The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-07-01


hood.
That We are steadily and rapidly approach.
ing 'ha. result, canno, doubt, for The slavery
issue has already dwindled down into the
narrow limits covered by the decision of the
Supreme Court OF the United States in the
Dred Scott case. The moment that decision
was pronounced, and before the opinions Of
the Court could be published and read by
the people, the newspaper press ia the inter.
esl of powerful political party in this coun.
Try, began 10 pour forth torrents of, abuse
and Misrepresentation, no: only upon the
decision, bu, upon the character aud motives
Of The venerable Chief Justice aud his illus.
trious associates on the bsuch. TIE charac.
ter Of Chief Justice Taney and associate
judges who concuHed with him require no
eulosy-no vindicaliou from me. They are
eadcared to ,hs people of the Uni,ed States
BY ,heir eminent public services--venersted
ior their asea, learning, wisdom and expert
ence--and beloved for The spnllsss purity OF
Characters and their exemplary lives. The
poisonous shafts Of par,izan mal,ce will fall
harmless al their feet, while their judicial
decisions " III stand ir all future time, proud
monument 10 their greatness, The admiration
Of the good and Wise, and rebuks 10 the
parlizans Of faction aud reckless violence. II,
unfortunately, any considerable portion OF the
people Of The United States shall so far forget
their Obligations TO society as to allow the
parizan leaders TO array them in violent re.
slstance to the final decision of the highes,
judicial tribunal on earth, il will become the
duty of all ths friends OF order and cons,i,u-
tional government, without reference 10 pas
political differences, 10 organize themselves
and marshal their forces under the glorious
banner of Union, in vindication Of the con.
sti,ution and the supremacy of the laws over
the advocates of faction and the champions
ot violence. To preserve the constitution
inviols'e, and vindicale the supremacy of the
laws, is the first and highest duty OF every
citizen Of a free republic. The peculiar mer-
it of our form OF government over all others
consists in the fact that the law, instead OF
the arbitrary will OF Hereditary prince, pre-
scrIbes, defines and projects all our rights
Ia this country the law 10 the will of the
people, embodied and expressed according
10 the system OF the constitution. The couris
are The tribunals prescribed by the cons,i,u.
liOn, aud created by tho authority of ihs' peo.
pls 10 determine, expound aud enforce the
law. Hence, whoever resists the final decis.
ion of the highest judicial tribunal, AIMS a
deadly blow at our whole republican fo,m OF
governmental blow, which if successful,
would place all our rights aud liberties al the
mercy Of passion, anarchy and violence. |
repeat, therefore, that If resistance TO The de-
c,sions of the Supreme Court Of The United
States, in matter like The points decided in
Dred Scott case, cl 'arly within their jursdic-
lion as defined BY the Constitution, shall be
forced upon the country as political issue,
il will become distinct and naked Issue be-
tween the friends and the enemies Of the
consli,ut,on-,he friends and the enemies Of
the supremacy of the laws.
The case OF Dred Scott was an action OF
:respass, vi 81 arrais, in the Circuit Court OF
the United States for the district Of Missouri,
for The purpose of establishing his claim TO
be q free man, and was taken by writ Of er-
ror, on the application of Scott to the Su
preme Court of the United States, where the
final decision was pronounced by the Chief
Justice Tarey. The facts of the case were
agreed upon and admitted to be true by both
parties, and were in substance, that Dred
Scott was negro slave in Missouri; tina, he
wen, with his master, who was an officer of
the army, 10 Fort Armstrong, on Rock Island;
and thence 10 Fort Smelling, on the west
bark of the Mississippi river, and within
the couLtty covered BY the act Of Congress,
known As the Missouri Compromise; and
thence he re.accompanied his masler TO the
STATE OF Missouri, where he has since re.
manned slave. Upon This statement Of acts,
Two impousn, and material questions arose
besides several incidental and minor ores,
which it was incumbent upon the court 10
take notice of and decide. The court did
not attemp, 10 avoid responsibility by dspos.
ing OF the case upon technical points with
out touching the merIls, nor did they 60 ont
Of their way TO decide questions not proper
ly before them and directly presented By the
record. Like honest ard conscientious judges
as they are, they me, and decided each point
as il arose, and faithfully performed their
whole duty, and nothing but their duty, 10
the country by determining all the questions
in The case, and Do'hing but what was es-
sentis to the decision of The case upon its
merits. The State courts Of Missouri had
decided against Dred Scott, and declared
him and his childsen slaves, and the Circuit
Court of the United States for the district OF
Missouri had decided The same thing 10 this
very case, which had thus been removed TO
The Supreme Court of the United States by
Scott, with the hope ofrevering the decision
Of the Circuit Court and securing his free
ioni. II The Supreme Court had dismissed
The writ Of error for want o! jurisdiction,
without first examining into and deciding The
merits of he case, as they are now denounc-