The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-05-16
Slavery in the Supreme Court.

4 case has recently come before the SUI
premc Court, and u decision has been agreed
upon by majority Of the judges, II il said,
that will be likely TO awaken the whole
country to the question Of slavery Senator
Toombs of Georgia, long ago affirmed what
other SCuthernc,s claimed, that slavery was
national institution, and that he would
call the roll Of his slaves under the shadow
Of Bunker Hill Monument. His words wero
thought to b, the rawlings Of q fanatic, for
all the decisions of the courts, and the unan-
imous sentiments Of the leading men Of tho
land, haze ben against him. All had de
clarcd that slavery was not natural, but
the crcaturc of positive enactments, and
lived only by municipal law, and died the
mosscnt the jondsnan passed from the soil
where such laws are operative. Hence the
decisions of tho Supreme Court, had been in
accordance with the spirit of our Massachu-
sets statute, that the voluntary taking Of
slaves by the masters, to free state gavo
them freedom; and often times claiming
freedom under that decision, II has been
granted them. The Washington corrcspon-
dent Of the New York Independent, now
writes that majority Of the judges havo
oycr-ruled all previous decisions of the court
and declare that the law of slave State
holds slave in bondage, while in transit,
in q free State; and IL 40 slavery is nation
al, and In this republic universal. Tho
case upon which the opinion was rendered,
he gives as this:
"a slave in Missouri was taken by his
master to Rock Island, in the State Of ILL.,
nois, and from thence to Council Bluff, in
Iowa. Tho slave married slave woman
4 child was born to this couple while in
Council Bluff, and one also upon the Mis-
souri,, while in transit, over the free waters
of the country. When back in Missouri,
The slaves claimed their Freedom
The writer says that Judges Mclean, Mel :
son and Curtis, all from the free Stat =,
dissent, and are engaged In writing Quit ieir
opinions; while oil from the slave tates
agree; and thus the Supreme Court las DO.
come sectional. II this 10 80, and with all
these details it would seem as though there
was foundation for the rumor, though Il is
hardly possible at the same TIM, not only
is there no free soil in the country-not ono
inch that may not be contain mated by the
footprint of slave, but there Is no State
sovereignty. There used to DO party that
talked Of State rights-thas the people of a
given locality, Massachusetts, or Kansas.
were in full possession Of all the powers God
had given them, which they had not ccdcd
to the general government and II wns for
them to say whether slavery should exist
among them or not but If this decision has
bsn rendered, Toombs may come to Bunker
I'LL and march his chattels over It's green
sward, and It is not in the power of Massa.
chusetts to prevent the dissertation Of her
holy of holics. If u mob assails him, he
can command the army Of the nation In his
defence; and IL his slaves refuse to return,
he will have the same claim for national
vessel TO bear them home, that the master Of
Anthony Burns had to call In man-of.war
TO carry his negro TO Virginia.
We say we cannot believe that no mons
trous decision has been made, for II will
appear 10 every man, that STAKEHOLDER can
no more keep his slaves in Massachusetts,
for one day, IL he assumes to their coming,
than brigham Young can come to Boston
with his thirty-Six-wives, in violation of our
local laws, and establish his Sodom in Pm.
gland. We have observed howcvo, thu,
any evil is never ut rest; feeling ,ts weak.
ness II ever seeks to make itscls strong. and
In every movemor. & becomes weak
err. II may he that tho madness OF slavery
and the providence o. God have permitted
such decision, Tat in honest freedom man
Kind may taT.plc the institution beneath
their feet.
Certainly they would not recognize its
binding force, courts or no courts, compacts
or no compsc.s, life or death. The negro
himself will always have free Transit through
Massachusetts,, provided he won't stop, for
nobody want, him here, but will keep
straight ON to Canafa; but the day has
gone by for any other tmnsit-the return
Of fugitives IL the verge Of forbearance /; be-
yond that may God ave the STAKEHOLDER or
The Supreme Court from attempting tostep.
-Nar6uryon Herald.