The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-04-18

~ IA IN ~ IL - II
SATURDAY MORNING: :.::::::::APRIL 1s
04T Some Of our small rival contemporaries
who ere expecting to batter away the founda-
tons of the Constitution and the Supreme
Court with their pop-guns and paper bullets.
instead Of assailing its positions by argument,
raise the cry Of pro-slavery against the Jour-
nal, with the view, we. suppose, to excite
neigh borhood prejudice aguinstits circulation.
The Journal is more truly and sincerely an
opponent of slavery than any Of its abolition
assailants; its opposition to slavery is a con-
viction, from knowledge and experience, OF the
institution; and is not founded in ignorance
and prejudice, and partizsn passions: it is
conviction that has brought forth some fruit
in the cause it espouses, and has not INDUCED
antipathies and ignorant assumptions, by vent
ing TRADES of abuse upon those who were pla-
csd under different obligations, and beheld the
subject through different media.
In our condemnation of those who have
made indiscriminate and violent assaults upon
the Court, we have expressed no opinion upon
the subject Of slavery, or its moral or political
influences; nor upon the correctness or errors
Of the decision Of the Court. These we have
left entirely out of the view. We have de-
nounced the assault upon the Court as design
cd to destroy its whole power and influence
to overthrow it virtually, and blot out one Of
the most essential, and now the only conserv-
alive, power in the organization Of our govern
ment- The Court has only moral sway
when confidence in its integrity and wisdom
is gone, its power is abrogated; it is virtually
annihilated as coordinate branch Of the gov.
eminent. It is treason, therefore, to the Con-
stitution 'ofthe deepest turpitude" to attempt
to undermine it and impair its just influence
81 in the government fthe country. Like all
human institutions it has an indulgence to err
in Judgment; and it is better for the country
that it should err, an hundred times, and
maintain but as many truths, rather than de-
stroy it, and inauguratc the unchecked reign
Of error and passion. Destroy the pow
er Of the u. 8. Court, and what tribunal is
there to decide the rights Of the States, or the
citizens Of State within the borders Of anoth-
er State. Disunion and civil war would more
certainly follow the destruction Of the Supreme
Court, than on interruption of the powers Of
Congress. An assault upon the Court is the
most fragrant treason to the Constitution, be-
cause it has given toit no power of selfdeGence
but committed it tothe hearts and conscienceso
the people,. The decree of the Court in the
bred Scott case, though il be erroneous, is bat
speculative error that can produce no grca,
practical consequences; aud it were better tc
tolerate volume of false abstract conclusions
than to deprive even one citizen Of the protec
ton which that Court may give, if it's author
ity be maintained unmpiircd, in some essen
tial interests.
The Court has nothing to do with the mora
aspect and tendency Of the question Of slavery
1t simply interprets the Constitution; and tina
instrument was framed at period when tn
black man had no civil rights, and was not tn
object Of any lively sympathy; and, according
to the spirit Of the day, it excluded him from
its provisions, and ignored his claims. Gu
Constitution is charter Of rights for the whit
man; 1t institutes government only for tn
white race. This its history, and its uniform
Interpretation. demonstrate.
fit be d,f.ct of tn, iastru n,nt, it is no
the fault Of tho interpreter; nor will its inter
probation be changed by a change Of the pei
sonal OF the court; if tn, successors be up
right men, obedient to their oaths. To I'll
it with men who would yield their con
sciences to the behests OF the party VIII
should place them there, would be to Great
the very degradation now denounced by tn
defamers of the Court. Those who condem
the court do not attempt to show its conflict
the decree with the Constitution of the cour
try, but denounce it as violation of highe
law Of OR moral nature, which is above a
Constitutions. ;, The Supreme Court has, how
ever, no authority to transcend the writer
Constitution Of the Union, or raise thei
views above il, or look beyond IT,; its limits al
Q wall Of brass to them which they canno
pass, whatever may be their religious bel
or humane sympathics. A change OF til
Constitution is the only resort; and that b.
ing impracticable, dissolution of the Unto
is the only ultimate means of enforcing pral
tically the doctrines Of the ASSISTANTS of Il
Court. @ e-,-
setft ,stsa
or Our tslcgisphic report from Washin!
ton gives an account Of a personal assault
Mr.. Sayre on Geo. X. uerrick. The lett