Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-03-24
An Important Decision by
the Supreme Court Of the
limited STATES.


United States.
The reader remembers the fugitive slave
case at Milwaukee,, Wisconsin, three or
four years ago, in which the execution Of
the act of Congress by the United States
Marshal was Interrupted by the interposi
ton ofAthe State Supreme Court The
State court released parties, on haGcas cor
pas, in custody of the Marshal on charge
Of rescuing the alleged fugitives from the
Federal authorities, on the ground, de!ibs-
ratelT taken by the court, that tie fugitive
slave law was unconstitutional. The case
was taken to the Supreme Court Of the
United States, by which a decision has
! just been rendered. Ii is understood that
/ the decision was concurred in by the whole
court. The court decided that the pro-
ceedings of the. State court were toIally
illegal and virtually revolutionary; that the
Marshal had light, and that it was his
duty, to resist by force interference by the
STATE powers; and that the fugitive slave
law is clearly constitutional.
! There has, of course. been no room for
doubt as 10 what the decisioa of the Uni
ted States Supreme Court would be in ihis
case. We are not sorry that the case has
arisen, or. rather We are glad that tho
Federal Supreme Court has had an oppor-
tunity to make this decision 1t was time
that doubt should be removed from all
those minds which have professed to doubI
as to tae constitutionaltty Of the fugitive
slave law, and as to.the power Of the Fed
cral courts and Of Federal officers TO exc
cute t.e Federal laws independt ut of State
interference. 1t was time, especially. that
an end should be put to the conflict which
aboition,su, has stimulated between FEEDER
al and State authority with respect 10 fugi-
tive slaves, and which, in Wisconsin, had
paralyzet the Federal power. It VAS time
eral judiciary. and the perfect Supremacy
of all the Federal laws, should be pro-
claimed.
1hey have been proclaimed. and here
after, men. whether they be sherifs or
private citizens, who undertake TO obs;ruct
the execution of the Federal laws viii do
so at their peril. They will do SO knowing
that abolition State courts cannot protect
them. And if State courts shall undertake
10 obstruct the execution Of the Federal
laws, they will know in advance that their
conduct is revolutionary and they may be
assured that it will be treated as such.
Hereafter it will be the duty OF United
States Marshals to resist, by force, alike
private individuals and tie officers Of State
courts who may in any way interfere to
prevent TIE execution of process issued Sy
Federal authority. 1t will be their du,y
to disobev writs of hoGeds corpus issued
by State magistrates, if such wits are de-
signed. or will have the eifec', to release
persons in their custody by virtue of pro-
cess Of Federal courts. And in the per-
formance OF this duty the Marshals viii be
sustained by the whole power of the Uni
ted States.
This decision will be approved by all
men Of sound mind The Federal govern
ment would be poor affair indeed if the
laws of Congress were not supreme, and if
! the Federal courts were not independent of
interference of State tribunals. Ii worlI
be powerlesS, as il WAS made powerless II
Wisconsin by the conduct of the State
court, and the submission IF the Fede1A
authorities TO State Interference 1t would
De pOWeiicSS not OiltT Win respect 10 tHc
execution of TIE fugitive slave law, but
with pcct to the revenue laws, the post
Office laws, and all other laws Of Congress
What would sensible people say of the ac-
ton of State magistrate who sho-id is
sue a writ of hoJeaS corpus for the reTease
of person under arrest in the District
Court OF the United S;at4s for mail rob-
berry? And yet, he might as web issue
a writ in that case as in any aspect ofa fu-
gitive slave case. Necessarily the laws Of
Congress aye the supreme law Of the land.
and ii is not within the power of any State
court to pronounce them unconstitutional:
and necessarily the Federal courts are
wholly independent of State courts and Of
State authority in every way.
Now, that the fugitive slave law has
been declared constitutional by the highest
competent authority, it follows that all the
laws passed by State legislatures designed
to nullify it are unconstitutional, and that
all attempts TO enforce them are revolution
airy. Let aboliiionists put that in their
pipes and smoke It; and Jet them exercise
the EXTREMIST care lhgt they commit no
revolutionary act for which they will be
called TO answer in the Federal courts
Detroit Free Press.
To Preachers
! have found the following rales TO be
sf,,ll.