New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-24
NRW-YORK AT BAR.

NRW-YORK AT BAR.
Has New.York a right to be q Free State ~
This grave question is about to be brought to
argument ut the bar Of the Federal Supreme
Court the State Of Virginia appearing as con.
testant. The parties litgant, the times IN
which we i've the consequences impending, COM
bne with the intrinsic nature OF the question
,igated, 10 invest the issue with the deepest In
terest.
Nev.York has undoubtingly claimed and eIer-
cised the power which Virginia disputes. She
admits the Federal right of shareholders to
reclaim their fugitive chattels who may have run
AWAY from any Slave State and sought refuge
on her SOIL but nothing more. All other persons
found within her jurisdiction are free by her
laws, unless they have forfeited their liberty by
crime. SO when Jonathan Lennon brought his
gang of slaves from Virginia to this port, in
order TO ship them hence TO Texas, our laws
declared them free, and our Courts up to the
very highest have affirmed that freedom. Vir-
gnia now cites us before the Federal Supreme
Court expecting there to reverse our decisions,
and establish the right Of every Shareholder to
take his human chattels into any Free State and
! there hold them at his convenience, provided he
purposes removing them thence to some other
Slave State. A more momentous question has
not in our day been submitted to any legal
| tribunal.
Shall New.York make her own laws or shall
! they be made for her by Virginia and other
States? Most of our readers will deem this too
plain matter TO become the subject of serious
controversy. SO should we have thought once;
but the dicta Of the Court in tho bred Scott
Z, case have served TO open our eyes. Time was
| when Judges, although citizens Of Slave States
| and personally shareholders, expounded and ap-
| Piled the laws of the land; now, too many OF
| them bend and twist law into any shape that
may seem most likely to subserve the ends and
increase the power of Slavery. OF the eight
| Judges now composing the Supreme Court nearly
! every one was nominated by a STAKEHOLDER or BY
deyotee and beneficiary of the Slave Power;
four including the Chief Justice, are citizens OF
| Slave States the others, Judge Mclean ex-
| cepted, owe their position 10 sayehOldlng par
TALLY, generally earned before it was exhibited.
| If it be possible to decide this case against New
| York and Human Liberty, it will be so decided.
| 1t is necessary, therefore, that the array of
authorities and of arguments the right side of
| this question shall be such as to render an ad-
verse decision judicial impossibility; and to that
| end We cannot doubt that our State will be most
ably and infuentially represented in the argu-
| ineut, in such manner as to make evident that
ibis il no party question with US, but struggle
for the most essential and valued rights-for SOY
eregnty within her own limits to BIO OF not
to be-" If it be possible 10 to present our case
as to preclude all adverse judgment, it should be
20 presented, no matter at what cost.
And why should New-York stand alone in de.
fensc of rights vital TO every Free State We
hear that the array of counsel on the part Of
Virginia will embody the whole available strength
Of the Southern bar. Though but two or three
counsel should appear on the record or in the
courtroom, no move will be made, no position
taken, until it shall have been considered and
approved by a strong muster of the ablest law
yers who support the claim Of Virginia. Why,
then, should not New England and Ohio Penn
rylvana and the Northwest, be invited to par.
tcipote in the defense OF their common rights,
assalcd in the proceedings which call New-York
to the bar Of the Federal Court 1t seems to
Us but just TO prefer each the opportunity, leav-
ing them free TO accept decline it at Will. Some
Slave States, even, may regard the right to make
their own laws paramount to their desire to
make laws for others, aud So be willing to unite
with New.York in the defense of State Soyer.
eighty. If so, LET them be- invited and welcomed
to make our case their own.
We are probably on the verge Of great Pro-
Slavery revival. The cry Of - The Union in
" danger - is calculated and intended to unite
Ayarice and Ignorance, Wealth and Rufiansm
in n grand crusade against every aspiration for
Universal Freedom. The mob demonstrations al
ready melted i'll Boston, i'll Philadelphia in Brook
Ign, are maniiestly but feelers put forth to
ascertain whit tho public mind will bear,
and destined 20 far as their success will allow,
to be succeeded by more decisive and serious
attacks on the persons and property of conspicu-
Gus Anti-Slavery men. The end Of all is to be o
grand compromise or Northern slump, wherein
Justice and Liberty are to be bortered for ease