Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-04-04
Uerm@nt 4gamx.
BRATTLEBORO. VT.
SATURDAY, APRIL a, 1851.
Not Treason TO Doubt the In1nllibiiity Of
the 4. 4. Juducs.

~ -
1t takes n thorough dyed-in-the-wool democrat
to advocate the most AFFECT submission to authori-
ty. If the despot who trembles on the throne of
Naples had for subjects the men who edit govern
ment newspapers in the United States, he might
dismiss his fears and sleep quietly. While free
dom Of opinion upon oil political subjects is getting
to be pretty generally enjoyed under the most abb
solute governments, we are told by the democrat
ic press of the United States that we live under an
autocracy whose declarations must be received
without doubt or question-that If a majority OF
the judges Of the supreme court deliver an opin-
ion upon any subject, II is treason and rebellion to
question its accuracy. Nobody doubts that the
decision of that court in any particular cnse over
which they have jurisdiction, is final and must be
submitted to, right or wrong. But when the court
gives merely an Interpretation Of the constitution
or the laws, TO insist that the people must swallow
the opinion blindly, asking no questions and fear
ing to harbor q doubt Of its correctness, is to give
the court a power over the intellect and conscience
not contemplated by the constitution and at war
with the first principles Of a free government. 1t
is a d~espotism that American citizens should be
the last to tolerate.
Notwithstanding the arrogance and ferceness
with which the government presses are demanding
Of the people this degrading submission to the dc
ia of the pro-slavery portion Of the supreme court,
we believe they will miserabiy fail of their object.
A forced opinion, promulgated with the obvious
purpose to sustain by sacred judicial authority,
the obnoxious aggresions Of q political party in
behalf of the extension Of human slavery, is not
entitled to extraordinary respect from a free peo-
pie, much less to implicit reception as a fnality
The people may think that a majority Of the judg-
Is are mistaken, that the minority have the best o.
the argument as well us the better causc-and they
may say so, and neither be, nor deserve to be
hung for treason and rsbellion. Nay more, they
may continue to agitate for what they consider
true and just, until the popular conscience is fell
on the supreme bcnch-until the aggressive pro
slavery doctrines of the bred Scott declarations
are withdrawn, and the Interpretation of the con
%stitution as understood by its trainers and admin
istered up to the present year, shall be once NOR
restored. And we think they will.
1t would be o nice little arrangement for tn
pro-slayery party to get the southern judges t
give an opinion in favor Of every aggression upol
the rights of the free states by which they cal
make political capital at the South, and then per
suade the people Of the North that it would b
highly criminal for them to question this opinion
1t would make the entire subjugation Of the FIRE
states and the spread of slavery over the Who'll
I country a very easy operation, But it will nc
work. Q The right to think and talk and print O
E all subjects is one Of the inherent and inalienabl
rights of Yankeedom, which will never be renounc
E ed or abated. The silence that gives consent
D slavery or its aggrcssions will never come throug
awe Of the supreme court or at the bidding Of den
ocratc newspapers.-Springfeld Repub.