Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-21
No. of the Washington Union under its new OFF,
cial Editor says;

No. of the Washington Union under its new Off.
cial Editor says.
The decision in the bred Scott case has furnish
ed the closing and ~clinching confirmation needed
and henceforth sectional fanaticism cannot main
tam its warfare W Without arraying itself distinctly
against the constitution. The people have decide
ed that sectional agitation must cease, and the
highest Judicial authority has declared that the
people have decided in accordance with the con.
stitution.
The Cincinnati Gazette thinks the decision if
good for anything absolves from all compacts with
slavery. Well, so be it. Let us take advantage
of it and seize our freedom and assert that of the
slaves.
Prom the Cincinnati Gazette.
The Court has decided that the Ordinance of
1877 is, under the Constitutions, void. Now. that
Ordinance was enacted by Congress under the old
confederation of States. The Congress being tbe
representatives of States, and not voting by mum.
b ers, but by States, the Ordinance was, in fact. a
compact between the States. 1t had, therefore, all
the authority of the Constitution. The Copstitu.
ton was created by n compact among the States,
and though it went further and Instituted q Gov.
eminent, 1t had no authority except by that com.
pact. We do not say, with Mr.. Calhoun, that IL
was q mere compact. But, beyond all question, it
had no authority beyond the compact. The Ordi-
nance and the Constitution, therefore, were deriy.
ed from the same parties and in the same way
Their source, therefore, was TIE same, and they
are of equal force.
To this we have the highest negative authority
in the Constitution itself. That instrument not
only contains no repeating clause of any act before
passed, but 1t confers no power on Congress,
Courts, or executive, to disannul or repeal q siu.
gle act of the old confederation. Can any one
suppose that the convention intended to overturR
the ordinances, treaties, and public acts under the
conteder alton, and yet provided no way by which
1t could be done2 The Court, therefore, in re-
pealing the Ordinance by q simple decision, ueurp.
ed their authority. But they did more. They
committed a great political blunder. This will sp.
pear from these facts
/. The theory of the Constitution adouted in
the South, AID more particularly by Mr.. Calhoun's
school OF politicians is, that the Constitution 10 a
mere compact. Hence they get the idea of States
Rights, OF Notification, Of the equality of the
States, which they rely upon as the best defense Of
slavery, and consequently the unconstitutionality
OF ieglsiatlng by Congress over slavery in the
States. This may not be the Unanimous view Of
Southern statesmen, but it Is the prevalent one
In one sense, as we have said, it is correct. The
Consultation undoubtedly originated and proceed.
ed from II compact of the States.
z. The Supreme Court, in deciding the OrAi.
nance VOID, have decided u compact between the
States void.
3. They having previously decided that a gran.
was a contract, they have now decided that a Goa.
tract under n conn act was void.
4. They have decided, therefore, that compacts
and contracts are void when they come in contact
with the rights Of a master to his slave under
State laws! This is really practical notification,
Slavery is created by local laws. The Court de-.
cides that these local laws must lie upheld against
II compact between the States.
S. The corollary aud conclusion from this 10.
that ii the Ordinance of 1887 be void, then all
] compacts on the subject of slavery are void We
t say this is the inevitable conclusion, for there is
neither lawyer nor man of common sense who will
| ,", tl,k ...- -. 81