Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-03-18

writer. We regard him as valuable &C
cession to the list of American Editors,
and predict that the day is not far distant
when he will have attained an enViable po-
sition amongst them.
Agitation against The Supreme Court.
Gov. Andrew Johnson has, for years past,
entertained the opinion that the Constitu-
ton of the United States should be so
amended as to limit the term of service of
Judges of the Supreme Court to twelve
years, retaining the appointing power in
the hands of the President. 1t is contend
ed in opposition to this proposition, which
his excellency has on two occasions urged
upon the favorable consideration of the
State Legislature, that it would result in
breaking down the independence of the Ju-
dietary, which should be removed as far as
possible from the effects of popular agita-
tons, and make them mere creatures of the
appointing power; and, in case the PreSi-
dent should be inimical to the South,
might injuriously affect the constitutional
rights of the Southern people. That there
is force in this objection no one will deny,
in view of the late contest for Presidential
nominations, the result of the election in
the free States, and the present condition
Of affairs in the black republican camp.
Happily the Legislature did not respond to
the Governors proposition, preferring to
let the Constitution remain unaltered. But
Gov. johnson is ambitious-he aspires to
higher stations than those he has already
filled, and it is not likely that he will per-
NIT his darling project to "sleep the sleep
that knows no waking"
But, Gov. johnson is not alone in his
radical notions. There has been large
party in the North in favor of altering the
Constitution as he proposes: And now,
the Supreme Court having decided that the
Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional,
and affirmed the right of the slave holder
to carry his slaves into the territories and
to hold them there as he would any other
description of property, Congress having
no power to deprive him Of this right, a
sentiment of deadly hostility to the Court
is in the process of development in the
North. The n Y. Tribune proclaims that
the decision is entitled to no more weight
than that of so many persons in a Wash
ington bar-room-that it was dictated to
the Court by the bowie-knife. The Boston
Chronicle says it is ''great misfortune that
the Supreme Court cannot be got rid of as
easily as CuShing"-that "a majority Of its
members are as GREAT SCoUNDRELs as he is,
and that is the worst as well as the trueSt
thing that can be said of them" The Bos-
ton Atlas speaks of the Judges as
men whose names are in the same cat
egory as that of Arnold, the Traitor
The New York Ereaing Post is equally
denunOiatory. Infamed by their hatred of
every thing which they cannot use in their
reasonable war upon the constitutional
rights of the South, and by such denuncia-
tons as these, black republicans are now, it
appears, preparing to organize party in
opposition to the Supreme Court-to ef-
feet, if possible, an amendment of the Con.
stitution limiting the tenure of Office of the
Judges to twelve years, and to make the
ermine prize to be wreStled for before
the people: and this, for the purpose, ulti-
mately, ofreverSing the decision which now,
for the first time, enunciates authoritative
y what are the rights Of the slave holder
under the Federal Constitution.
Now, against Gov. Johnson's and this
new propaganda, we protest alike. Both
are the offspring of a restless spirit of agi-
tation and agrarianism, which cannot be
productive of any but unpleasant and in
furious results. Extremists, anti-compro-
misers, radicals, republicans red, and re-
publicans black, and all others who de-
spise the work of the wise and sagacious
statesmen who framed our institutions, may
attempt to break down the Judiciary-to
destroy the respect and reverence with
which the uncorrupted masses regard them,
and to imprOrc the most perfect instrument
ever produced by uninspired man. But,
what viii the conservative people of both
sections of the country do? We believe in
the South they will reject every PROPOSE
ton to tinker with the charter Of our lib.
critics and we trust that, after the expert.
ence Of the past year-the display of kna.
very and corruption by the negro-worship.
pers in their Kansas crusade-the great
body of the people Of the free States will
set their faces against them also. The time
has now come for the good and honest Of
all parties to turn their thoughts upon an
abandonment of slavery agitations in every
shape and form. Let the decision Of the
Supreme Court stand as the law of the
land, and let slavery, in its own way, and
under the guaranty of the law, work out
its own destiny, undisturbed by the rawlings
of fanaticism, or the wiles and intrigues Of
politicians.
Tur wuznrrORr.-The Washington CORES