New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-04-16
MASSACHUSETTS, RIGHT SIDE UP.


within week which 60 far to rciussate tnst old
commobwea in her eminent, but for some ii ne
past well nigh abandoned post, at the head of the
liberty column. The indictments for speeches in
Faneuil Hall against the Fug' tive Slave bill h,vs
been noH pressed and the popular branch of the
Massachusetts, Legislature hiss voted. two TO ooe,
to address the Governor for the removal of Judge
LOripg.
The first of these overt acts on behalf of
freedom occurred, it s true, In the Circuit Court
Of the United States; but still the merit of it
Justly belongs NO! 10 that Court but to the people
Of NJ ,ssachusetts. The Court has been in this
case, 81 in go many Others, only a weather vsne
to show from which quarter the wind is setting;
and surely when this stiff, rusty vsne creaks re-
luctsDty round, putting on even an appearance
OF great alacrity in doing SO the proof Is strong
how great the change must have been, aud
how strong gale is beginning to blow. Some
regret is expressed that the indictments should
have been got rid OF bys piece of technically,
leaving the great question of the right OF free
speech ss sgsinst the Fugitive Slave act uu-
touched: but the matter seems to US very well IS
il is. The Circuit Court of the United States for
the District of Massachusetts was not wor-
thy to have the honor of indicating ths
right OF free speech. Tie very phrase, free
speech. would and must have stuck ia the
throat of Court that bad argued for and had held
t., the consttuticnaty of the Fugitive Slave act.
How much more appropriate for such Court to
get rid Cf the question BY piece Of special plead
ing TIE broad leht Of the sun of liserty
might fairly have dazz ed the Judges into blum
deIs. How appropriate for them to sink bat
like through Granny 1t was charsc !eristic,
too, tba' the Court, not content with the thousand
and oDe flaws which the counsel for the prisoner
had pointed out ia the indictment must needs
pick out, and must choose to quash the indlct-
ment on flaw of their own-One of those tech
nicaities of the fifteenth or twentieth magnitude,
escape the notice even Of counsel, aud rarely be-
come dscerhable when brought into the focus of
legal telescope of Sprague Curtis power
A decision like this, upon an Indictment under
the Fugitive Slave Act is equivalent not merely
to the spking of the enemys artillery; it is tue
capture of bis guns and the turning of them upon
himself, while the execution done thereby is 10
DO respect due to the guns but exclusively to the
brave men who, at their own personal risk,
threw themselves into the breach, and captured
tie eneny's battery.
TIE quashog of these indictments against free
spec Oh was very fitting forerunnerto what hap
pened two or three days sfee:, namely: the reso-
l. of tha I'm
setts Legislature, passed by an overwhelming
majority, that slave catcher ought to sit on the
bench of any Massachusetts, Court, an 4 that this
principle ought to be carried out by the removal
Of Judge Loring from Office. Let the Senate of
Massachusetts, concur, and let the Governor aud
Council remove the obnoxious Judge, and that
act will 90 far 10 purge away the stains the
black and bloody stains, alas! which the Fugitive
Slave act By the mann er of its passage, and by
tbe Ill, aus taken to enforce it, had left too pal
pably upon the right hand of Massachusetts.
TIE great objection taken to the removal of
Judge LoIiDg by those who opposed it ia the Mas
sschusetts Legislature, seems to have been, re-
luctance to singing him out for punishment, when
there we're go macy others whose previous con-
duct couptensnced and supported him in what he
did; and who, morally speaking, were no less
guilty if In fact, considering their superior lights,
they were not much more guilty than he But
to give way to this feeling would, in very many
cases, arrest the hand of justice altogether. NJ.
Loripg ought not to be removed, and no criminal
ought to be punished, as mere matter Of per-
soDal Effectiveness. 1t is the example which is
the great thiog. At this moment an example is
needed for domestic dOughfaces, aud our slave
holding, would be masters must be m,de TO un-
derstard BY sgn so Palpable that nobody can mis-
take it, Whist Massachusetts, thinks abOu. the Fu-
gtive Slave act end about those who lend their
aid to bijnap men under it. The lot has fallen
On Mr.. Loripg; and IS he bought into the lottery
with the hope, doubtless, and the equal chance
Of drawing 8 first rate prize, he has no right TO
cOmplsn u. drawing blank, even though it be
blank of the very blsnkest character, not lees
in fact, than hundred per cent. worse th.n
nothing.
Nobody withes to hurt Mr.. Loring. As to the
pecuniary damsge to which his removal from
Office will e1pose bin, that is nil. He has plenty
Of irieIds Mr. Pierce will take care OF hiD
there is not the least danger of bis starving. We
wish Mr. LoriDg no harm; not in the least; but
We do wish, trust and hope that Massachusetts
will redeem her honor.