Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-07-09

in very mockery of justice, they add their own
decision TO this heterogeneous conglomeration Of
unjust preccdents' They know that in the Prigg
case, the Supreme Court decided that the legisla'
tive e%nactments Of the free states were unconstitu-
tional. They also know tina. in tho Illinois case,
the same court decided that the free states
could legislate on slavery. In each case the slave
holder succeeded, and on each trial the contradic-
tory ruling, was necessitated by the exigence of the
slave holders cause. An issue involving the liber-
ty, aud the property Of perhaps, every person 10
Ohio, should not be subordinated to such precei
dents, especially when we consider the interested
character Of the judges who we're in fact, deciding
their own cases. Were not the Ohio Judges aware
OF the interest which the southern members of the
United States Court have in the slave question ?
Were they ignorant Of the humilialing, but solemn
truth, that the Supreme Court of the United States
has become a political court, registering the edicts
OF the slave powerf Were they ignorant Of the
degrading truth, that every northern Judge was
nominated and confirmed, because Of his opinion
on the slave question and that every judge holds
his place, not by reason of his fitness, but of his
total unftness for the position to which he was ap-
pointed 2 Were they ignorant of the Casper Han
way, and Passmore Williams cases2 They GER
taiuly could not be. Then il they must follow
authority, why not select such as is worthy to be
followed Why quote the vascillasing and wicked
decisions of an interested, and at the same time a
political court ? In New York, the final judgment
of their Supreme Court is subject to reversal or
confirmation, by their court of Appeals. But who
quotes the decisions of this court Of appeals? 1. is
considered q political Court, and its opinions, and
decisions are entitled to no respect. Is theSupreme
Court of the United States anything else Was
not every judge nominated and confirmed as q
party man, Mclean perhaps excepted ? Was not
every person nominated, who was not a decided
and known defender Of every claim IF the slave
holders, shamelessly rejected by che senatei Are
not all the northern judges old spawned, political
hacks, who hold their places by reason of their
total want of proper qualifcations2 Does not every
lawyer know that the decisions of the Unit
ed States Court are utterly unreliable, often con-
temptible, and in the bred Scott case. diabolical ?
Must the Supreme Court of Ohio, quote the deci-
81 IN of such o Court as authority, in such O case
as that of Bushnell and Langston? The respect
to which a judge, or a court is entitled, does not
depend upon the power delegated to the tribunal,
but to the justice and the righteousness with which
the Judge discharged his duties. An inferior Of
fcer may be entitled to honor, a superior one may
deserve execration. In Great Britain there are
common law courts, called courts of attachments,
of Regard, of Sweinmote, and of Jus!ice-sea..
They are more ancient than any of ours. There
is great analogy in the business transacted in these
Courts, and that in which our United States Court
figures most conspicuously. Our Court bears the
same relation to slaves and rlave-hunting, that
the British Courts dc to dogs, and deer-hunting.
In very truth they are all bloodhound courts; the
same in substance, equal in power and glory. The
latter is expected to watch the interests of the
owners Of vest and venlson tho former to pro-
tect the interests of the owners of negroes. They
oil have the supervision of dogs, one to catch
animals, the other to catch men. Tho English
Courts are wont to impede the feetness, and the
ferocity of the four legged hounds the Ameri-
can Courts. to hiss and encourage the two legged
dogs on. But the British Courts are the most law
abiding and honorable. They have never decided,
that deer and dogs have no rights that white men
are bound to respect; but the American Court
has decided, that negroes have no rights that
white men ore bound to respect" Satan can
enunciate no sentiment more distinctively his own,
and when any Ohio Judge will quote the decision
OF any such tribunal as authority. the bench he
occupies demands a publication, that the people
Of that good state can disregard only at their per.
il. l ain the friend of your good citizens now in
Cleveland Jail the friend of Liberty and of Jus.
tice, aid
Yours. JOS. L. GAGE.