New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-21


| ISL in which business he showed himself 70 be
not only doUghfce, but consummate sneak as
well. SIM, at he time Of his arrest drew
knife and if We mistake not inflicted a severe
wound upon Butman, one of the Deputy Mirshals,
/ by whom be Was seized-a fellow since infamous
for other similar services, and rewarded for them BY
| n place in the Boston Custom House. Among
other devices tosaye Sims from the clutches OF the
body-snarchers was an attempt to hold him for
tiia under criminal process issued under the au-
! tLOrity of Massachusetts, on the charge OF muir
| derous assault upon Butman. The warrant, having
been regularly issued, was put into the hands OF
the Sheriff who demanded sims of the Marshal by
whom the demand was treated with contempt
slavr-cstchng process being. in the view OF that
functnary, Of altogether higher dignity than
Massachusetts, criminal warrant Under these cir
cumstances NJ. Attorney General Clifford was
called upon for his advice 1t was impossible for
him not to hold that Massachusetts, criminal war
rsnt ought to take precedence OF a mere civil
claim under the authority of the United States;
but with the very view Of enabling the Marshal TO
carry Of Sims in spite Of the Massachusetts, war
u.
Marshal refused to submit to the warrant he had
better return il into the Police Court with that
fact indorsed upon it, thus afOrding the Marshal a
chance TO run eff with Sims, at time when the
Sheriff would have no warrant in his hands
For this ser7 zee Mr.. Clifford had his reward 1t
bror pht him into favor with the Hunkers, and as
the other section of the party still hoped something
k.-a Whio
candidate fer Governor at time when the coalition
had been broken up by the passage OF the Kansas
Nebraska bill: and in the Fall of 1853 was elected
to that Office. But as apt to be the fate of tTim-
mers, long before his term expired he disguised
ever, BODY and seeing that he could not get renOm
nation he declined to be candidate Indeed, the
Wigs we're very hard put to il TO find anybody to
stand until in their desperation they took up Judge
Wsshbum. who to the surprise of everybody, was
chosen chiefly through the favor of the Temper
ance men whom he shortly after deserted. Gov
ernor Washbun thus elected, put back Mr.. Clitf,ri
into his old place of Attorney General, and under
Mis- REINFORCEMENT he still held the Office when the
Know Nothings, in the Fall of 1854 by the aid and
under the guidance Of the Free-Soicrs, succeeded
in making Gardner governor. In Mr. Clifford Gov
ernor Gardner found just the sort Of legal adviser
he wanted; and though about everybody else was
tuned out Mr. Clifford held bis place.
Meanwhile the Constitution of Massachusetts,
WINS amended so ns to give the choice of Attorney
General to the people Mr.. Clifford WAS not
Know Nothing and had never pretended to be one'
so il was too much to ask the KnowNOthings to
nominate him. But the affair was easily man.
aged. The nomination was given to gentleman
whom Gov Gardner had already appointed aJudge
"a permanent place with better salary.
That nominee WAS chosen by the people, but of
course declined to accept, as everybody knew he
woud-nobOdy better than Gov. Gardner and Mr.
Clifford, and the Know. Nothing managers who had
made the nomination. There being, therefore,
no Attorney General, the Legislature undertook
we know not exactly on what authorty-tO
choose one by joint ballot. All the Wings, all the
Democrats and under the Governors drill all the
Know Nothings, voted for him. and so we have
Monsieur TOnson back again, with bis objections to
the Personal---very. Law i'll his pocket.
To obtain the repeal of that law is now the great
object of Governor Gardner. He hopes from that
repeal Know-NOthing Vice-Presidential or even
Presidential nomination, and at all events is sure
to tickle the Hunkers, Wing and Democratic, and
to convert them from enemies, still little sore in
the back and in consequence somewhat FESTIVE,
into very servcesble beasts of burden. OF course
Mr. Clifford will be ready with new edition,
revised and improved-and they need it-of his
original Objectons and it is also proposed to press
the Supreme Court of the State into the service.
BY peculiar and rather dubious provision of the
Constitution of Massachusetts, the Governor and
Legislature are authorized under certain cOntin-
gencies to call for the opinions OF the Judges OF
the Supreme Court on points Of law. 1t is plain
that the cases intended are purely those when
legal opinion is needed az to some executive ac-
ton or action in it's nature executive. 1t would
be ridiculous TO suppose that the Court could be
called upon to express ex parte and without argu-
ment, an opinion upon the cOnstitutiOnality OF
law regularly enacted Still nobody knows what
the Court may do. Great confidence used to be
felt in the Massachusetts Judiciary; but since their
opinion in the Sims case in favor of the con-
stiutionality of the Fugitive Act of 1850, no.
body would be surprised at any decision they
might make. Should they join in this conspiracy,
il will have at least one good effect. 1t will
hasten the time when the Judges Of Massachu-
sets will be chosen by the people.
SOUTHERN TACTICS AND MORALITY.
Since it is impossible for the shareholders in our