The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-06-13
from the Philadelphia Times.
JOHN JAY,
First Chief j Justice of the u g.
UerSuS
R. u. TANEY9 the Present
CEEief Justice.

Every schoolboy if familiar with the
ssczaruns ct remarkable aaomee" Of John
Jay. Every lawyer eherishes tie pro-
foundsst Difference for the learning and
authority Of him who was selected by
Washington to be the first Chief Justice
of the United States. Every citizen Of the
Republic is proud of the liastrious fame of
him whose proverbial spotless private life
shed lustre upon bis splendid public ca
reer. John Jay WIS one of The very pure
est. aahlest, ord wisest, of tbe fathers Of
the Revolution and Of the earlier days Of
the Constitution. He was the intimate
personal friend and the trusted conf
Dental adviser of Washington. The
dignity, integrity, and legal eruiition of
his Chief Justiceship has never been
excelIed, even by the powerful genius oi
the venerable John Marshall, or the va
rious culture Of the gentle and lamented
Story. Chief Justice jay was the fit
compeer of President Washington. But
it were superfuous to prolong eulogy of
him whose name and life is--one of the
most golden chapters of our history, and
one of the grandest inheritances left to the
present.
It is therefore with no ordinary pride
and qualification that we lay before our
readers a letter of John Jay, which, al
though written years ago, efectually dis
poses Of Mr.. Justice fancy and his associ-
ates on the bench.
This letter, as its date shows, was writ
ten during the controversy which termin-
ated in the Missouri Compromise. But
it happens to hit the very point misdeci-
ded By the Judges of the present court
They have given their opinion that Con
eress cannot control The subject of Sla-
very in the Territories. John Jay consid-
ers that the authority of Congress to do SO
it snsqucstioaa5le." They have also
given the revolving opinion that negroes
1ave no rights whieh white men are
5ostgsd to respect, and that our fathers
thought SO. Judge fancy quotes the
Declaration of In1ependence--the very
clause Of It cited in Judge Jays letter-as
proof Of this calumny upon the fathers.
Mark how John Jay refers to this clause.
But to the letter.
"BEDFoRD, WEsTeHEsTER Co, n. T.,
17th Nopember, 1919.
aDEAR SIR: I have received the copy
Of a circular letter, which, as chairman Of
the committee appointed by the late pub
lie meeting at Trenton, respecting Slavery,
YOU were pleased to direct to me on the
5th inst.
ssLittle can be added to what has been
said and written on the subject of Slavery.
I concur ia the opinion that it ought not
to be introduced nor permitted in any Of
the 9seaO States, and tllat it opght TO be
gradually diminished and finally abolish
ed In all Of them.
sslgo me, tie constitutional authority
Of the Congress to prohibit the n5igro-
ton and importation Of elaues into ossy
of the States, does moi appear qaeestsoao-
ssThe first article Of the Constitution
specifies the legislative powers committed
to the Congress. The ninth section Of
that article has these words: The assgro-
Ton or importation Of such persons as
any Of the nor eristing States shall think
proper to admit, shall not be prohibited
by the Congress prior to the year 1903,
but a tax or duty may be imposed onsllch
importation, not exceeding ten dollars for
each person.
81 understand TIE sense and meaning
of this clause to be, that tie power Of the
Congress, although competent to prohibit
such migration and importation, was. rot
to be exercised with respect to the then ex-
isting States, and Their only, until the year
1868; bs.t that tho Congress were st lib-
erty % make such prohibition as 70 any