Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-03-23

Long Island, and themselves with the YES
sci they were in, was taken by Lieut.. Ged-
ney of the Navy, as "derelict property"
Moutez and Kuiz Immediately asserted
their claim to the Africans rs their prop
erty. F'fhe negroes denied the validity of
the claim, and the question was finally
tried apd decided by the Supreme Court Of
the United States.
In that observation-disclosures by Judge
Story, the Court said: "It is plain be-
yond controversy. If we examine the evi-
dence, that these negroes never acre the
l0a1uL slaves of Montez and Ruiz or of
any other Spanish subjects. They are ma.
lives of Africa, and were kidnapped
there, and were unlawfully transported to
Cuba, in VIOLATION of the laws and
treaties of Spain, and the most solemn
edicts and declarations of that Govern
ment By those laws and treaties and
edicts, the African slave trade is utterly
abolished. The dealing in that trade is
deemed heinous crime; and the negroes
thereby introduced into the dominions of
Spain are declared to be free. Ruiz and
Montez are proved to have made the pre-
tended purchase of those negroes with a
full knowledge of all the circumstances J;
and SO cogent and irresisti6le is the evi-
dence in this respect, that the District At
torney has admitted, in open Court, upon
the record, that these negroes were native
Africans, and recently imported into Cuba,
as alleged in their answers to the libels in
the case. The supposed proprietary in
terests of;Ruez and Montez is completely
displaced; il we are at liberty to look at
the evidence or the admissions of the Dis
trict Attorney wide 18th, Peters Re
ports, page 593.) Such was the decision
of the Supreme Court after full hearing
of this interesting case. The negroes
were declared free, and they have long
since returned to their native land. By
this, slavery was Frustrated in its wicked
ness, and freedom gained march. And
all done, let it be remembered, by the same
tribunal-not the same judges-which
gave the Dred Scott decision and not
only that. but the,,decision was unanimous
with single exception. BuC notwith-
standing all this, hear James Buchanan,
the eulogist of Supreme Court decisions
which favor slavery--re Con-
gress TO violate this, which fayors freedom.
1t is to be found in his annual message.
After speaking in regard to some troubles
with Spain, he says: ''In the meantime
whenever our minister urges the just
claims of our citizens on the notice of the
Spanish Government, he is met with the
objection that Congress has never made
the appropriation recommended by Presi-
dent Polk, in his annual message of Dec.
1847, to be paid to the Spanish Govern
ment, for the purpose of redistribution among
the claimants in the Armistead case. A
similar accommodation was made by my
immediate predecessor in his message of
Dec. 1853 ; and entirely concurrimg with
both in the opinion that this idemnity is
Justly due under the treaty with Spain, of
Oct 97, 1898. 1 EARNESTLY REC
OMMEND such an appropriation to the
favorable consideration of Congress"
Thus is illustrated and vindicated the
con nsistency of the slave power. It's aim
is to constantly augment its influence and
importance. The appropriation so Gear
nestly" recommended is SEVENTY
THOUSAND dollars, IF it is paid, the
principle is recognized that slavery is a
National institution, coming within the
care of the National Government. Hence
we say, the consistency of the move, even
ifit does override decision of the Supreme
Court. VIII at are such decision when op-
posed to the interests of the slave power?
Why, clearly nothing at all. 1t is only
when they inure to the benefit of slavery
that they have any binding obligation.
Then and only then the freemen of the
North must fall down and worship the Su-
preme Court, and cry that it is God. and
slavery is his Prophet. S. .
Note.-We wish to say that the facts in
relation to the 'Armistead" case, can be
found in J.. r. Gidding's Speeches in
Congress- and the speech of Dewitt G..
Lach Of Michigan, in the House of Repre-
sentatives, Jan. 27, 1853.