Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-03-05


for them to lay down doctrines at va
rance With the whole history and pre-
ccdents Of tie country from its very
Foundation, to ovcrturn the decisions of
their own predecessors. greater men than
ever they can hope to be, and to reverse
all tho decisions ofthe legislative depart
mont of the government, on questions
of political character and description,
on their own mere say-so, we are told
all this is law.
sir, was perfectly aware from the
conrsc of proceeding. what this decision
would be. Whca saw the dctum, or
the dogma, if you plea to call it so,
laid down in the Cincinnati platform
that there was no power in the people
Of territory to exclude slavery, AMI
when l saw that that question had been
brought to the Supreme Court of the
United States, and that the Supreme
Court, after hearing the argument, had
adjourned from one day before the
election of President over to another
day after the election OF President, |
knew what the strength of the slay cry
party was felt what the decision was
to be and felt as we'll, and | do not
hesitate to say it here, that hal the
result of that election been otherwise,
and had not the party triumphctl on
the dogma which they had thus intro
duccd, We should never have heard of
doctrine 80 utterly at variance with
all truth 30 utterly destitute of all
| legal logic SO founded on error, and
unsupported by anything like argument
as is the opinion Of tho Supreme
Court.
should like, If had time, to attempt
to demonstrate the fallacy ofthe opinion.
| have examined the view of the Sup
rene Court of the United States on the
question of the power Of the constitution
to carry slavery into free territory be-
E! longing to the United States, aud | tell
you that believe any fairly respectable
LAWYER in the United States can show
beyond all question, to any fair and
unprejudiced mind, that the decision
has nothing to stand upon except assump-
ton, and bad logic from the assumptions
made, The main proposition on which
that decision is founded; the cornerstone
Of i, without which it fails entirely tc
satisfy the mind OF any man. Is this
that the constitution OF tho United States
recognized slavery as property, and pro.
tects it as such. l deny it. 1t neither
recognises slavery as property, nor doe.
it protect slavery as property.
Fortunately Tor my assertion, the
Supreme Court, IN making that the very
cornerstone OF Their decision, without
which the whole iaiis' state the clauses
on which they ground these assertions
On what do they found the assertion tina
the constitution protects slavery az
property On the provisions OF th'
{ Constitution by wh'ch congress IS prohib
tied from passing law TO prevent th'
African slave trade Tor twenty years
and therefore they say the constitution
recognises 1t as property. III no
"nyho"y sec lhat Inns o''S'.'9''o"5Si pro
Wis On, II |. WINS o'9 Wy mus "off
inc o'nef II ifot''t'''s '"e S'aF'
'raao iof twenty years. VIC recognise /
as properly Wheh we st. INA. =, at 'A'
eha OIL Tue twenty years We WIZ cease
70 project H. or may cease 10 60 So
Is not tha' uehyins 'ha' !. IS property
after 'hat perioa etapse9 suppose
yield 20 Tue court an tue lofee the.
demand, ana ADMIT 'ha' mere Justine
recognition tha' TINS Is properly because
We recognise 'ha' the african save traa'
may exist ior l"ohly years YET @nei
we say ,ha' a''eF '1a' Po,'oa mas eiapse
'ha' pfo'ec''on sha'i no longer exist o'
we not say t'la' a''ef .la' 'cl'o" Oh 'l'n'
!. Nv i,hSs ~. 80 ~ ,ran.v sasxa =
C o. q. .I = ,ha a,sanent ,y;l nn,,
W. ~ 'any -. :; -. r,,s. ~ ,bo ~, WV
,Is oN0 '".' - IA"s. 49, - o'H'.
80 - con $50 80 = :
$500. W., laso i whar tw,n.. 49, :.
piope''y' 'o ~ 'e' - "I - ,ea'
e.aps'' .! VIC '"'''' 'N u A'su
'nen'' ~,
i Mr. Mason-lhas Is an assumption.
/, Mr.. Fessenden-ih nat is my argumen
and it Is my answer to the assumption
OF the Supreme Court OF tine onite'
Ssatos. II 1t IS an assumption on m!
part II Is certainty an assumption OF
theirs. But leave 1t to every fair mar
on every pr'ncipie OF logic, 1t depend
on that, does 1t That died twcut'