The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-01-21
nenten,. ne.o,ut,or.

A ewdays ago Mr.. Washburne presented
in the House Of Representatives a series of
resolutions drawn UP by Senator Benton "a
short time before his death, and enclosed to
Mr. Blair, with request that be would use
his influence to procure their adoption into
the Republican platform.
The resolutions were also enclosed by G oil.
Benton to Senator Doolittle, of Wisconsin,
and are ~ follows:
1. Resolved, That the judicial power OF
the United States does not extend 10 political
questions, and that all pretended decisions
OF such questions by federal Judiciary are IL
legal and void.
2. Resolved, That the hate decision Of the
Supreme Court in the case of bred Scott
against Sanford, 30 far as the Same applies
90 tho act Of Congress commonly called the
Missouri Compounds ACT, 10 the decision Of
political question not within the iarisdic-
tion Of the court, and il illegal and void.
3. Resolved, That there wAs nothing in
the case before the court 10 authoriss Il to
take notice OF tho validity Of the Missouri
Compromise act, and the cognisance 90 Ia
Ken OF that act was extra judicial and grA-
tutous.
4. Resolved, That the assumption Of the
court to make the said decision, when the
case on the record out Of which il rev va
dismissed for want OF jurisdiction, vss :.
clear and manifest proceeding without any
judicial authority, and Was illegal and void.
8. Resolved, That the decision OF the sans
court in the same case, declaring the self
extension OF the Constitution to territories,
carrying African slavery with it and protect
Ing It there, against the power Of Congress OF
inc people 70 reject it, was = decision with
out any authority to make it, and without any
case before the court requiring a decision,
and without any foundation to rest upon at.
ter the case WAS dismissed for want Oh iuris-
diciion out Of which it grew, and the said
decision was obifer dicia, and without legal
effect or force.
q. Resolved, That said decisions are il
oerogation Of the power Of Congress, and re.
ssrietive OF its time honored right and prsc
,iee io legislate Tor territories and declaring
its total disregard OF the said illegal, extra
judicial and void decisions OF the Suprem,
Court: which, accordingly, 10 hereby done.
!. Resolved, That the Congress and tn,
PRESIDENT las part Of the legislative authori
W are judges OF their own powers in passing
OF approving bulls, TO be governed by thei
own oaths and consciences; and that the Su
$500 ~SNtA A1S Au moNe power 10 GQukTS
them than they have to control the conrt
beng both CO ordinate branches OF the sam
government, and Independent Of each othe
within their constitutional sphere.
The last Of tho above resolutions IL take
from ten. Jaekson's veto message ia rela
ton 10 the Bank Of the United States, and
~. .sa.oD, an speaking of the matter, sal
that While in that case the Supreme Coui
Upheld the money power, and in conjunctio
with that sought to centralixe The Govern
mens and put the power in the hands OF
few, in the bred Scott case the same cou,
had surrendered the power Of the Govern
ment to close corporation Of Shareholder,
ETA Democratic orator in the House q
Representatives al Washington, in bloo
and thunder speech said, "all the old Fed
eralists are modern Black Republicans" y
How the cara Of old President Buchanan m
old Chief Justice fancy tingled, and no,
their vrath ragged ~ this grave charg,
brought against them by Democrat
epsAksr, We can imagine, though the paper
lail 70 eiys particulars.