New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-17


its streets and filed its saloons in the deepest agl
tstion. with the idea that the principles of Chase
and Seward and Giddings were likely to be hosplta
bly, entertained by new administration OF the req,
eral Government. Virginia and Vlrglnlans OF
whom 80 many fiji Federal Offices IN Washington,
stOod aghast st the prospect. The slaveh"iders
party Of every age and stripe gnashed their tee,n
IL fury over the apprehended disaster Old South
ern aristocratic slavehOlding Wings suddenly De,
came tenpestuous Buchanan men. and Illuminated
ref.nouthed denubciatiOns Of the great N0rthern
demonstration in favor Of Freedom and against
Slaye,y-.xtension Blosdshot eyes and the swollen
turpidty Of fierce defamation marked many OF
thee demon strations. The South was pandemo-
riUm Of raviHgs.
II was in the midst Of this inseDsate hate against
,Ie Republicsn movement this trembling terror
lest Slavery might have To sUrcUmb N Freedom IN
the ADMIN istratiOn If the Federal Governmens
flat the Southern members OF the Supreme Cpnrt
were placed during the Presidential csn1 They
necessarily became yaftl-shs a'ppg Nth the mas.
They naturally partOok Of he hests aid the passOn
Of oil the world around them. Social aod judicial
life vas alike infected with partisan ssntinen n
ain Oct as great an extent as til political arena L.
self From this cOndit ION Of things the-e men
emerged Ouly to take their seat upon the bench 20
consider the very questions involved in the cia-
yass. Under such circumstances what could be
their decision thereon Inevitably they would
draw their conclusions fret, and make their argu.
ueDts aiterwaTd. They would plant themselves
upon tEelr own party positions, and then seek
wherever they could find them, such coasidera-
tons ss they could obtain, to sustain them. Tbs
j. what most men would do aud this IL what the
Supreme Court did. And they have given opinions
10 exact conformity with the demand IF their party
their own partisan instincts, and their personal
feelings. To regard them in any other high. than
a. opinions Manufactured to SUIT the occasion, IN
I.r 10 . of "a m n
string powerful antagonist, il to wifuly discard
and overlook al the circumstances Of the case, and
blindly 10 shut our eyes u what Is abundtny evl-
dent TO every man who wishes to see the truth.
And now let Us see who are the men who have
pronounced this Judgment, aud ascertain whe' her
there is ANYTHING in their character or their ante
cedents that goes to dlscredlt the position we a'-
sane. or forbids the suppositOn We make. Roger
Il fancy, the Chief Cf the Court is Maryland
LAWYER who practiced formerly IN an interior c0un-
" of that State, but who removed to Baltimore and
got into practice as the declining star OF Plnckncy
was setting. William Writ succeeded TO the man.
tie of Pinckney, and during bis day but little was
heard or known of fancy. He had, however,
"a ned zone distinction an acute and cunning
LAWYER. and was well known as a warm politician.
AT This junc.ure in his fortunes, aad when quite
unknown to fame Gen. Jackson called him to HE
Cabinet as Attorney General He was en'nently
pliable, and found law to sustain the General in
whatcver measure he decided to adopt. Thus u'e-
fu to his chief, when the rupture in the Cabinet
:ock place. in consequence OF the refusal OF the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, Duane, to remove the Cow
eminent deJ Osits from bc United States Bank Gen.
Jackson for the want OF an outsider to Mi the once
put Mr. fancy into the place, who, never hesl,ant,
AT once did the required Job. In this WAY, and for
this reason, did Mr. fancy become Secretary of the
Treasury. without any qualifications for the post
Subsequently. on the assembling Of Congress, his
nomination sent to the Senate for contrma-
ton That body, headed by Mr.. Clay, rejected
the slepOsit-remOyer and MIR. fancy went out
of Office. But Gen. Jackson was never a man 10
NEGLECT those who mad served him, and he watched
his chance to rccoUpense fancy. Very soon after,
Judge Duyall Ofthe Supreu Court died. Gen. Jack
sen at once nominated fancy to the vacancy. Henry
Cav still continued to bear sway in the Senite and
Taney's nomination as Associate Justice suffered
the fate Of his former nomination. He was again
rejected. But things quickly took another turn.
Chef-.Justice Marshall died. At this uncture
bargain was struck. fancy had helped Revcrdy
Johnson out of his troubles growing out of his con
nect,n with the failure of the Bank of Maryland.
Through the intervention of Reyerdy aud other
CLAY LAWYERS of Maryland, Mr.. Clay'S resentment
was appeaScd and the Senate was again called 70
act on a third nomination of fancy. Gen jackson
appointed him t. fill the place of Judge Marshall.
This time his appointment was contrmed-.he
sbmc Senate that refused his confirmation as AssO-
ciate Judge having consented t0 conf III hun as
ChiefJustice. Thus mighty are personal and party
considerations.
Judge fancy thus owes his place, in the FIST
| instance 10 Cen Jackson for his appOn ment,
| and in the second 20 Revcrdy Johnson for en-
| cheering his confirmation. We shall see dl-
| rccly what an important part this bit OF po-
| litIcal history plays in the decision OF the I'M
| conSttu;ionaiiiy f The Missouri Compromise.
After This method and for purely partisan service
rendered to party IN It's straits, did Roger H.
fancy become ChiefJustlce Of the Supreme
| Court. In that position he has maintained a
| r. spectacle Standrg as ]udge-neyer any
| thing more. His legal reputation rests manly
| upon his ingenuity and cunning. His party IN
stIcts have never left him, and he is as
ready now TO apply MS faculties in aid OF the
| ruling dynasty as he was in General Jackson's
time. His opinion in the bred Scott ease, when
published, will be found 10 exhibit all the charac
teristics that have marked his career 1t is subtle
ingenious sophstical, and false 1t is the plea of a
| tricky lawyer, ard not the decree Of an upright
Judge. 1t is II singular but not wonderful fact IN
nature that the body to some extent iniimates the
| character OF the soul that lnhabis 1t. TINS Il
| tie case with Judge fancy. He walks with n-
verified hid hesitating steps. His forehead is
irac'ed his eve Suukcn, and his vissge has SIMS
| ter expression.
Among the men who practice largely before the
| Supreme Court is Reverdy Johnson of Baltimore.
He WAS formerly Wig but has lately become
Pro-Slavery fanatic aud warm Buchanan ma.
H. si- he made speech in the United S,a es Sen
ate in which he opposed Mr.. Calhouns dogmas
! on Slavery, enuncated the year before; declared
Slavery, 10 be 40 evil, and expressed his judgment
that il would soon De- eX,ir eushcd in Maryland.
In the late Presidential contes. be went with the
whole southern Wing sheepiold (barrng few
honorable EXCEPTIONS clean over t. the extreme
southern ground. Tie now holds along with the
Wl,le Frc->lWeiy party, that Sla7ery Il beneh
cent institution. and that, SO f-r as human vision