Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-04-02
Bancroft on Taney,

George Bancroft, in his Grafton deliv-
cred IN New York City on the recent an
niversary of the birthday of Washingt m.
pronounced Judgment upon Judge Taney
In terms TO which every friend of Justice
and freedom viii heartily respond. These
are his words:
But ct last we have fallen on evil
days, The propitious smile of heaven
suci. are the words of Washington. can
neve. be expected on nation that disre-
CARDS the eternal rules of order and right
During eleven years of PEI erse govern
ment those rules were disregarded and IL
came 10 pass that men who would firmly
aVow the sentiments of Washington and
Jefferson, and Franklin and Chancellor
Livingston, were disiranchised for tn.
public service; that the spotless Chief
Justice whom Washington placed at the
head OF our Supreme Court could by no
possiblilty have been nominated for that
once, or confirmed. Nay the corrupt in
fiuence invaded even the, very home of
Jnstlce. The final decree of the Suprems
/ Court, IN Its decision on particular case
must be respected and obeyed The pres
ent Chlet Justice has on ene memorable
appeal accompanied his decision with an
impassioned defamation wherein with
profound immortality which no one has
yet lily Land bare. treating the United
states as shrew to be tanned by an open
scorn OF the facts of history, with drea
ry industry collecting eyidcnces of eases
where justice may have slumbered or
weakness been oppressed, compensatinc
Tor want OF evidence by confidence of as.
sertlon with partiality that would have
dIsgraced an advocate neglectiry humane
decisions of Colonial Courts ari the en-
during memor ais of Coloni:, statutes in
his party zeal TO prove that the fathers os
our country held the negro to have M,
rights which the white man was boupd Il,
respect, his not only denied the rights oe
man and the liberties of mankind, but has
not left foothold tor the liberty Of the
white man to rest upon
That illstarred disquisition Of Tanev.
who, trust, did not intend to hang ont
the flag OF Disunion, is the fountain head
of this rebellion; that offence TO the con-
sclous memory of the millions. convulsed
our country with the excitement whiel,
swept over those of US who vainIy hoped
! to prcser'e a strong and sufficient. though,
narrow, isthmus that might stand between
the conflicting floods No nation can
adopt that judgment as a rule. and live
the jud cement has in it no element { DO.
lltical Vitality. | will not say that il an in
vo. alton of the dead past there never
was past that accepted such opinions
! If we want the opinions received in tho
days when our constitution was framed
w will not take them second hand from
our Chief Justice we will let the men Of
that day speak for themselves
How will our American magistrate
sink when arraigned, as he will be, before
3 the terrible tribunal of humanity how
terrible viii be the verdict against him.
when he is put in comparison with Wash
InSton political teac ler. the great Mont.
esquleu, the enlightened magistrate of
France, IN what estimated the worst,
days OF her monarchy. The argumen.
from the difference of race which Taney
thrusts forward with passionate conf
dence is scathing attire on all the brood
OF despots who were supposed to uphold
slavery as tolerable in itself The Rights
OF mankind, that precious word which has
no equivalent in the language of IIindos-
tan, or Judca, or Greece, or Rome, or any
ante-Christian tongue, found its superior
IN Washington and Hamilton; in Frank
I'm and Livingston in Otis, George Ma
son and Gladsdcn; in all the greatest men.
of our early history"