Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-03-21
The Unconstitutionality of the
Missouri Compromise.

| 'poOtnA OOolpl OlllloO'
The opinion of the United States Su-
preme Court in the Dred Scott case in which
seven Of the nine Judges concur, is I'M
questionably the most important one in
itself, and its bearings upon the leading
political question of the day that has been
pronounced within the present century,
The Justices who agree with Chief Justice
fancy that Scott is not a citizen of the
| United States, that he was not manumitted
by being taken by his aster, when slave
into the then Territory Of Illinois, and that
the Missouri Compromise was an act un-
constitution ally passed by Congress, are
Justices Wayne, of Georgia, Cairon, of
Tennessee, Daniel, of Virginia, Grior, of
Pennsylvania, Curtis, of Massachusetts,
and Campbell, of Alabama. The dissent.
ing Justices are Mclean, of Ohio, and
Nelson, of New York.
The United States Supreme Court is the
highest Judicial authority. 1t is the au-
thorized expounder of the Constitution, its
decisions are the supreme law Of the land,
and its v oice is final on all questions within
its jurisdiction. We say final because
there is no appellate tribunal on earth above
this Court and every man who swears to
support the Constitution Of the United
States, must support it as it is interpreted
by this body. Members of Congress mus!
respect It's decisions, and the President can
not set up his own opinion or be guided
by his own discretion in opposition to its
fat. Attorney General Gushing in his
farewell speech to this court said to the
Justices "You are the incarnatc mind of
the nation. In the complex institutions of
our country, you are the pivot point upon
which the rights and liberties of all, Govern
ment and people, alike, turn; or rather
you are the central light of constitutional
wisdom around which they perpotually re-
volve."
We have made this allusion to the char
acter Of the tribunal which has just decided
a question that has stirred the heart and
mind of the nation deeper and longer than
any other, fer the purpose of ursing the
duty of acquicscence in its verdict. Men
may, consciontiouSly we dare say, enter
tain opinions in opposition to those decla-
red by this Bench, but so far as Legislative
action is concerned, every man is in honor
bound to respect the supreme law of the
land, No man is justiiable in advocating
"higher law"-it is treason against the
corner stone Of republican Institutions
There are those who will assert that this
decision is contrary to "the law of God
written on the heart of man" and endeavor
to create q prejudice against the authority
of the court; but all such men are enemies
of the public good and demoralizers, The
moment we cut loose from an implicit obe-
dience to law,we arc thrown upon a treach.
erous sea without helm, compass, chart @,
port of refuge.
As the detail of the opinion pronounced
by Chief Justice Taney has not been receiv.
ed we cannot comment at length upon it.
But its leading features, command our full
endorsement, especially with reg ard to the
unconstitutionality of the Missouri Compro
mise. And we cannot but express the con
fdence that it, in connection with princi
pies so clearly defined in the Inaugural o.
Mr.. Buchanan, will give the country rest OF
this vexed and Improbable question of sla'
very extension. The position taken by
the Democratic party in the late Prosiden
tial campaign has been endorsed by the
Court of last resort as well as by the pco
pie. May we not hope that slavery agita
ton, will now have rest and the people re
nose. .-BufdkO Courier.