The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-15
SUPREME COURT OF THE U. s.

We give statement Of highly important and in
teresting decision Of the Court given by majority
Of the Judges at the last term.
The case was that Of Groves VS. Slaughter and
wi be found reported at large, in 18Th vol Peters
Reports, 449.
The seventh section of the Constitution of the U.
States, article 8 declares that Congress shall have
power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, ami
among the several States, and with the Indian tribes
The State Of Mississippi, by her amended Cons,
tuition Of 1882 declared the introduction OF slaves in
to this State, merchandise or for SALE shall be pro-
hbited from and afterthe first day Of May 1888, pro-
vided the actual settler or settlers shall be prohibit
ed from purchasing slaves any State of this u MON
and bringing them into this State for their own ind
vidua use, until the year IS45
An action was instituted in Louisiana on promis-
sorry note given for slaves introduced as merchandise
Tor sale INTO Mississippi, after the first day of May
1883 The defence set up to the action was that the
note was void, as the transaction on which il was
founded was violation of the Constitution of Missis
siPpi.
Il was contended by the counsel for the holder Of
the note that the prohibition of the Constitution Of
Mississippi was void, as it prohibition of the
commerce in slaves between the States Of the MON
the introduction of slaves merchandise or for sale
into States in which slavery existed being commerce
and ercluspey the subject OF regulation by Compress
under the article before referred TO- II was said do
regulate commerce Is to sustain it. Regulation i'm
plies continuance not misrepresentation not ann
hllatlon-the unobslruced flow of the stream not to
check or dry up its waters"
All the justices of the court who sat in the cause
with one exception, concurred in opinion, that he
provision of the Constitution of the United States
did not interfere with the prohibition of the Constitu
ton OF Mississippi Slaves persons not merchan-
disc Mr. Chief Justice fancy and Associate Jus.
tics Mclean gave written opinions on tn point, a,
though the decision of the did not require thai
the Judgment of the court upon the same should be
expressed. Justices Story, Thompson, Wayne, and
Nc hinley, concurred with the majority of the court
in the opinion that the provision of the Constitution
OF the United States had no application to the case
The law therefore, stands hereafter fixed and set
tied. State in which slaves are held may prohibit
the introduction of slaves merchandise or Tor sale
into Ter territory The whole of the regulation of
slaves and slavery is exclusively of State jurisdiction
While the principles of the Constitution of the
United States was considered protecting the trade
in slaves between State and State and it was believed
that no Constitution State law could interfere with
it, and while this provision claimed to be in force
so as to prohibit the States from Directing to the traffic
hopeless indeed was the expectation that State repula-
uon, and the duties of humanity would concur to les
sen the numbers of victims to the domestic slave
tradc.--Nat Gag.