James S. Brisbin to Thomas E. Bramlette

Accession Number

KYR-0001-003-0109

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Military Correspondence, 1863-1867

Item Location

BR5-185 to BR5-188

Place of Creation

Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

14 April 1865

Dates Mentioned

1865-04-14

1865-03-03

James S. Brisbin to Thomas E. Bramlette, 14 April 1865, Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Military Correspondence, 1863-1867, BR5-185 to BR5-188, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-003-0109, (accessed December 21, 2024).

Download XML

Head Quarters Dep't of Ky
Office of Organization
U. S. Troops
Louisville, Ky April 14^th, 1865
To His Excellency
Thomas E. Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky
Sir

I write to call your attention to the disturbed condition of labor in Kentucky; the confutsion produced by the the nominal freedom of slaves, and the evils growing out of such freedom while unsanctioned by state Legislature, The Master can no longer hold his slaves or depend on their labor for a single day, so that producers cannot calculate their crops or pursue agriculture with any degree of certainty. Having become restless and dissatisfied the slaves leave their homes and setting their faces towards Louisville Journey for days over long miles to these Headquarters as the Mecca where freedom may be found, when that freedom should reach them in their houses and they not forced to become outcasts and wanderers to enjoy it.

Our cities and towns throughout the State
are crowded to excess with these refugees from labor and hundreds are daily arriving to swell the throng. The people unable to feed the large surplus population suddenly thrown upon them, want and suffering has already begun and demoralization and crime will follow as natural consequences.

The Government, our ministers and Christian people are doing all they can but it is not in their power wholly to meet the public wants in this respect. It is for You, Governor, and Your Legislature to obviate the arising evils by at once passing the Constitutional amendment and placing the state on a free basis. The moment you do this you will quiet the minds of the slaves. Those who have left will return, and those still at home will remain to till the soil now so much in need of their labor.

Slavery is at an end and why deny it or, by withholding proper State Legislation seek to retain longer the shadow of an institution that was always worthless? Negro enlistments have bankrupted slavery here; over 22,000 of the most valuable slaves having already gone into service while the few thousands
left are being rapidly gathered up by re recruiting officers and put into the army. Even old men and boys are found to be fit for duty in Invalid Regiments and are taken From ten to a hundred enlist daily, freeing under the law of March 3d 1865 an average of five women and children per man, thus from 300 to 500 black people are daily made free through the instrumentality of the army.

How long can Kentucky stand such a draft upon her slave population? To what purpose is it for the Legislature to refuse to act when the result is only a question of time? Kentucky needs what black labor she has left to till her soil and her slaves can now be of more service to the nation in the cornfields than the army but if she will not free them at home, then the army must absorb them and if Kentucky suffers it is her own fault. While in a State of transition the present disturbed relations of capital and labor must continue but by freeing the slaves at one blow and getting at the bottom of the question it would end; your people could then proceed to re-organize labor upon a new basis.

Clearly it is the intention and policy of this government to make every black person in it free, and the sooner Kentucky
makes up her mind to accept the new order of things and to establish labor upon a free paid basis, the better it will be for her.

I earnestly commend this subject to your consideration, hoping that your wisdom will devise speedily some means to remedy the evils I have mentioned.

I am Sir with Sentiments of respect and esteem.
Your Obedient Servant
Jas. S. Brisbin
Brev't Brig. General
I S.O. U. S. Troops

Civil War Governors of Kentucky is always evolving. Help us improve the edition by suggesting a correction or addition to this record.

Suggest a correction

Head Quarters Dep't of Ky
Office of Organization
U. S. Troops
Louisville, Ky April 14^th, 1865
To His Excellency
Thomas E. Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky
Sir

I write to call your attention to the disturbed condition of labor in Kentucky; the confusion produced by the the nominal freedom of slaves, and the evils growing out of such freedom while unsanctioned by state Legislature, The Master can no longer hold his slaves or depend on their labor for a single day, so that producers cannot calculate their crops or pursue agriculture with any degree of certainty. Having become restless and dissatisfied the slaves leave their homes and setting their faces towards Louisville Journey for days over long miles to these Headquarters as the Mecca where freedom may be found, when that freedom should reach them in their houses and they not forced to become outcasts and wanderers to enjoy it.

Our cities and towns throughout the state
are crowded to excess with these refugees from labor and hundreds are daily arriving to swell the throng. The people unable to feed the large surplus population suddenly thrown upon them, want and suffering has already begun and demoralization and crime will follow as natural consequences.

The Government, our ministers and christian people are doing all they can but it is not in their power wholly to meet the public wants in this respect. It is for You, Governor, and Your Legislature to obviate the arising evils by at once passing the Constitutional amendment and placing the State on a free basis. The moment you do this you will quiet the minds of the slaves. Those who have left will return, and those still at home will remain to till the soil now so much in need of their labor.

Slavery is at an end and why deny it or, by withholding proper State Legislation seek to retain longer the shadow of an institution that was always worthless? Negro enlistments have bankrupted slavery here, over 22,000 of the most valuable slaves having already gone into service while the few thousands
left are being rapidly gathered up by recruiting officers and put into the army Even old men and boys are found to be fit for duty in Invalid Regiments and are taken From ten to a hundred enlist daily, freeing under the law of March 3^d 1865 an average of five women and children per man, thus from 300 to 500 black people are daily made free through the instrumentality of the army.

How long can Kentucky stand such a draft upon here slave population? To what purpose is it for the Legislature to refuse to act when the result is only a question of time? Kentucky needs what black labor she has left to till her soil and her slaves can now be of more service to the nation in the cornfields than the army but if she will not free them at home, then the army must absorb them and if Kentucky suffers it is her own fault. While in a State of transition the present disturbed relations of capital and labor must continue but by freeing the slaves at one blow and getting at the bottom of the question it would end; your people could then proceed to re-organize labor upon a new basis.

I earnestly commend this subject to your consideration, hoping that your wisdom will devise speedily some means to remedy the evils I have mentioned.

I am Sir with sentiments of respect and esteem.
Your Obedient Servant
Jas. S. Brisbin
Brev't Brig. General
I S.O. U. S. Troops

Early Access is a work in progress. Help us improve our edition by suggesting a correction for this document.

Suggest a correction