New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-24
SLAVERY AND FREEDOM.

1t is no sign that a man won't talk and write
! like fool because he is Governor of State.
Gov. johnson of Virginia, has addressed a
communication to the legislature of that old
dominion in respect to the decision of Judge
Paine in the case Of the Lennon negroes. In
that document the Governor declares that the
decision in question is " contrary to the spirit
of all law opposed to the established principles
which regulates intercourse between foreign
nations at war with the relations which should
'subsist between the sister States of this Union,
and with the spirit, if not the letter, of the
constitution itself"
The only part of this sweeping declaration
that we wonder at, considering its general tone
and scope, is the intimation that the decision
is not in direct conflict with the express pro-
visions of the constitution. While the Gov
ernor was about it, he might as well have gone
the whole figure and declared the decision I'm.
constitutional, and opposed to the resolutions
of so. Such statement would have been
just as creditable to the Governors understand
ing as those he has made.
The case is perfectly simple one to the
commonest apprehension. 1t seems to us
that no one but natural born fool Cor some
one made SO by being educated to the profess
sion of the law, can fail to see the perfect
justice and propriety Of Judge Paine's de-
cisiOn.
Certain persons, by no act Of their own,
found themselves in the State of New-York.
They had committed no crime had violated
no contract, and no law; had fled from no
restraint or bondage.
Justice not only declares all such persons
entitled to their personal freedom, but the
public law Of the world DEGREES it. And, in
addition to this the Sovereign State of New
York has declared by law, for the information
of the world in general aud of the people of
the slaye-holding States in particular, that all
persons coming into the State as the Lennon
Slaves came, shall be free.
Judge Paine, in deciding the case, declared
what the public law is, and what the statute
provision of our State is. Both are plain as
pike-staff, and no one but Southern abstrac-
zionist would think for an instant of question
ing Judge Paine's decision Yes, we will make
one exception-the Northern negro-catcher.
This Lennon slayecase has been made the
occasion ofputting forth various impudent pre-
tensions on the part Of the slave holding inter-
est, but none more so than the allegation that
the State of New-YOrk can find no justification
IN passing law giving freedom to the black
man whose case does not come within the pro.
visions of the Federal Constitution which refer
to fugltives from labor The slaveholding
States claim and exercise, not only the power
ofmaking their own blacks slaves, but of in.
generating the eolored citizens of all the other
States; and whenthey come among them under
certain circumstances, involving no conduct,
good or bad, OF those persons, Of selling them
into Slavery. But fa free State exercises the
same power on the side of freedom, and gives
freedom to the black, then Slavery is up in
arms, and denounces without stint all such
legislation as unjustifable, and "at war with
the relations which should subsst between the
sister States of this Union"
II is this insuferable impertinence of pre-
tension and supervision that furnishes solid
ground OF constant irritation between the
South and the North
But Gov johnson talks all about and about
the realpoint His only ground of complaint,
if be had any ground at all. would be the re-
peal Of our former Law which enabled slaveholi.
ers bringing their chattels here to take them
away again BY force. Gov. Johnson's political
allies in this State opposed the repeal of this
Law under Gov. Stewards administration, and