St. Mary's beacon., 1858-04-29
The Dred Scot. Decision,

The Hon. Reverdy johnson, of MARYLAND
says the Star, in replying to an invitation to
address the late monster meeting in baltimore
in favor Of the admission of Kansas into the
Union upon the Lecompton Constitution, took
occasion TO review with convincing force. in
deed the arguments in the Senate and House.
and the newspaper and stump onslaughts in
which the opposition have indulgci against
the decision Of the Supreme Court in the DEED
Scott case. Perhaps no other judicial decision
of modern times has been, in the same space cf
time, so Systematically and extensively vitu-
peratcd and misrepresented. This game on
the part Of the ranting, tearing new lights of
the oppositiou,l mast have been, TO some ex-
tent, politically profitable, ,'dr il would not have
been perSATered in up 70 this day, evidently
with no disposition to relax, The viruleuce of It's
prosecution. We, therefore, rejyice u find that
the Hon. Rev. johnson (wbo was counsel in
easel has SO efectually exposed the injustice
OF the criticisms Of the Courts action in the
case to which We refer, as well as the sweeping
lnipropriety of tLA personalities s4. urhich tho
malfSners nf the highest legal tribunal in the
land, in and out Of Congress, see ft to resort
i'll the promises.
1t WAS but the other day. that a Senator
from Il Northern State, 4 State more interested
perhaps, II that b. Possible, than anv other in
the Hndlstursd continuance of the C;ri.,n. and
t whose past and present position should have
taught hLni better, ~ 3 spscch carefully elaho-
rated, and III print beffe spoken, Gesecra.ed
the Senate chamber by virtually threatening
the South with early practical suEiugation-
hurting the b!tterest auathcnlaS at their svs-
tenn Ot labor, dCLOuncing it as at war with the
Declaration of Independence repugnant to tile
Ins;ince of humanity, aud outrage upon the
laws OF Gcd. Meier was there more direct
incentive ito serric iLsurrection. Could the
slaves Of tue South hear such teachings. and
be as mad aa4kckless as the speaker. many
Homestead w0ntd Saou' swim In blood. and
many cry would find lis way to the throne
OF hcaven, invoking rctfibutive Justice upon
the author OF Its agony. Even a co-ordinate
branch OF the government. because only Cf its
having differed with him Oh question of con-
StItutonat law judicially before it, in due
course OF legal proceeding was and evidently
from mere party ends, subjected to as caluni-
NOUS an attack as ever dislsonored human
lips. .,.>,
: These are strong terms to apulv to a Sena-
tor Of the United States. but the relation which
held to what is known as the. Dred Scot,
case, and which even Furnished the pretcr, Of
the liberal. and the; knowledge which this give
me. Jus;lies me in tlIeir use: There is lot. J
k7iolc. %orl of truth in his yGirert charges NOR
tie sighteStfaundation for the uncbaritable and
unniaiily Insihuations in which he INDUCED.
The case ltSeif was originally commenced by
scott, unt:cr the aivicc Of counsel no ,aGvocatc
or slavery: IN one Of the State Courts Of Mis-
sonri. Ihls was done in perfect good, faith.
and with no view to political effect there or
elsewhere and.tilc defence was carried on in
the same spirit. The Judgment of that Court
was III tavorrof Scott. but on writ of error. Suad
ont by tlle' MASTER, il was reserved. and the
case renlaRdgf for final j,,agrnent. SCOTS
counsel then abandoned that case; ;saffSl instit.,
ted another, for the like purpose, I the Circuit
Court of the United States for that district Rv
that Court his legality to Sue. if free. wa-4
maintained, but OH the merits the Judgment
was against him, when he aud his counsel l-.,,okt
tie master or The masters counSeg. brou;rht qhe
controversy TO the Supreme Court of.ihe cTs1i- |
ted States.
This was all done before the Kansas ard
y ->eu.aSka act was passed or anticipated. On
the hrSt hearing in that court the argument
for Scott was made by Mr. Blair, aud for the /
master by Mr. Geyer, Que Of the then Senators
from Missouri, and myself. A re-argunent
VI; was ordered, aud that was conducted by Mr
Blair and Sir G. w CurtisS. the brother az
Mr Justice CurtisS, Tor Scott. and with signal
ability, ana the master was again renreSel!tei
~ Mr.. Geyer and myself The Senator's in
that the case was made by the mas
er ior the purpose Of obtaining a decision bv Il
ae supreme Court, is 50 far from true that |
ne suspicion .: tie time was that the politi-
Al trends of the Senator-the Abolitionists- s
La! 1t Instituted and brought here with that .
3elusive end. But this was equally; unfourd- {
u. as was stated by Mr. Blair in open co,irt. c
M few days afterwards IN communication a
. the National Inte!ligencer. The allegation il
$50 that the counsel of the defendant slave a
Older were paid by him. is in keeping with #
nc recklessncss Of this portion of the entire p
Pesch His absolutely u4tEuA The ques- q