Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-03-13

Important Decision.
The United States Supreme Court
have snuffed OFT the burning tapers of
Black Republicanism, and forever ex
tinguished the light, by whose red glare
that party were guided in their assaults
upon the Constitution Of their country.
The Court has decided, that the Act
called the Missouri Compromise, is M
constitutional, and that Congress has
no power to legislatc upon the subject
Of slavery in the Territories of the nj
ted States. This is the highest Judi
c'al Tribunal in the nation, and is com
posed OF the most eminent of living III
rists, whose whole lives have been de
voted to u study Of constitutional law.
and whose official term Of office being
during good behavior, which removes
them from the influence of partizan
prcJudices, and enables them To decilc
the important questions that come be
fore them, in spirit Of candor and inn
Partially. For 80 wears this vcxed
geographical line called the Compro-
mise, has been made the hobby, upon
which venal demagogucs, through pop
nlar excitement, have ridden into office.
and it has caused more agitation than
all other questions OF q uational char
actor. Thomas Jefferson went down
70 MS grave, predicting the fearful dan
gers Of making any geographical dis
nnction in the policy of governing the
U. y. Territories, and like an inspired
seer, he forctold all the evils which
have resulted from that ill-ad,iscd
measure.
Within the last &c Years. no cifolt
has been made {" secure judicial de
cision upon the con>t'uionalit, ofthc
Act, until the late ease 4, { bred scott.
and now that the decision is made, the
whole country is prepared To cheerful
" acquiesce in its correctness.
The Supreme Cont OF the United
States Is the citadel Of til. peoples
strength. There Congress has no more
power than the humhIcs, citizen. and
the laws which Congress cract>. viii
meet with the most rlgil >crnruv. To
ascertain whether the, sr,. in harmony
with that Constitution which The peo
pie have declared shall be- the Snnrcrn.
Law ofthe land. Herein Congress diff
fers from the Parliament Of England.
The latter is absolutely omnipoten, and
unlimited in its making power
No barrier is in,erposeI to prevent
tyranny and corrupt legislation. Bnt
We have . Parliament that is the crca-
ture of the people. with limited and
prescribed powers, and all its acts and
laws must conform to the provisions of
the Constitution that gives it being
The Supreme Court i. the Judge he
tween the people and the peoples Par
lament. protects the pc, pie from
the usurpation and aggression Of Con
gres@ This doctrine i- jeaiously Chef
ashed BY the Democratic party. while
the nameless opposition believe in laws
higher than the Constitution and
already snecr At the decision of the /
supreme Court in this case. Such a |
party, governed BY no fixed rules, is the |
great enemy Of public liberty. 1t is
the Vandal from whom the country has
the most to fear.
When We look back At the Wild
tempest Of popular fury which these
tandals created at the time the Mis-
souri, Compromise Act was repealcd.
and remember the rawlings, howIings,
and blssphcmies, Of the orators and
Journals Of that party upon this subject,
We cannot but remember the power
which shameless demagogucs can &C /
qairs over the masses Of the people, in
leading them on to the verge ofnation-
y rain. An the political excitement
that was gotten up could have been |
avoided BY procuring . decision of tho
supss'ns Court upon the disputed
question. But they preferred agita.
eaoa 1t the expense Of the peace and
lAfsey Of the Union,
y