Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-03-10

IL
has once existed here by virtue Of the
constitution, then by what authority,
ask, have the people ofthis State made
it free? From whence the higher law
to abolish it, if it be abolished? Has
state the right to change the functions,
or interfere with the virtual provisions
of the national constitution-can it
change the design of that instrument?
In short, why then and by what law
has Wisconsin become Free State l?
If the Dred Scott decision be sound
law then have the people of this State
violated one at least of the provisions
of the Constitution of the United States.
Sir, this step is the onward march of
the pro-slavery army-the step taken
in the Dred Scott case if not the last,
is the last but one that will ever take
toward the accomplishment of its long
cherished purpose-the complete sub
.jugation of the free States of the north.
The times on this point are ominous.-
No man can longer claim to be a 'sna-
tional democrat,' who does not bow
down and worship this dark and hide
Gus Moloch. To-day the great chief of
the young Democracy of the north is
no longer permitted to enter the inner
temple Of the national party. Stephen
A. Douglas and his comrades are for
mally read out of, and prohibited from
participating in the affairs of the adj
ministration. And for what? Sir, for
daring to oppose it in its nefarious de-
sign of fastening upon Kansas a sec
tional and hateful institution, against
the Will of four ffths of her legal vot-
ers, again and again expressed. Well
may that statesman in the language of
Webster, exclaim, "Where Shall go?"
| have said that the last step but one
has been taken. Sir, I most religously
believe it, and what was the last step !?
1t is the attempt to effect a complete
Capitalization Of power by virtue of a
decision ofthe Supreme Court at Wash
ington, declaring slavery to be the nat
ural rather than the circumstantial
condition of man, and consequently
that color or descent has no part
or lot in this matter; that the law
OF might makes the master and weak
Hess the slave. This is already an
nounced in the southern papers as the
only tenable doctrine that the democ-
racy can adopt, nor can | see why it is
not the natural offspring of that scarce
ly less objectioned one of grades in the
mental power of the races-a doctrine
that has heretofore been held as an ex-
cuse for slavery.
Sir, | have yet left some degree of
reverence for the courts, but that rev.
erence has been diminished not little
by this Dred Scott case. 1t is true
that to remarkable degree is respect
for courts and Judges still retained in
this country. Public confidence in and
respect for the Legislative and Execu-
tive departments of the nation, as well
as in the several states, has suffered Sc
we're shocks, owing from fraud and cor
ruption from time to time discovered
in them, while the judiciary still more
righttully possesses that confidence to
a great degree, for the reason that that
department still remains comparatively
untarnished. 1t does not, however,
follow as safe conclusion, that in this
confidence there lies no danger. So
long have the people been accustomed
to submit to bench DEGREES without a
murmur, and to regard them as a law,
that the power Of the courts is second
to none and the aid of it affords in pro-
pelling the machinery of the Govern
ment. Let but this once become CEN
tralized and supreme, and it will hold
the destinies of the American Union
in It's balances. The great father of
Republicanism Thomas Jefferson
foresaw this, when in his letter to Mr..
Hammond Of August 18th, 1921, he
says:
cit has long been my opinion, and I
have never shrunk from it's expression
(although do not choose to put it in
newspaper, nor like Priam in armor,
offer myself it's champion) that the germ
of dissolution of our Federal Govern
ment, is in the Constitution of the Fed
eral Judicary-an irresponsible body
for impeachment is scarcely scare
crow working like gravity by night
and by day, gaining little to-day and
a little tomorrow, and advancing its
noiseless step like thief, over the field
of jurisdiction, until all shall be usurp-
ed from the states and the government
Of all be consolidated into one"
How far the sentiment of that great
man is being verified, I hardly dare to
ask, and not half century has passed
since its utterance. A strict construc-
ton Of constitutional law no longer
prevails. Section after section and leaf
after leaf Of that time honored book are
now being used to feed the flames of
OF an unholy passion which knows no
law but that law which gratifes its
base desires.
One of the principal efforts of the
Democracy at this time is the attempt
to stifie freedom of speech and of the
press on this question. During this
debate Senator (Mr. Cook has at
tempted to impugn the motives of the
Governor in introducing this great sub
ject into his Message, and told us it
was all done for political effect, and he
also asks us if these resolutions were