Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-21
Chr Anti SIaperp Bnele
SALEM, ONO, MARCH 20, 1857.
THE DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT.

The late decision of the Supreme Court, is one
Of great interest in any view of the case. One
important influence will he to aid in dispelling the
falacy, that slavery is not a national institution
Practically il has always been recognized as such.
Slaves have been treated as property by the ma
tional government, in al its departments, and yet
the auti-slavery -inclined supporters of the govern
ment have hAttered themselves that liberty was
national and slavery only sectional" Now it is
officially announced that this is a mistake; that
slaves are property in the eye Of the Constitution
and subject to the laws, and only to the laws of
property. That the rights Of persons do not APP
pertain 70 them; that they are out Of tie pale Of
citizenship, Whether Tho seven judges Of the
Supreme Court are right and the two wrong, or
whether j Judges Mclean and Curtis are right, and
Judge fancy and his associates wrong, the case
is bad enough. In either case we ought to have a
better constitution than we seem to have when
our Judges make the very best of our very bad
bargain with the Shareholders. In either case
there exists a clear and strong necessity to repu-
date the contract as dishonorahle and minions.
From the facts presented in our columns this
week our readers will be able to understand the
whole state Of the question. On our first page
will be found the opinion Of the majority of the
court as presented by Chief Justice Tany. This
sanctions and endorses all the EXTREMIST claims OF
the most ultra shareholders under the constitution,
1t makes slavery the primary law IF the Union,
the sustaining and defending of human chattelism
the lin object of the constitution. 1t makes
slavery lawful and constitutional as we'll in Ohio
and Massachusetts, as in Oregon and Kansas. II
49, r. 1000. aonrl.,o onl -, o.,,b o,n 30 L.
d eiended.
For if Scott and his family can be taken to Hi
nois, made IA FREQ State by virtue of the ordinance
of 1887, there held as slaves for more than two
years and then returned to chattelism in Missouri
and this too, in spite of the principles Of the com
mon law which tho Missouri Courts have hith
erto regarded as law, then surely there is nc place
in the nation where slaves may not BE taken anG
held and bought and sold.
Mr.. Buchanan, in his inaugural speaks of thu
suppression Of the anti slavery agitation rs ar
event already secured. We have no doubt, oul
Jealous Republicans smiled incredulously wher
they read this; and we ourself, still cherish thu
! hope that he is mistaken: nevertheless the mean'
the President has taken to secure this result, ar,
by no means contemplate, and are full of promise
j OI suCcesS. III II Hlsl VlhCe, tnlS ueCislon is ln'
result of a conspiracy between the executive and
judicial branches Of the government to cut off tn,
Legislative department from all right and abilit,
to discuss and agitate the question. 1t has for
mally dissolved all the action, recent and remote
which the Congress has ever taken against slavery
/, has taken the question away from the peopl
and placed it where their voice cannot be heard i
petition or remonstrance. Its action will compe
evey judicial organization and every judicial off
Ger in tho land from the mayor of a petty villag
} to the Chief Justice himself, to regard all slave
as property, and only property, every where; an
submission will inevitably be the order of the DAY
- For we have learned from the effects of the fugi
:, tive slave act, that our people prefer submission t
: anything, however odious. rather shan risk the in
fiction Of pains and penalties incident to a con
fct Hith the Federal judiciary. And then to,
{ every lawyer ia the land will DO counselling sub
i mission, unless when there il a chance to escap,
through some ~loop-hole of the law some quirk o.
technicality. Tho time chosen too. is of all 9th
: ers most favorable TO the accomplishment of th,
result. Mr.. Buchanan is just now dispensing hi
. liberal patronage to all parts Of the nation, an
V unquestionably he aud his advisers will see to
u that it is dispensed in such a manner as to bes
8 reconcile the people to this act of judicial despC
" tism. TIE people must submit, or they must rev
olulionize and overturn the Supreme Court. F,
this last. they have not the courage or the will
: though for the present at least we will hope tn,
> his last act of tyranny will do something toward
educating them in the right direction.
TO place the waole question before our reader
we append a synopsis of the opinions of some
the other judges.
JUDGE NELSON Of New York argued that Dire
Scott was not exempt from slavery in Missouri a
10 ter being returned thitber from Llliuois. whitbt