Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-01-18
Chr % dig Spy.
TUESDAY. JANUARY is. 1864.
The U. S. supreme Court.


Gov. Clifford, in his inaugural address, says that
the people of Massachusetts are persuaded that all
cases arising under the Constitutions and the con-
structon Of all laws made in pursuance thereof,
exclusively vested by the people in the Judicial
Courts of the United States; and, that thus an
icabe and dispassionate remedy is pointed out for
any evil that experience may prove to exist. Mr.
Clifford likewise says, that not the least among the
blessings which we, apeople, have enjoyed, have
been the hbois of the Supreme Court of the United
States, &c.
Everybody knows as well as MIR Clifford does,
that the United States Courts exclusively adiudicae
in all cases arising under the Constitution; and that
they the true judges Of the construction to be put
upon doubtful laws. But there are not many honest
men, who have paid attention to the decisions OF the
United States Cours for the last few years. who will
agree with Mr. Clifford, either in praisiog those
Courts, or in making any ackuow edgment Of obhga-
ton to them.
The general ideal Of our law courts is, that they
rigid consiructioni<s and consistent dspensators
of the statute laws. The popular belief is, that if
the Supreme Court delivers opinion upon dis.
pnted point Of law, that opinion fixes the law, and
cannot be controlled, evaded, superseded, or modi-
fed, unless by Congress enacting law to replace
and repeal it. This character Of severe undertaking
upright, constituency, which pertains to the law
courts is of the strongest sources of national
stability. When the popular faith in the honesty,
justice land consistency our courts becomes shaken
our social compact becomes weakened in one OF its
most vital parts.
Now, the Supreme Court, in cases between slavery
and liberty, has not been true to its popular charac
ter. 1t has been partial in its decisions, and incon.
sisient in Its judgments. 1t has favored slavery at
the expense of its own reputation. 1t has violated
the sanciy of justice, in order to act the part Of
partizan in politics. We do not sympathize with
Mr. Clifford in calling the labors Of this Court
''blessing."
The decision of the Supreme Court in the cele
brated Prigg case. is familiar as household words
1t was decided by the Court, that Congress alone
had the constitutional right to egsate concerning
the escape Of slaves from one State to another 1t
does not signify, in the present discussions whether
we consider this opinion fair one or not. 1t was
the opinion Of the Court, and will remain on the
records, as such, forever.
In a of appeal, carried the U. S. Supreme
Court by the heirs Of DR.. Ellis OF Quincy Illinois,
who was Gned $500 for harborng a fugitive slave,
the Supreme Court has just decided that The State
law, under which DIR. Ellis was fined, is consti.u-
tiona thus reversing its former finding in the Prgg
Dr. Ellis was fined under the Black Laws of
Illinois, for giving cup Of water, and the shelter of
his root to poor fugitive from Missouri He died
before The case decided in Ilinos,and his heirs
appealed to the Supreme Court alter it was decided.
Confident that that tribunal would sustain its own
Judgment, "that Congress alone could make laws in
Relation to the escape ofslaves, and declare the law
OF Illinois to be Unconstitutional
The Supreme Court, however, went for sslavery,' .
Judge Mclean alone dissenting. The Supreme
Court was BIASED in favor of inhumaniy, in favor
OF oppression and in favor of injustice and there
fore, decided that the Illinois law was constitutional.
because the Illinois law is unjust, oppressive, and in
human The position which the Supreme Court
now seems to assume, is that Of partizan perverer
OF the constitution and laws, to the support of sIa
very. Ii a State makes law TO prevent slavery
from dominating over It's citizens, and poIlutng its
soil, the Supreme Court declares 10 be unconst.
tuliona, upon the alleged grounds which led to their
decision in the Prigg case. If the General Govern
ment passes an inhumau enactment like The ruei
tive Slave Law, overriding all State rights, the
Supreme Court sustains the consutionaily of this
act also, upon the principle and If sycophants
and dougafaces Of Illinois, any other State, set at
nought this, their finding in law, but make State laws
to assist them in uphoding the despotism Of slavery,
they do not scrnpe TO proclaim their own baseness,
nor to betray the sacred trusts reposed in them by
the country.
When we have Supreme Court that respects
justice more than slavery, perhaps we will agree
with Governor Clifford, that we are under grateful
obligations to that body; but we have not such a
Supreme Court now, ard must, therefore, preserve
our gratitude till some future tiRe