Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-08-16
NUMBER 81.


are the principles OF Washington, Franklin,
Jefferson. Adams. Clay. Harrison and Web.
ster. There Is, however. nep question
which has been thrown upon the country
within the last foor years, growing out or
the celebrated Ured Scott case, determined
by the Supreme Court OF tbs United Sthtc,.
We are Isw-abiding people. and for thl.
reason liable TO be sadly ,nisled by tb,t !
Dred Scott case. will briefly siludo 70 r.
the material points in that case:
Mr.. Chief Justice Taney srJs thore ara
two leading question~ presented by tho tecorj q
-Ist. Had the Circuit Court jurisdiction W
bear ond determins that case between the
parties' And I'd " IL had jurisdiciipa. IL 70
the judgmen. II has given erroneous or notl
On the ques'ion cf jurisdiction the Suprems
Court decided that ns Dfed Scott was
negro, whose ancestors were imported into
this country ahd sold a. slaves. conld rot
become a oitizsn of State 10 the osnss in
which the word citizen is used in the Con-
s,iiution of the United Sis,es snd had no
right to sue in Court Of the United State,
and therefore that the Circuit Court had no
jurssdtcsion in the case. Thuc far tho Court
| kept within the record and TO the sans
extent the decision has the force Of law and
| must be respected. 2 fs.-s
Under the second question prese nted sy
the record . mcjorify Of the Supreme Court
went on 10 give an siaborats opinion, iai
subs'snee, thst Congress has no power to
prohibit the iBiro6Ictionof Slavery MO the
| Territories Of the United Ststes---ihst any
citizen Of the United States has right TO
take slavee. under the nams Of property,
into . territory. Of his own will, and ingraft
the institution OF SIavero therein, and thsti
too in defiance OF any law Of Congress ex-
pressly prohibiting involuntary servituds in
such Territory that Congress 10 bound to-
protect Slavery in the Territories; and that
the solemn legislation OF Congress, since
the adoption Of the Constitution, imposing
restrictions upon Slavery in the Territories
is unconstitutional and void.
/ The opinion Of the Court on the second
question presented by the record fell like
irebrand upon the harmony OF tho States.
and was the chief cause OF the "irrepre.sibls
conflict" Its tendencies were TO uproo,
, the long settled aid cbeerfuly scquissced
: in usages Of the country and to bring the
North and the South in.o the arena Of poll.
, ticious strife. .-rr-.. -.
. Let j: be carefully recolectsd th,t in all
Courts sitting for the correction Of errors
, the record Itself 10 the utmost limit OF the
4. pow ers Of the Court in the case; and that
f wher the Court pronounce upon any ques-
e tion extrinsic and NO, apparent upon the
e record, such opinion 10 what the lsu calIs
e an oLiter dictum-"a thing said BY the ~sy
. -an opinion given in passi1S. aud which
O. not applying judieially TO the case 70 not to
Ebe resorted 10 % authority" -.
d The second question presented by the
record in that case Is this: "1 tho Clrcu,
E Court had jurisdiction in TINT case, was the
D judgment it had given erroneous or notr'--
e The record presented this question under a
6 condition: that is, If the Court HAD juris.
Giciton But if the Court had no jusis5ic.
a tion then there was n0ihng left Of record to
4 authorize any further adjudication N to,
I case. The Supreme Ccuri had just DECIDED
d that the Circuit Court had no jurislic..o1 10
e hear that case, and that decision answered
NJ the condition Of the second question. IL is
n clear, therefore, thai the opinion o mtj.
e ority of the Court, the second qu7s,,cn,
. was uub VI hitACFuuts
,. 'bhs no judicial application to the caac and
= cannot be resorted to as authority" WhIi-
e it is our duly to cherish the most .pioiolGd
n regard for the Judiciary, as the great 70 K
re of safety 10 our dearest rights, We shpi,i At
|. The same time remember that il ia lac ul.y
= of eve'y honest man TO arrest. ~. ssery lar
and lawful means, any attempt, ~ inaiief
IT from what quarter It may cone, to p=rsHrt
n the legitimate objects aud ems O. ths t21-
e stitution. have made these reneyks 3l ,ns
n INV arrante opinion OF the Court, sap
n because they are necessary TO fGir. unaer-
,e o. anding of the principles Of the diferen.
n caadiaates for the Presidency. s.s,,y,
h I,o, Be lieving, a. T do. that Lsither Mr., Bell
e nor, Mr.. Douglas can carry single elec.ora
A vote, and that the contest is in TACT exciu-
b sively between Mr.. Lncoln and Mr.. Breck-
,f inridge, will notice few ot the principles
HI upon which the latter bases his claims to
il. the Presidency. respect Mr.. Dreckiaridge
IN as q gentleman--open. trank, honorable and
ID free from any desire 10 conceal his politics
ts &C ntimenis. believe that do not misrep-
8 rese mt him when assume Us facts: First
~ That he favors the acquisition OF Cuba.--
t9 SeCund, 1 nat ne tdsuIe .thrf oio s'p6'n'u
at and Kentucky Resolutions Of 'es-s, or II
he other words that he is nuliyGer. Third
w Thai, he fully approves and endorses this
,oi opinion os the Saprsme Court ia the Dred
en- Scott case, denying to Congress the powe'
i'm to organxs civil ov.ernments IN the Terri
mr. tories; and Fourth. That slsse is person
n. property.
Nv With respsct TO the acquisition Of Cubt
ns I do no, know whsthe that measure vosl
ed be source of weakness or of strength I
N. the Government, nor DO know whether |
~ would we check against OF harbor TO
"a pira,es engaged 10 the SLAVE trade; bus IL
at INV humble opinion that il would be. a cove
,ss for considerable amount of rascaliliss i
oa. that irsffic. With respect to the qaesto
lks Of notification refor you TO Webster
of speeches. President Jackson and his Dem
h a ocrotic friends did not like nu lifeaton, an
life II It had not been for the magn snimous pal
md riotic and timely inteiposition of Dir. .Cla,
I.i.~ hav Al