Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-03-22

Will the Ellsworth tmerieaa please 1T u
know whether it regards the Personal Ii5er-
tv Law constitutional or not? We do not
have any reference to the opinions of five Of
the Justices Of the Supreme Gourt-we sim
ply want to know the 4meriedn' opinion.
haehids Uaioa.
The american gave its opinion upon this
point once, at the request of the Union
We do not think the law unconstitutional
bat if legislator, or in acting in any ca
pacity as citizen, we should always reeol-
lect that competent tribunal bad passed
upon it, and bare majority decided other
wise. We should conform to that decision
John Van Buren, once said that any person
had the right to judge of the constitution
ality or uneonstitutionaity # any law, but
he must bide the consequences Of his opin-
ION. We rather act in accordance with the
decisions Of law interpreters, than TO run
much risk. We understand that the Judges
who declare the Personal Liberty bill uncon-
stitutional, also think the Fugitive Act un-
constitutional Docs this make it -
FRoM WASHINGTON. w take the follow
ing from the correspondence Of the New
York Iribaae:
The decision in regard to tie withdraw
Of VI ,ior Anlerson's command now rests ex
clu.iyely with the President He has has
the fullest oral and written opinions OF Gen
Scott and the most skllful officers OF the ar
ii 1
every membtr of his Cabinet. No deter
miuatlon was reached yesterday, Mr.. Lin
coin is fully sensible Of the important res
possibility which rests upon him, and will
decide finally with the full knowledge that
he is to bear it before the country.
1t is known that after deliberate investi
cation OF ali the facts, the Cabinet with one
exception, approve the military jud ymeut OF
Gea. Scott, and yield to 1t as u nee .ssity
which cannot be avoided This almost unan-
imous concurrence on the part oil men VINO
have been supposed to regard this subject
from opposite stand points. and 10 hold diff
erent views Of policy for its treatment, IS
sufficient to show that there must be the
most sufficient reasons for this conclusion.
Various modes have been suggested for re-
inforcing Fort Sumter, bat not one Of them
tan stand the scrutiny of scientific military
authority, and all others are unworthy u
consideration.
1t is stated uron the best military author
ty that Miior Andersons present force
could not hold out torty-eight hours in the
event Of collision with tie batteries now
concentrated against him in full play.
The physical endurance required to work
his heavy guns would De exhausted in that
time. He could, doubtless, destroy Fort
Moultre and sacrifice many hundred lives be-
side, but would he compelled TO surrender
from causes beyond human control. IL Is
easy for those who have no responsibility to
propose plans and 10 blame others for not
adopting them but if an experiment should
be made against the advice ot the most ex-
perienced soldiers, and fail. who would avert
the execration which would follow it? Mr..
Lincoln will deliberate we'll before deciding.
According to intelligence received here
yesterday, the revenue from customs at New
Orleans is stated at S35 900 daily. Efforts
will be made 10 crowd import there. under
the low tariff, aud the President has no
mode of prevention without calling Congress
together. All tie measures for this pur-
pose in the last Congress had to be abandon
doned, because the Democrats OF the Senate
announced their intention to defeat every i'm
pending bill. by talking taem down if press
ed
1t is stated confidently, upon information
from leading men from Richmond, that If
Major Anderson be withdrawn from Fort
Sumter the whole scheme of the secession
lsts will signally fail. They have endeayor
cd to precipitate s1me rash measure before
she administration could develop its policy.
ST. LOUIS March Is.
Wuldo II. johnson was elected L. S. SEN
ator to-day by the Legislature The vote
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