The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-08
d. c..
From the Springfield Republican.
NATURALIZATION OF THE o. s. SUPREME
COURT.

It needs noargument to show that the Supreme
Court Of the United States has degenerated into
a mere partisan and sectional instrument. The
lsmentsble fact is palpable and undisguised
It's recent outrage upon public decency and pro
psiety, in forcing upon the country q series Of
opinions upon the subject of Slavery, not re-
quired By the case under consideration, and
uttered for the sole purpose of giving certain
ssoTedness to the greatest partisan outrage ever
committed by Congress-the annulment of the
Slavery prohibition in the observation-disclosures the
extent to zhich that court has degenerated, and
the bitterness of its prostitution to the uses of
the Slavery extending politicians. Is there no
remedy for this debasement of the Supreme
Court?
Has the country no protection against this
new and strange process, by which the poll
ticians may get their most repulsive here sizes
transformed into law? Must all the Executive
and Judicial presidents of the past be ruthlessly
denied and trampled down, whenever reckless
political gambler shall choose to coin some new
theory in support of Slavery, which he can sell
to the South for q consideration
The Supreme Court is looked upon as some
thing fixed aud immovable-entirely beyond
the reach Of the people, and clothed with an au-
thority nearly or quite absolute and despotic.
Indeed, there are not wanting, among those who
claim the name Of Democrats, some who con-
cider il sort of treason, or something worse,
10 doubt the infalibility of the grave gentlemen
who occupy the Supreme Bench, or TO hint at
the possibility that they have uttered mistaken
opinion. or yielded to a corrupt influence. But
the whole history of the Judiciary, in this and
other countries, shows that judges are but weak
and erring men, often committing the saddest
mistakes, and, alssl how often perverting their
sacred Office to the support of the wrong cause,
when backed by power and wealth, against the
right which has only its own righteousness to
sustain it.
We said the Supreme Court is sectional. 1t
is not only SO in It's general aim and the spirit
OF the majority of the judges; it is sectional in
its construction. This is seen at a glance by
the following table of the judicial districts:
FREE STATES.
/. Maine, New Hampshire, Massa-
chusetts. and Rhode Island 2,043,20
2. Vermont, Connecticut, and New
York 1882. 800
,. New Jersey, and Pennsylvania 1901, 34l
2. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Mich
igan, 42O7 1863
Four circuits. Total free population 1884, 72O
SLAVE STATES.
4. Delaware, Maryland, and Vir-
ginia l,SSs,9l2
lucky I,44s,ss4
and Georgia 1,24s, fC7
g. Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mis-
scuri 2,IlO,I74
9. Mississippi and Arkansas 457,907
Five circuits. Total free population 6,644, 454
Here Kentucky is twice included. If we de-
duct her population from one circuit we shall
see that The five Southern Judges represent but
5,8S3 900 people, while the four Northern Judges
represent II 1886, 600. Under a fair apportion-
ment, 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 will be brought before the next Congress,
and will become topic of the most serious and
earnest discussion. 1t is too much to hope from
n Congress constituted as that will be. 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 II will be so evidently based on sheer
sectional aud party grounds as to demonstrate
how entirely the Supreme Court is relied upon
aud used political machine. Something
will thus be gained III the presentation of the
true bearings of the question to the people, az
IN the preparation Of the public mind for the
change. If We cannot secure Supreme Court
UNNECESSARILY above the base partisan uses TO
which the present court degrades itself, then it
were better that the whole thing should be rooted
mp, and new court organized, that shall stand
above the reach of such influences.