New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-10
THE FUGITTTE SLAVE BILL
A NULLTTY BY TIE DECISION IN TIE DRIED SCOT


To the Editor Of The n. y. Tribune.
SIR: The ground Of this decision NJ stated by the
Supreme Court is that bred Scott of African descent,
having been slave in Missouri, was removed by his
master to free territory yet having returned to Mis-
souri, he is still subject to such conditions as that
State. bv its Courts chooses to impose upon him.
bred was virtually uousuited, being told that he had
no rights in the United States Court bciHg IF african
descen Even the question whether he was ever
legally slave or Dot was ignored by the Court,
On The ground that such persons not citizens O the
United States and under the Constitution, neither the
Cont Congress has power over the status OF such
creatures.
II this il TO be considered the fundamental Law from
hencefOrth it becomes the several states To under
stand Their J,o,ifion and their dutcS on this question.
IL appears 10y this decision that the cirH relations
persons of African descent, Is one Of the rc'errfd
IghtS # tie States" or II 90 NE people res P'ctLrt.y
If So then they cannot be subject to any law OF Con-
p1ess and are not be considered any longer basis
of representation i'll Congress and one OF tue first du-
ties Of the next Congress Will be to ieapporon us
members among the several States upon me rFfe
iQss FOL il is prepOserOus 10 suppose thai the fathers
Of the Constitution ever supposed that lupersona
beings trfhoUt rtghis at iaC, without protection from
unjust treatment were 10 form basis OF representa-
tiCn in Congress or the general Government .
Ii would be an anomaly for people not only with
out political rights, but without privileges IN Count
Of Justice or Equity TO have power by representation
or thelwise 10 make laws for free people. The
Constitution OuCS nOt dihN l''itI ~ NC
in CCBgrtss-oIly persons, mt creatures nor smPr-
,cr>onat LcBgS. Are not the States equal, AM 10 be
rcureteuted On an equal basis.
II is clear therefore that if the United States Con-
tuton does not confer the rights Of citizenship upon
persons of African descent it cannot take them away,
and the rights ii the culorcd he sanie "a ut
the ad pton Of the Constitution in the several states,
viz: zone Of the reserved rights OF the States or OF
the people respectively, and the Fugitive slave blu
becomes nulhty 50 far any law of Congress can
affect the question On the ground that the Constitu
ton requires only that "pereUns held to service or
'lab,r il ole State under the laws thereof shall be
given up: and a. a compact each State may require
proof If such legal relations before the obligation to
d,ircr mp can be imposed ON il.
BY The decision Of the Supreme Court, what redress
las free person Of Afrlcan descent If such were
taken back None 1T all. \ white person may have,
ard by The principle, they are the only persons
call them apprentices ~ what not-to when the AcI
Of 1850 can gay apply. An impersonal being, with
out tights al law surely not contemplated IN this en-
scmrit which den, inmates persons"
II Massachusetts has protection for her coored
citizens, she certainly has no responsibility for the
safety Of tie c0icrtd creatures of South Carolina and
ifihey should stray away 10 the Bunker Hill State
let be understood tha they will be invested with tie
tight. and mmunitios Of freemen in that STATE.
VIII not every Free State look after it, reserved
rights toward this suffering class of humanity and
sl by lis acts I'll - the injustice of aCjudgng IN N
10 be- q ytrson and HtJ.g 81 the same time, viii find
10 favor among people able 70 defend themselves:
N(lc-I o,k Juur ? ies7 PHILAs