The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-06


ERs.-According to our latest advices from
Washington, we may expect before long some
pretty hot work among our high and mighty fe-
deral ofRceholders on this island. It appears
that the discovery has been made at Washington
that some Of the most miscellaneous instruments
among our New York democracy, against the ad-
ministration and the harmony of the party, are
nestled among tho fat pickinga Of our city
Post Office, Assay Office, Surveyors Office
Navy Agents Office and United States Mar
halls office, and that theee offending parties
are to be hauled up, tried and punished accord
ing to their deserts. Some of these offenders
were appointed through the influence of Robert
j. Walker before be went out to Kansas But
since his anti-Lecompton rebellion, although he
has become one of the most implacable and &C.
tive of the enemies Of the administration. these
New York officials are alleged to be deep in
his peculiar plots and plans, and active co-labor-
ers with him to bring the administration into dis
repute. 1t is also understood that Walker has
been making himself very useful at Washington
to some Of the opposition newspaper organs in this
quarter in their dirty work against the admins
tration and, surely, if among the other political
confederates of this busy intriguer we may in
clude some Of the federal officials indicated
they deserve the guillotine. The President
should at least be master of his household,
and all unruly or treacherous servants of high or
low degree, should be walked out of the kitchen.
We hope he will commence the work in this city
without further delay. The aickly condition of
the party here calls for a thorough purging.
The FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW INDICATED IN
OHIo.-Our readers are aware that two of the
party of slave rescuers in the late affair at Ober-
lin, Ohio, who were tried, convicted and impri-
soned for the offence, recently applied to the Su-
preme Court of Ohio for discharge, on the plea
of the unconstitutionality Of the Fugitive Slave
law, for the violation Of which they had been
made to answer. The Attorney General of the
State, it appears, earnestly argued the case in
behalf of the prisoners; but the Court, three
judges out Of five, substantially decreed:-
l. That the federal constitution guarantees to
the owner OF an escaped slave the right of recla-
nation.
2. That the citizen who Intentionally inter-
feres in behalf Of the rescue of an escaped slave
from bis rightfhl owner is guilty of violation
of the federal constitution.
g. That this constitutional obligation has been
repeatedly affirmed by the Legislature, by Con-
gress, and by the decisions of our federal and
State courts.
d. That ''if the question is not thus put beyond
the private personal views of judges" &c., "then
there is no limit and no restraint upon Judges
making at any time, and under any circum-
stances, their own individual opinions the arbi-
trary interpreters Of the constitution"
8. That, "if after more than sixty years of ac-
quiescence by all departments of the national
and State governments, in the power of Congress
to provide for the punishment of rescuers of es-
capped slaves, that power is to be disregarded,
and all laws which may be passed by Congress
on this subject from henceforth are to be persist
emily resisted and nullifed, the work of revolu-
ton should not be begun by the conservators Of
the public peace"
These views are unanswerable, and this
decision, thus enforced by the Supreme Court
of the State Of Ohio, in the very hotbed of
"the Western Reserve" aboliHonists, and under
the noee Of Joshua r. Giddiags, will, we hope,
do world Of good In that quarter in behalf oi