Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-04-18
THE ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.

ing the opinion that this decision is erroneous and
ought to be overruled; that they believe it will be
overruled as soon as the Free States have their
just representation on the bench of that Court.
The attention Of your Committee was arrested
by q proposition, stated by Chief Justice fancy
in the opinion he delivered, as the organ Of n ma
iority of the Court in the following words "They
1.-THE colorcd race) had no rights iohich lchae men
tcere bound 10 respect" Your committed cannot
forbear to characterize this proposition MS iahumdn
uRchriStidn, acknowledgement to the Judge
who uttered it, and to the tribunal which sane
toned it.
The most censurable part of the conduct of
these five Pro-Slavery Judges yet remains to be
stated, and it is this; The five constitutional ques.
tons above stated, which were not involved in the
point before the Court for decision, and upon which
in violation OF judicial decorum and established
presidents. they volunteered opinions, have, with
in the last two years, become political and party
questions, have divided the two great political
parties of the country; and that division, unfOrtu-
nately, has assumed a sectional character. These
five Judges are all located in the Pro-Slavery sec
ton, and identified with the Pro-Slavery party,
Under such circumstances, if true manly delicacy
did not, a decent respect for the feelings and opin-
ions of the,friends of free institutions should have
restrained them from uttering a single word not
necessary to the decision of the question before
them. Yet how widely different was their conduct
They volunteered, against decorum and precedent,
to identify themselves and our great National
Court with a sectional party and to bring down
that high tribunal from the lofty place it hitherto
filled in the reverential respect of the nation, to
the arena of party and sectional strife. They have
destroyed the confidence of the people in the Court
by stamping upon it q black mark Of sectionalism
and partizanship. They have, moreover, placed
themselves and the Court they control, in the front
ranks of Pro-Slavery propagandism, and offensive
aggression upon the rights of the Free States.
Nn.,pn D,N,A,kN. aaA,nt An,tt W 49, ~, NIta
connection the time selected by the five Judges
for taking ground officially with the Pro-Slayery
party of the country. That time was strikingly
propitious to protect them from impeachment and
accomplish their purpose. A new Pro-Slavery,
sectional Administration was just being inaugu-
rated, and consequently had the whole patronage
of the Federal Government to aid in screening
these partisan Judges from merited punishment
and produce acquiescencc in their ultra Pro-Sla-
very, unconstitutional doctrines. Tho fate. of
Kansas, too was then impending, and these
doctrines, if carried out, would consign her to the
deadly embrace of Slavery. Your cOmmitte re-
luctantly admit the thought that the national en-.
mine was used to cover, and effect such an uEhal-
lowed purpose; but they have seen too many evi-
dences of the desperate acts to which Pro'SIavery
fanaticism leads men subject to it's influence to lay
aside the fearful apprehension that our National
Court has been brought under its dominion.
The Supreme Cour. OF the United States was
~ ~ ~ SNSN'N s' N
enlighted exposition Of the Constitution. and an
independent and impartial adjudication Of Consti-
tutional questions, and thereby preserve the rights
OF the several States and the citizens thereof. The
influence and power Of the Court having now been
marshalled on the aide of Pro Slavery prcpagand-t
ism, and against the rights of the Free States, it
no longer accomplishes the purpose OF the instils
ton. The safety and peace OF the nation require
its reorganization; SO rs to admit into 1t a fair and
equal representation from the Free States, accord
ing to the ratio Of pc equation between the Free
aud Slave States, which can and ought promptly
to be done by act of Congress. Until this meas
ure is accomplished, it is manifestly the duty of
this State to take and maintain a firm stand against
the encroachments Of Slavery, and keep this dire
evil out of her borders.
To this end, your Committee announce and
recommend the adoption of the proposition that
Slavery shall never pollute the free soil of the
Empire State, let the consequences be what they
may. In making this declaration we place the
Empire State On The Republican doctrines of L7oS
known as the Virginia Resolutions" which were
acquiesced in by the great Republican part of that
day, and in the following words:
Resolved, That this Assembly doth explicitly
and peremptorily declare that it views the powers
of the Federal Government as resulting from the
compact, to which the States are parties, as limit.
ed by the plain sense and intention of the instru-
ment constituting that compact; as no further valid
than they are authorized by the grants enumerated
in that compact and that in case of a deliberate,
palpable and dangerous exercise of other powers,
n3t granted by the said compact of the States, who
are the parties thereto, have the right, and are in
duty bound, to interpose for arresting the progress
of the evil, and for maintaining, within their re-
spective limits, the authorities, rights and liberties
appertaining.t to them.
To carry into effect this proposition, your Com
mittee recommend the adoption of the resolutions
herewith presented, and, the passage of an act
entitled "An act to secure Freedom to all persons
within this State"