The Washington union., 1857-09-15

Bowng 10 the bred Scott decision as matter of law Il
viii not do TO say only tha, "Pennsyvania has more
right 70 legslae FOR Virginia the subject Of slavery
than virginia has TO legislae for Pennsylvania the
subject Of public schools Mr. Wilmot cannot stop at
this point he must and does virtually agree by that
bow that neither Pennsylyania Virginia has any
right TO legslate for Kansas Nebraska either sub
ec and they have power 10 interfere for against
the institutions Of the Territories directly indirectly.
The citizens of each may TO Kansas and when bona
fcS residents they give effect TO their will He
do this but citizens of this State inhu-
ence the question in either Kansas Virginia Prior to
the Dred Scott decision the republican party contended
for the power of Congress the subject in the Terri
tories but that decision has settled the question against
them and has closed the last channel through which the
free States could reach the question 1t has swept away
the entire stock in trade of the republican agtatos
Missouri line, the Wilmot previso and eveiy other
scheme of congressional interference. They have no
occasion longer to seek the election of anti sa
very men to Congress, for that body cannot touch
the question. Their long cherished business of agi-
tation B, therefore, gone-gone forever Wherein,
then, is the fitness of Mr.. Wilmots nhammatory ad-
dresses about slavery to the exclusion of every other
topcY Having no power the subject it cannot be
OF vital practical importance in Pennsylvania unless in
deed, Mr. W., in his everish sensveness has allowed
himself to conclude that dough faced democrat
in obedience to " the slave powers is about to propose
to reestabish the institution in this State Until this
be done the question be practical he alleges
But is it not singular that Mr. Wimot should seek to
agtae the public mind in behalf of which have
been declared unconstitutional and to which decision he
agrees What can he accomplish by such effort Though
he could convince majority Of the people that the meas
would work practical good to the country the con-
stituton, until changed is insumountable barrier to
their adoption Would it not be wiser to accept the ph
osophy of the rte saying that lit is useless cry over
split milk y When the election is he will need the
benefit of such reflection, for think his chances
are better to become the successor Of Judge Bur than
Of Gov. Pollock.
do not to say that the candidates for governor
may not properly aude to the subject of slavery but
Mr. Wimot insists that measures which hye been de-
cared unconstitutional shall be recognised issues IN the
gubernaoria contest and continues to discuss these
measures as thou they could be made available the
country a insists that tho people should take one side
or other He says slavery Is the only question invov
cd and has far declined to speak State questions
at all.
He says that Virginia has the same right to interfere
with public schools that Pennsylvania has with sla
very in Virginia. and that is true but did it not occur
to his mind, at the time, that it would be most
singular If not ludcos spectacle to witness candidate
for governor IN Virginia resting his claims popular ia
solely his views about public schools in Pennsylv
na and conning his discussions to that topic alone
Why the people of the Old Dominion would get strait
jacket for any man who might attempt to play such
trick before high Heaven. And what would Pennsylva-
mans think OF such impudent intererence9 They would
most certainly invite the Virginia apant to take Of
his slaves and leave the public schools to them. Mr. W.
would be sure to do this and yet he talked for hours
about Virginia negroes, and said not word about
schools determined does he to rest
his claims questions belonging to other States, and
over which his has no control Perhaps his friends
explain all this but think can safely assure them of
thngf he does not get votes in States where
his address would be appropriate than in his own he will
be badly beaten He will be almost convinced that he
has not only been speaking for other States but running
for governor somewhere else than at home.
Mr. Wilmots prompt recognition Of the binding effect
of the Drcd Scott decision has certainly surprised and dis
appointed of his pnatical adherents. But they
should notice that he dare not raise his voice against the
constitution when asking to be permitted to take an oath
to support it, That he has yielded reluctantly and with
exceeding bad grace is evident from the low terns in
which he impugns the motives of the Court He rays at
rs Choh fer The Eraie 70 find corrupt JUDGES 10 car54
ont corrupt dsgas This is coarse, exceedingly coarse
scarcely allowable in common place politician, and ut
terly inadmissibe in candidate for governor Very
many who intend to vote for the author of the base allie
CATION will despisc his foul aspersons Even they will
not agree that it is becoming in David wilmot to warn
the country against the corruptions of James Buchanan
and Roger b. Taney But in his anger at courts he has
gone out of his way still further to make onslaught
upon the integrity of the supreme court of his State
and broadly alleges that its decisions often contradc
tory and is talk among the bar that decision
must be revived every five years to have binding effect
The courts should take warning for failing to be COVER
nor, this gentleman ainy will he may still retain
the office of judicial censorian
Fearing to repudiae the decision of the Supreme Court
in express terms, many of Mr. Wimot's school of pot-
clans industrousy engaged in efforts to destroy the
confidence of the public In its integrity AS means of
doing this they in the habit of expaiatng on the cx
raordnary circumstance that the ordinance of 1887
should have been declared unconstitutional the end of
sixty years after its adoption and the Missouri Compro
mise so declared after having stood for nearly forty years
They certainly know that the ordinance of 1887 did not
derive its authority from the present consttuontha
it the work of the Congress of the Old Confederation
and was agreed to by the States and merely perpe
ated under the present constitution as measure which
the States had agreed to- This item of history they prefer
to Suppress that the action of the court may seem the
more strange. They know, too that the Missouri Com
promise an arbitrary arrangement between the North
and the South forced by exigency that endangered
the peace of the country and that its constitutional a
thoty though constantly denied by many wise states
men, had not been directly tested prior the late de-
cison.
The history of the removed provso is rewritten in this
Speech and Mr.. W. has manifested special delight n ex
hbtng what he considers the inconsistencies of the dem
ocrac party this subject and especially those
of General Cass Hon. Richard Brodhead and myself
He alleges in substance that if the General had voted be-
fore he reflected he would have gone for the provso and
that Mr. Brodhead had said he would vote for it il offered
cord my in the affirmative when similar senti-
men passed the State Legislature The of General
Cass and Mr.. Brodhead needs explanation defence
at my hands. Their sentiments are too well known to
the country to be successfully misrepresentcd And in
deed admitting all that Mr. w. alleges do not see that
he makes out any mans destruction. Tho wisest men in
the nation have often been wrong in their first impress
sons to the expedency of suddenly proposed meas
ures, and to be mistaken constitutional ques-
tion is no uncommon thing among able lawyers As
to the Pennsylvania resolution it certainly did not
receive that consideration to which IL was entitled
do not believe it under consideration in the
Senate exceeding half hour before il passed final
y For myself knew but little about it until 1t came
fha Df attx t,a