Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-07
You individually, every happiness and

wish you individually, every happiness and
prosperity.
The opinion.-Ths hour at which We were
forced to 60 to press yesterday, necessarily
compelled us to ailude very briefly to the
opinion Of the Supreme Court In the bred
SCOTT case. We have now to say, that as read
by Mr. Chief Justice fancy, it decides that:
l. Negroes, whether slaves or free-that 10,
the United States By the Consultation.
The ordinance of 1887 had no independ.
snt constitutional force or legal effect subse.
quently to the adoption of the Constitution,
and could not operate Of itself to confer free
dom or citizenship within the Northwest Ter
ritory on negroes not citisens BY the Constitu.
ton.
3 The provision of the act Of 1920, common.
ly called the Missouri Compromise, in 30 far -
1t undertook to exclude negro slavery from
and communicate freedom and citizenship to
negroes In the northern part of the Louisiana
ce sion, was legislative act exceeding the
powers Of Congress, and void and of no legal
effect to that end
In deciding these main points the Supreme
Court determined also the following incidental
points:
l. The expression territory and other
property" Of the Union In the Constitution
applies in terms only to such territory - the
Union possessed at the time of the adoption of
| the Consultation.
2. The rights of citizens of the United States
| eDigrating into any Federal territory, and the
power of the Federal Government there, de-
pend on the general provisions of the Consti-
| tuition, which define in this, al in all other
respects, the powers Of Congress.
3. As Congress does not possess power itself
| to make enactments relative to the persons or
| property Of citizens of the United States in
Federal territory, other than such as the Con-
stitution confers, 80 1t cannot constitutionally
delegate any such powers to Territorial Gov.
eminent organised by it under the Constitu-
| ton.
| Thslegal condition Of slave In the State
OF Missouri is not affected by the temporary
sojourn of such slave in any other State, but
on bis return his condition still depends on the
| laws of Missouri
The delivery Of this opinion pied about
| two hours, and was listened to with profound
attention, by crowded court room: and,
whether as decision of the Supreme Court or
| for the constitutional arguments on which it
stands, will work powerful Unfit encs through
| out the United States Its conclusions were
| concurrel in, We understand, by six of tho
Justices Of tho Court-nsmely, Justices Ia
ney, Wayne, Catron, Daniel, Grier and Camr-
bell.
Mr. Justice Nelson read an Opinion In which
be did not enter into the constitutionality of
the Missouri Compromise, but held, and on
| that ground affirmed the Judgment of the
Court below, that slave carried into free
State, whatever might be the laws of that
State, remained q slave whenever returning to
the State in which his owner resided.
Dir Justice Catron alec delivered an Opin-
ion. in which the freedom Of tho North " st
territory was made to be the act of the State
OF Virginia, which was the original proprietor
OF the Territory, and which alone, and not
Congress, had the right to prohibit slavery
there. He expressed himself in very decided
terms against the nstitution atty Of the Mis-.
souri, Compromise
We are informed that Opinions dissentipe
from the judgment of the Court will be deliv-
cred this morning at IL O'Clock by Justices
Mclean and Curtis.
The Impeachment Of JUICE Wstrous.-
As might have been spprshendsd from the
vast accumulation and pressure of business in
the last few days Of Congress, that body ad.
journed without final action In the case Of
Judge Watrous. The time consumed in print
ing the voluminous evidence, documents, &c.,
making up volume Of nearly one thousand
pages, ordered BY the committee, prevented
the matter being disposed Of at the earlier
part Of the session. It was a matter of deli
cacy with the committee, after the order for
printing, not to pres, the impeachment before
all the facts were fully In the possession Of the
House; though 1t was quito evident, at any
moment, from what had been made public,
that 1t could have been carried By very
large majority.
This matter therefore shares but the fate Of
two.thirds Of the others reported upon bv
Committees during q short session. Yet be-
fore the country sufficient has been done vir
tually to impeach Judge Watrous, and for
him not to demand an investigation now would
be an admission of guilt, deep and damnipg.
The charges which are preferred and the tes-
timony adduced are evidently but q part of
what will make their appearance under an
authority from Congress to send for person,
and papers. -.
AwaIds.-Ths Secretary Of the Treasury
has awarded the contract for constructing the
new Marine Hospital at Galena, Illinois, to
Frederick z Gsiser, Of this city, he being
the lowest bidder, for the sum of s29, 1858
The Secretary has also awarded the con-
tract for constructing the new Marine Hospi.
tai At st. Marks, Florida, to r. A. Shine, of
Tallahassee, Florida. he being tho lowest bid
der, for the sum Of Sic, "A.
The Secretary has also awarded the contract
for constructing tho new Custom House at Og-
dsnsburgb, New York, conditioned upon Con-
greasonal enactment, to VIM Van RisWick. of
this city. he being the lowest bidder, for tho
sum Of Sal, 453 Is.
The Secretary has also awarded the con-
tract for constructing the new Custom House
NJ C. Iuiaaia ID