Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-04-02
SnNrama Court.

supreme C0uIt.
Since the decision of the u. s. Supreme
Court in the bred Scott case. the republic
an papers. with but few exceptions. are. to
say the best. pursuing very ungentle
Iy course. A majority of the judges are
denounced as corrupt. and giving their d.
cision to sui! the views of the democratic
party in general. and tho MISREPRESENTATION
lists in particular.
We copy the following article from the
Peru Sentinel OF last week, which we re.
gard as peculiarly appropriate at this time:
"GErrrse ExcrrED.--Since the decision
of the bred Scott case. the Supreme Cour,
is regarded by the Republican party as a
very corrupt institution. Every village ed
itor feels competent to decide all constitu-
tional questions correctly. and at liberty to
condemn the decision Of the Court. when.
ever, as in this case. it runs counter to
their own views and prejudices. This
would be harmless enough if it stopped al
3 mere manifestation Of dissent, but the
remedy proposed is revolutionary. Min
listers Of the Gospel-the same class who
furnished Sharp's Rifles. for brother to
imbrue his hands in the blood of brother
advocate resistance to the recent decision,
in every possible manner. even to assassin.
alton. This spirit Of resistance to every
law tina, does not suit the fancy of fanatics
has been growing for several years. and
BODIES no good to the country. 1t first man.
Tested itself about the time Of the passage
of the Compromise measures Of 1850, and
has been increasing in depth and intensity
ever since. until now. t is the first and on
ly remedy thought of, by the class referred
to, for every grievance. Time was, in the
history of our country. when the remedy
for bad laws was their legal and peaceful
repeal: when the court was regarded as a
coordinate branch Of the Government and
its decisions as the authoritative exposition
Of the laws. When a law, as interpreted
by that tribunal. worked hardship or was
clearly unjust. it was repealed. The court
was understood to possess no power tc
make laws. nor was it expected to shape its
decisions to suit popular clamor. But the
times have changed. and party exists in
the country now. which, by precept and
practice, teaches that the decisions of the
Judiciary should always conform to popu
lar sentiment, whatever that may be at the
moment. The history of the country for
the past six years furnishes abundant ex
ample Of resistance to law, and Of deter.
mined and persistent efforts to overawe the
courts BY the weight of outside pressure
The Burns case in Massachusetts, several
like cases in Ohio, the course pursued by
the republican party in Indiana towards the
Supreme Court Of the State on account OIL
lis decision on the Maine law, and the spec
tacle of court in Wisconsin annulling the
laws of Congress. ght be cited. Con.
sistency is entirely overlooked by the par.
ty. and. in their distempered zeal. they
commit the grossest absurdities. Men who
never weary in condemning the nulliGca-
tion Of South Carolina. glory in the multi
tication Of Massachusetts,, and others who
deny the State rights doctrine of Calhoun,
attempt to resist the execution of the acts
Of Congress by the enactment Of State
laws, while the solon of State Court viii
decide law Of the Federal Government,
unconstitutional, and absolve the people
from all obligation to obey it.
In the bred Scott case, the motives o.
the court are assailed with all the virulence
Of blind passion. Although all the Judge:
but two concurred, this circumstance goe.
for nothing. The decision of the MAORI
ty is wrong. and that Of the two right
The motives Of the majority were corrupt
those of the two pure. The maj 'rily wer,
Shareholders and doughfces. and perjuree
themselves TO subserve slave interest: thu
minority were shareholders and vindi
Gated the cause Of freedom. Such is tn,
wholesale denunciations Of the Judges o
the Supreme Court. by rabid Republicans
If motives may be assigned as exercising
any influence in the decision of this case
those Of one Of the minority Judges. .
least. are more open to suspicion than thos,
of Judge fancy. The latter is man o
eighty years Of aye. upon the verge of tn,
grave. with no political aspirations. ant
about to resign his present position, Will
Judge Mclean. who disseuted, has. in tn
ordinary course Of nature, many years ye
before him, was disappointed aspiran
for the Republican nomination for Pres.
den: last year. and may be considered 70
years to come. among the prominent prob
able candidates for the Presidency.
motives are to be impugned. it may be re
peated that those Of Judge Mclean ar
open to question"
Gov Gearv'a farawoll address will h