintained during the year at a cost of $314,- 

 353.90, exclusive of $39,396.04 expended for 

 the care of idiots. These institutions are : the 

 First Lunatic Asylum at Lexington, the Second 

 Lunatic Asylum at Hopkinsville, and the Cen- 

 tral Lunatic Asylum at Anchorage ; the Insti- 

 tution for the Deaf and Dumb at Danville; 

 the Institution for the Education of the Blind 

 at Louisville ; and the Institution for the Edu- 

 cation and Training of Feeble-Minded Chil- 

 dren at Frankfort. The State Penitentiary at 

 Frankfort contained 881 convicts December 

 30th, 497 of whom were colored. The prison 

 is greatly overcrowded, the number of cells 

 being 684. The number of convicts in 1865 

 was 201, only twenty of whom were colored. 

 Of those at present in the penitentiary 396 

 were sentenced for grand larceny, and the 

 larger part of them are young men, young 

 women, and boys, convicted of stealing prop- 

 erty of less value than $20. 



The geological survey of the State, begun 

 by Prof. N". S. Shaler in 1873, has made excel- 

 lent progress and is likely to prove of great 

 value. The reports already prepared will fill 

 four large volumes, and a fifth is in prepara- 

 tion. They are richly illustrated with maps 

 and plates. A cabinet of minerals has ajso 

 been collected. i 



The Democratic State Convention met at 

 Frankfort on the 6th of May, and was in ses- 

 sion two days. There was a sharp contest 

 over the nomination for Governor. James B. 

 McCreary was nominated on the fourth ballot, 

 receiving 653 votes to 608 for J. S. Williams. 

 The other candidates were : Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor, John C. Underwood ; Attorney-General, 

 Thomas E. Moss ; Auditor, D. Howard Smith ; 

 Treasurer, James W. Tate ; Superintendent 

 of Public Instruction, H. A. M. Henderson; 

 Register of the Land-Office, Thomas D. Mar- 



cum. The following was unanimously adopted 

 as the platform of the party : 



We bold it to be absolutely essential to the pres- 

 ervation of tbe liberties of the citizens tbat the 

 several States shall be maintained in all their rights, 

 dignity, and equality, as the most complete and 

 reliable administration of their own domestic con- 

 cerns, and the surest bulwarks against anti-repub- 

 lican tendencies. Every attempt on the part of the 

 .Federal Government to exercise a power not dele- 

 gated to it in the Constitution, or to exercise a dele- 

 gated power not therein prescribed, is an act of 

 usurpation demanding the instant and unqualified 

 condemnation of a people jealous of their liberties ; 

 and we hold that any unconstitutional interference 

 by the General Government with the local affairs of 

 any State to any extent or under any pretense what- 

 ever should be at once repudiated and condemned 

 by all classes of every section of the Union ; as all 

 such acts tend directly to the destruction of our 

 Federal system, and the consolidation of all power 

 in a centralized despotism.. 



The Republican State Convention was held 

 at Louisville, on the 13th of May. The ticket 

 put in nomination was the following: For 

 Governor, John M. Harlan; for Lieutenant- 

 Governor, Robert Boyd; for Attorney-Gen- 

 eral, W. Cassius Goodloe ; for Auditor, R. B. 

 Ratliff ; for Treasurer, W. J. Berry ; for Regis- 

 ter, Reuben Patrick. 



The following was the platform adopted : 



The Republicans of Kentucky, in convention as- 

 sembled, declare : 



1. That the history of the nation has fully estab- 

 lished the necessity of the perpetuation of the Re- 

 publican party, and that the causes which called it 

 into existence are permanent in their nature, and 

 now imperatively demand its peaceful and constitu- 

 tional triumph. 



2. We recognize the equality of all men before the 

 law, and hold that it is the duty of government, in 

 its dealings with the people, to mete out equal and 

 exact justice to all, of whatever nativity, race, color, 

 or persuasion, religious or political. 



3. The Federal and State Governments are parts 

 of one system, alike necessary for the common pros- 

 perity, peace, and security, and ought to be regarded 

 alike with a cordial, habitual, and immovable attach- 

 ment. Respect for the authority of each, and ac- 

 quiescence in the just, constitutional measures of 

 each, are duties required by the plainest considera- 

 tions of national, State, and individual welfare. But 

 the Constitution and laws of the United States made 

 in pursuance thereof are the supreme law of the land, 

 anything in the constitution and laws of any State 

 to the 'contrary notwithstanding. 



4. We are one people. The Constitution of the 

 United States forms a government and not a league, 

 and whether it was formed by compact between the 

 States, or in any other manner, its character is the 

 same. 



5. We approve the financial policy of the Admin- 

 istration as set forth by the President and the Secre- 

 tary of the Treasury in their last annual communica- 

 tions to Congress, and We hold that the financial 

 legislation of Congress should be steadily directed 

 to resumption of specie payments at the earliest date 

 consistent with the business interests of the country. 



6. Our confidence in President Grant's patriotism 

 and devotion to republican principles is unabated. 



7. As Kentuckians we have observed with pride 

 and pleasure the eminent ability and fidelity with 

 which our fellow-citizen, Hon. B. H. Bristow, has 

 discharged the responsible duties of his position, 

 and we congratulate the President and the country 

 that he is Secretary of the Treasury. 



