The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-06-23
pnrIners hin,
Complications of the Supreme Court.

The late ruling Of the T. S. Supreme Cart
In respect to the slave, convicted of STEALING
from the United States mail, seems TO indicate
that this august Court can accommodate itself
to almost any emergency to suit the slave inter
est 1t Will be recollected the plea set up was
that the slave not being person by the bred
Scott decision,i but simply property, imprison-
ment for stealing would involve an infraction Of
that clause Of the Constitution which declares
private property shall not be taken for public
use, withoutjust compensation. Chief Justice
fancy therefore in view of the embarrassment Of
the case, has very ingeniously concluded to de.
eide the matter something as follows Slaves
are property simply, and Emay also be Dsr,op,
accordingto the circumstances of the case. IF =
slave does well, and violates no law. then he -
altogether property. But ifhe violates onv ls,y
Of the United States, then he emaroos out of his
property condition, and takes upon himself the
character offs person, so as to allow his beiuo
punished according to tile laws of the United
States.
Anis IS probably the most convenient decis
ION the slave holding interest have vet obtained
from the United States Court and Il = M may
vel taat the pro>slavery democracy are greatly
delighted with it. 1t corroberates what was Gen
orally believed would be the action of the conrt
before it will decide slaves to be "persons" or
not personsi property" or not property; cit-
zens' or not citizens, just as will best sccommo.
date the slave holders Where IL will conduce
10 the ends OF slavery, to have slaves prononnc-
eo property" the court will rule accordingly;
Dut where 1t IS necessary for the interests of sa
very to have them held as persons, the Court
can suit a decision to the case The cons;stapc,,
OF the Court can be relied upon in one respeet-
its decisions will all be on the side of Slayorv.
1here are, OF course, other complications in
this mixed property and no property character
OIL saves winch the Court has not yet acted up.
OIL but will in due time be called upon to render
an opinion. If n slave be punished by fine and
imprisonment for an oifense against the laws of
the United States, shall the owner pay the fine
The Court thinks not, because it would he nm
ishing the innocent for the crime of the opiltv
But if the slave be imprisoned 80 that the owner
lose inc oeneht OF his services, shall he bear the
loss, or shall the damages arising from the loss
OF the slaves servce, be assessed and mid opt
of the National Treasury? Here is a point the
Court has not reached yet but which JUDGE Ia
ney VIII doubtless contrive to rule for the bene-
mt of the slave owners. This latter con sidara.
hon' is question of vast interest to the holders
of slave property, and if it be determined that
the owner is entitled to compensation for the
'oss of his property, during the term of its i'm
prlsonment, then great point will be gained
giving renewed cause for pro-slaverv democrat
&c Jollihcation The advantages to result from
Such ruling OF the Court are apparent; if it
should happen, as it very likely may in some i'm
propihous years, that slave property does not
pay well, the owners have only to set their prom.
erty to violating the laws of the United States
so as to incur the penalty of imprisonment, and
then make out their bills against Uncle Sam for
loss Of service. This would certainly nut the
traffic in human flesh on a broader basis of profit
than it yet has been.
There is probably not much dispute, but that
the late decision of Judge fancy in the case of
the slave charged with theft, conflicts with his
decision in tie bred Scott case but that, ac
cordng to the notion of our democratic brethren
Is not proper subject of inquiry The decis
ions of the Court are to be taken AS fnaI-no
matter whether contradictory or not To cues
ton the infalibity of the United States Supreme
COURTS denounced as Republican notification
therefore lot all good loyal citizens, especially
true democrats, accept this new ruling of the
Court, with devout thankfulness.