The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-03-21
AN ArrEMpr TO FoREsrALL AND MsLEAD.


The business in the Supreme Court Of writing out read
ing and fling opiniOns and furnishing them to the public
well those specially interested has long had
tied course known to those connected whts proceedings
The judges have given peculiar prominence to
case over another sought obrude their opinions
upon thepublic Everything been left take the usual
course sanctioned by the practice Of years. The majority
in the bred Scott had every TO believe that
new one would be now pursued. Their opinions were
written out read and fled in other cases and they
left to find their way to the public in the accusom
ed mode, without any special agency or of theirs
They did not seek, assent that their opinions
should be rushed before the public for political effect to
crafty morbid or feversh appetite for something
They have maintained their dignity well that
of the court of which they members. We wish we
could include the dissenting judges Mclean and Curtis in
this category Yielding to the pressure of political agita
tors both stepped aside from the usual course and caused
allowed copies of their opinions be taken and usheed
to the world through the partisan presses These copies
must have been furnished before the opinions deiv
cred. Why did they submit TO this Can there be a
doub2 Their political friends desired 10 foresall public
opinion and break the force and effect of the opinions
OF the majority. Had all the opinions gone out to-
gether, the public would have judged Of the relative
force Of the facts and arguments presented; but by
hurryng the minority opinions before the public and
incorporating those of the majority and dstortng their
meaning, political advantage could be gained. The
agtaors counted upon the benefit that they could derive
from this They understood how difficult it is TO
eradicate when deeprooed in the popular mind
But side is heard while the other is grossly mis-
represented The great jury Of the American people
called upon to determine important cause upon the
hearing the arguments upon one side only Their
| verdict is demanded without the other side being
listened to. trial thus conducted, instead of re-
sulting in truth, must mislead and point to error.
good cause needs such undue advantages to sus-
tain it. When the people fully understand this attempt
mslead they will look upon the authors Of it with
pcon and refuse them their confidence Had the dissent
ing judges filed their opinions in the usual manner without
furnishing partisan papers with copies the public would not
been subject to the receptions which such papers have
pracsed and the majority of the court would have
capped being raduced by INSCRIPTIONS editors and heated
parsans How these minority judges reconcile their
course with fairness to their brethren easily ina
gned except upon the assumption that they did not
derstand and appreciate the reckless unarness of their
friends % whom they ntrusted their opinions the eff
feet of their own acts.
The of the opposition in this demonstrates
position to wit that they keenly felt the necessity of
element of agitation to rally and keep up their
thinning ranks They had thousands of mised dem
leaving their standard and returning to their old
friends Some of checking further loss much
needed to preserve the show of strength. This may
swer temporary purpose, but will recoil upon
them. Truth though slow in its progress is faithful in
its purposes andn the end reaches its object all iu-
tervening 1t may be temporarily thwarted and de-
layed but never ultimately defeated. .@.