The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-09-20
EDITORIAL NOTES.

THE KANSAS JuDGEs-The refusal of Judge
Elmore, of Kansas removed by the
President-to give place to his successor, has
raised the question whether the President has
the power of removal. There would seem to
be manifest improperly in making the tenure
of Judges dependent upon the caprice of the
Executive as it would be impossible to repose
confidence in the independence and impartiality
of judicial decision, in which is involved the
question of bread and butter for the Judge and
his family. 1t seems that cases of removal
have hitherto occurred, but the legality of the
proceeding has never been determined by the
Supreme Court. In a case incidentally touch
ing on this question, Judge Mclean went out
of his way to pronounce as follows:
"If Congress haze poper to create Terrific
rial Courts, Of achich no one doubts, 1t has tie
power to .tr the tenure Of office. This being
done, the President has no more pooer to re-
more a Territorial Judge than he has to repeal
lar. The duties of Judge of Territory
are discharged as independently and as free
from Executive control as are the duties of
Judge of this court. This Territorial judicial
power was intended to be check upon the
Executive power. 1t would be inconsistent
with the principles of our Government for the
judges to be subject to removal by the Exec
utive.
"This is a great question, although it can
only affect, as now maintained, the Territorial
bench and regret that from the aoant Of .j,t-
risdicttoa i'll the opinion of my brethren, they
are not required to cypress an opinion as to
the pOUer asserted.
"It would be difficult to imagine a clearer
81, Al A.
and l think it should be issued. If the salary
has been paid to the new Judge. it has been
illegally paid, and that is no reason why it should
not be paid to the rightful claimant.
"We have nothing to do with the conduct of
the judge, nor had the President. The Judge
was liable to be impeached and removed from
office in that FORM"
Judge McLean's associates refrained from
giving an opinion on this point, which was not
Immediately in issue.
RECEPTION OF GOVERNOR SHANNON AT WEST
PORT, Mo.-Governor Shannon, on his way to
Kansas, was met at Kansas City, in the State
of Missouri, by Strinafellow and others, of the
ruflian Legislature of Kansas, by whom he was
invited to Westport, Missouri, where he made a
speech. He very properly addressed the people
as if they were citizens of Kansas, and express
ed the opinion that, with their aid, he would
overcome obstacles which he was aware ex-
listed, but hoped were not insurmountable."
He expressed his approval of the whole course
of proceedings of the ruflian legislators, avowed
himself a champion of Slavery, and deprecated
the threatened opposition of the Free-So to
\ IL e &C - IL.
ratical outlaws, by which it is made a capital
felony to utter sentiment against Slavery.
We copy his modest avowal of Pro-Slavery sen.
timent
TO one subject, however, he would allude-
Slavery. His official life and career were not
unknown to a portion, at least, of the citizens
of Kansas. He had no intention of changing
his political faith. He thought, with reference
to Slavery, that as Missouri and Kansas were
adjoining States, as much of that immense
commerce up the Missouri which was already
rivalhng the commerce between the United
States and some European countries, must
necessarily lead to great trade, and perpetual
intercourse between them, it would be we'll if
their institutions should harmonize-as other
wise there would be continual quarres and
border feuds. He ,cas for &aceyy in Kansas.
Loud cheers.
"After thanking the audience, the new Gov
ernor withdrew"
1t is impossible for an honest man to feel
respect for this vile and pro5tituted Northern
doughface, and it were criminal to withhold the
expression of that contempt and scorn for him
which is the normal condition of all honorable
minds. He is from the free State of Ohio, has
been its Representative in Congress, and its
Governor, and now, for the sake of office, he
IS the INSCRIPTIONS minion of a corrupt and
slave-ridden Administration-the very slave of
slaves.
Who, after reading this speech of Shannon's,
can doubt that Reeder was removed in order
to make room for this vile tool of the Missouri |
negro-breeders 1t is now palpable to the
dullest comprehension, that the Administration
of General Pierce sanctions and upholds the |
unparalleled usurpation, tyranny, and scoun- |
drelism, of the Missouri rufIians who have in
vaded Kansas.
THE PAssMoRE WILLIAMSON CAsE.-We in. |
sert, this week, the opinion of the Pennsylva- |
mia Supreme Court, on the application of Will
hanson for haJe0S corpus. The Judges are /
all friends of this Administration, and it will |
be seen that they are bent on carrying out its |
policy of breaking down the barriers of State |
sovereignty, which are now the only obstacles |
to the universal spread of Slavery over the |
American Union. With all honorable and in |
dependent freemen, we regard the argument of |
the Court, adorned as it is with the vein of in
science and impudence which is peculiar to the |
prostituted Pro-Slavery press of the North, as
It's best refutation. 1t cannot fail to fill every
man with disgust and loathing, !
and to suggest to the intelligent reader the |
parallel cases Of judicial prostitution and Judi !
cial brutality in the reign of James II.
We propose next week to publish the adm- |
rable counter opinion of Judge Knox, in which |
the fallacious arguments of these mnions of !
Slavery are clearly exposed, and their danger |
Gus tendency pointed out.
son-in.law Of Amos Kendall, named Dean. |
on Saturday last killed a man named Wright, |
of New Orleans, at the st. Nicholas Hotel, in |
New York. Wright attempted to cowhide |
Dean, when the latter drew dirk and stabbed |
his adversary.
THE YELLOW FEVER AT NoRFoLK.-We are
gratifed in being able to state that the yellow |
fever is slightly abating at Norfolk and Ports
mouth, but the mortality, in proportion to the |
numbers still remaining in those towns, is still |