The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-10-29
From the Springfield Republican,
Nation Of the q. 3. Sa-
EEeEARG Court.

1t needs no argument to show that the
Supreme Court Of the United States has
degeneatc1 into a mere partisan and sec
tional instrument. The lamel-sble fact
is paipablo and undisguised. It's recent
outrage upou public decency and pro
priety, in forcing upon the country Sc
ries Of opinions upon the subject Of Sla-
very, not required BY the case under con !
sideratiop, aud uttered for the sole Pur-
Lose Of giving certain sacredness to the
greatest partisan outrage ever committed
by Congrazs-the annullaent Of the Sla-
very prohibition in the Territories; shows
the extent to which that court has degen-
Grated, and the utterness .ef It's prosyitu-
ton to the uses of the SIayery-e1tending
POLITICIANS. Is there no remedy for this
debasement Of the Supreme Court?
Has tie country no protection against
this new and strange process, by which
the politicians may get their most repul-
aiye heresies transformed into law? 1lust
al the Executive and Judicial preec9ents
Of the past b. rutLiessly denied and tram
pied down, whenever a reckless political
gambler shall choose to coin some new
theory in support Of slavery, which he
gan sell 70 the South for consideration.
Th2 Sufreme Court is looked upon as
something fixed and immorable-antirely
beyond the reach Of the people, and
clothed with an authority nearly or quite
absolute and despotic Indeed, there are
not wanting, among those who claim tie
name Of Democrats, some who consider it
a sort Of treason, or something worse, to
doubt tho infallibility of the grave gen
tlepen who occupy the Supreme Bench,
or to hint at the possibility that they have
uttered mistaken opinion, or yielded to
. corrupt influence, But the whole his
Tory CT The Judiciary, in this and other
countries, shows that Judges are but weak
and erring men, often committing the
s9ddest mistakes, and, alas how often
perverting their sacred Office to the sup
port of the wrong cause, when backed by
power and wealth, against tae right which
has only its own righteousness to sustain
it,
We said heSupreme Court is sectional
It is not only 50 in It's general aim and
the spirit Of the majority Of the judges J;
1t is sectional in its construction. This
Is seen at a glance by the following table
Of the judicial districts:
FREE STATES.
L. Maine, New Hampshire, Mjssa-
chusctts, and Rhode Island 2,043, ,2O4
? Vermont, Connecticut, and New
York 8,782. 800
3. New Jersey and Pennsylvania 2,8OI 34l
Z. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Mich
igan 4,2o7869
Four circuits Total free pop. I2,834,72o
SLAVE STATES.
4. Delaware, Maryland, and Vir-
gnia I,383.9l2
5. Alabama, Louisiana, and Ken
lucky l,443 394
s. North Carolina, South Carolina,
and Georgia I,249 lG7
8. Kentucky, Tennessee and Mis-
souri, 2Il0l71
9. Mississippi, and Arkansas 45I9O7
Five circuits. Total free pop. 6,C44454
Here Kentucky is twice included. II
We deduct her population from one cir
cult, we shaft see that FIVE Southern
judges represent but 5,S93,000 people,
while the four Northern Judges represent
l2,635,000. Undera fair apportioumcnt,
the North would have six Of the nine
judges, and the South but three.
We have reason to believe that the
subject Of a just and fair Reorganization
of the Supreme Court viii be brought be-
fore the next Congress, and viii BECOME
topic of the most serious and earnest
discussion. 1t is too much to hope from
a Congress constituted as that will be,
that the nneaspre will succeed. But it
will be presented in such form that the
measure viii succeed. But it will be
presented in such form that the whole
country will see its intrinsic justice and
propriety, and the decision against it will
be so evidently based on sheer sectional
and party grounds as to demonstrate how
entirely the Supreme Court is relied upon
and used as political machine, Some;
thing will thus be gained in the presenta:
tion Of the true bearings of the question
to the people, and in the preparation OF
the public mind for the change. If We