New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1860-08-03
be allowed to remain in q North

ern prison for resisting the fpgi-
tive slave law" and that, Every
legal means will be exhausted for
his release, and if all these fail he
will be released any ,Oay," and
closing with the following appeal:
"Pecple of Wisconsin: restore
Booth to liberty The same
number has a spirited eulogy up
ON Henry Clay, yet would trample
the last and browning act of his
long and evcntful life, beneath its
traitorous feet. Again they urge
the doctrine of congressional In
tervention on the ground that it
has so long been the policy of the
government. They profess to ven.
crate Clay. and endorse his doc
trines. In 1911, in the U. s.
Senate, i'll speaking upon this
question of precedent MI. Clay
said:
"When gentlemen attempt to carry
this measure upon the ground of acqui
essence or precedent, do they forget
that we are not in Westminster Hall?
In courts ofjustice the utility of uniform
decision exacts of the judge conformi-
ty to the adjudication of his predeces-
sor. IN the Interpretation and admin
istration of the law, this practice is
wise and proper; and without it. every
thing depending upon the caprice ofthe
Judge we should have no security for
our dearest rights. It is far otherwise
when applied to the source of legislation
Here no rule exists but the CoNsrIru.
TON; and to legislate upon the ground
merely that cur predecessors though
themselves authorized, under Similar
circumstances, to legislate, Is to sanctify
error and to pcrpetuate usurpation.' \
= ~
"This doctrine Of presidents, applp
to the legislature, appears to me tSe
fraught with the most mischievous On
sequences. The great advantagg of
our system Of government over albth-
ers is, that we have written contitu-
ton, defining its limits, and presiding
its authorities, and that however, for a
time, faction may convulse the alton,
and passion and party prejudice sway
its functionaries, the season ofref1ec-
ton will recur, when, calmly Tracing
their deeds, all alterations frh funda-
mental principle will be col ected.-
But once substitute practice r. princl-
pie, the exposition of the Chstitution
for the text of the ConstituDn, and in
vain shall we look for the intrument in
the instrument itself! 1t kill be as
difused and intangible as fe pretend
ed constitution of Englandand must be
sought for in the statute Jock, in the
fugitive journals of congsss, and in re-
ports of the Secretary dthe Treasury.
What would be our contion if we were
to take the interpretatjns given to that
sacred book, which is, + ought to be,
the riterion of our fifth, for the book
itself? We should md the Holy Bible
buried beneath tie interpretations,
CLOSES, and COMMITS of councils, syn
DDS, and learned wines, which have
produced swarmsof intolerant and furi-
GUS sects, partakig less of the mildness
and meekness oftheir origin than Of
vindictive spit Of hostility towards |
each other. Thy ought to afford us
solemn warnin to make that Const'tu-
ton which weiave sworn to support,
our invariabbguide."
The Pubic Review, published
.at West ulion, Fayette county,
heretoforea neutral paper, has
come outfor Douglas and john
eor TN -Review has a large cir.