The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-06-28

9.t AN ADDRESS
-s- BY
HON. VIM. n. TUTHILL.

HON. WIN. n. TUTHlLL.
Delivered a. the request Of tie Cedar
County Republican Club, at the Conr'
House, Upton, lowa, June sM, 1860.
The subject upon which I am expect
cd to make a few remarks this evening,
for l can scarcely dignity it with the
name of lecture-is the "DRED ScoTT
DECISION or more properly speaking
tie opinion of the Supreme Court Of the
United States in the case Of Dred Scott
Us. John +. 4. Stanford, made at the
December Term 1856, in which after
deciding what the case itself presented
for decision, the learned Court promul'
gate some singular and startling views on
the subject of Slavery upon which pro-
pose to make few cursory remarks.
TO an unrchecting mind it may apPea.
prcsumptuous, impertinent aud arrogant
to call in question, or criticise, decision
Of the highest Judicial tribunal OF the
nation a decision from which there Is no 9,
snneal and one too that we are all
required to obey, but if any such un'
sophisticated person be present !! may
perhaps quiet his mind, and enhs".en
lis understanding by showing that the
Dred Scott case does not decide that
white men of Anglo Saxon descent are
slaves or can be made slaves, and that
there is nothing in the whole decision to
prevent or restrain any citizen of the
United States from reasoning and COM
menting on any matter they may see
if it be the decision of the august Court
itself. We have the guarantee of the
Constitution Of the United States that
no law shall be passed abridging the free
dom of speech and one of the six i'm
portant measures that Constitution was
ordained to establish and perpetuate was
''to secure the blessings Of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity." The bless
ings of liberty, the perpetuity of freedom;
are rights to sacred to be lightly lost,
arc privileges too vitally important to be
wrcsted from US, or cncroached upon,
without a struggle aud if it be true
that "eternal vigilance is the price Of
liberty" it behooves us to guard we'll the
approaches of the insduous friend, as
well as open foe, who would deprive us
of any part or portion of this inestimablc
treasure.
And do the decisions of our Courts
possess SO much Of the odor Of sanctity,
that their reasoning and opinions must
be unquestioned that when right or
wrong, just or unjust, they must be sub
mitted to in silence, even though it be
apparent that they have transcribed the
powers granted them by the authority
that called them into being, or when
they have clearly violated every princi-
pie of law aud natural justice. trcw
not. When that perjured wretch, that
Infamous monster Jetl'reys, disgraced the
bench, and by his iniquitous decisions
and judgments, caused the English ma
tion to be bathed in the blood Of innocent
men was it the duty of all good citizens
to quietly and tamely submit to the
wicked aud unprincipled monster and
wait until their own time should arrive
to be taken to the shambles ILei;eve
not and | think very few reasonin. men
would hold 50 absurd dogma
MAN is endowed by his Creator with
certain corporeat, moral and intellectual
faculties, composing what we call his
nature, and this is the ground work of
ali his social duties. He has senses for
the perception of physical objects, the
capacity and instincts for observation,
passions, affections and habits, he has
curiosity, fear, confidence. memory and
judgment, aud by the aid of all these
(Which we ordinarily denominate reason)
he has in some measure foIeknowledge
of future consequences. Experience
teaches him that certain causes must,
that certain other causes probably uiN,
and that certain others possibly may pro-
ducc certain effects. by the aid of a
professional education, and consulting
the focal lights of science and art, he is
sometimes enabled to trace the chain of
causation far beyond the common limit,
to toresee remote contingencies, and
guard against dangers, yet distant and
dormant by reasonable and apt precau-
tion.' And it is the duty Zone Of the
first duties) of an American citizen,
whenever he has reason to believe his
rights as freeman are endangered, that
the principles upon which the Govern
ment we're founded are sought to be i'm
paired or invaded, to sound the alarm,
consult with his fellow citizens, discuss
and reason on the subject, and by con-
cert Of action in peaceable and !egiti.
mate manner, seek to redress the griev-
ance and devise the proper and appro-
pirate remedy for the wrong. In order
TO satisfy our minds, to be convinced
whether or not dangers exist which
should be guarded against; we must col
lect the facts, analyze the evidence, and
reason on the subject "He who can
not reason is fool, who will not reason
is bigot, and who dare not reason is a
slave"
And now for the Dred Scott Decision;
let US see what were the facts in the case,
the decision Of the Court on those facts,
and the arguments of the learned Judges
Tor that decision, and then determine in
our own minds whether such decision is
!" cohsonancc with natural lar. moral
'c'0' common lac, the lars of the United
{ States, me laus Of nation. or ~. In, y,
Go". Ihe facts in the case. as nresen,od
IN an agreed statement Of tho comnse,
are as follows: ''"'e''
"In the year 1894 Dred Scott, the p,a;n.;r
was negro slave belonging to DR.. Emerson. who
was surgeon in the army Of the United States
E,mpreon ha MIA ~ r.x,