Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-03-30
MIR. Summer ON Judge Taney.

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MIR. Summer ON Judge Taney. {
In the debate in the Senate on the bill I'M
|troduced by Mr.. Trumbull, ,pf Illinois, proyid-
ing for bust Of the late Chief Justice Taney,
to be placed in the Supreme Court Room of
the United States, Mr.. Sumner made the fol-
lowing remarks
l Iobected to this joint resolution some days
ago. when it was reported by the Senator from
illinois (Mr. Trumbull, } aud he was disposed
to hurry it at once upon the Senate, to the ex-
cusion of important business objected to
it again to-day, but it was from no indisposi.
ton to discuss it.
l know well the trivial apology which may
be made for this proposition, and the Senator
from Maryland (Mr. Johnson) has already
shown something of the hardihood with which
it may be defended But in the performance
of public duty l am Indifferent to both.
| The apology is too obvious. "Nothing but
good of the dead" This is familiar saying
which to certain extent may be acknowl-
edged But it is entirely inapplicabe when
oIdluts itlu Duoto Ht JIOpbScu III HOiN vi LIS
dead Then, at least, truth must prevail.
| If a man has done evil during his life, he
must not be commenorated in marble. And
ii inaiscretely it is proposed to decree such p
signal honor, then the evil he has done must
be exposed; nor shall any false dclicacy seal
my lips. 1t is not enough that he held high
place. that he enjoyed worldly honors, or was
endowed with intellectual gifts ...
Who wickedly is wise, or mady brave,
Is but the more a fool, the more a knave.
What is the Office Of Chief Justice, if it has
been used to betray human rights The
crime is great, according to the position Of
the criminal.
1fyou were asked, sir, to mention the Incl
dent of our history previous to the rebellion,
which was in all respects worthy Of condem,
nation, most calculated to cause the blush Of
shame, and most deadly in its consequences,
do not doubt that you would say the Dred
Scott decision, and especially the wicked
opinion Of the Chief Justice on that occasion
say this with pain do not seek this de-
bate. But when a proposition is made TO
honor the author OF this wjckedncss with a
commemorative bust, at the expense of the
country, | am Obliged to speal; plainly
am not aware that the English Judges who
decided contrary to liberty in thN case Of ship
money, and thus sustained the King in those
pretensions which ended in civil war, have
ever been commemorWted in marble. | am
not aware that Jeireys, Chief Justice and
Chancellor of England, famous for his talents
as for his CRIMES has tonnd any niche in
Westminster Hall No, sir hey have been
left to the judgment of history, and there
insist that Taney shall be left in sympathetic
ompanionship. Each was the tool Of unjust
power But the Power which Taney served
was none other than the Slave Power which
has involved the country in war
speak what cannot be denied, when de-
clare the opinion of the Chief Justice in the
case of Dred Scott, was more abominnble
than anything of the kind in the history of
Courts Judicial baseness reached its lowest
point on that occasion. You have not forgot
ten that terrible decision, where a most un-
righteous judgment was sustained by a fals-
lication of history. Of course the Constitu-
ton of the United States and every principle
of liberty was falsifed, but historical truth was
| falsifed also | have here the authentic re-
port of the case from which it appears that
the Chief Justice, while enforcing his unjust
conclusion which was to blast whole race,
used the following language: ..
at is difficult at this day to realize the state
Of public opinion in relation to that unfortu-
nate race; which prevailed in the civilized
and enlightened portions of the world at the
time of the Declaration of Independence, and
when the Constitution of the United States
was framed and adopted. q But the public his
tory of every European nation displays it in o
manner too plain to be mistaken.
| "They had for more than century before
been regarded as beings of an inferior order,
and altogether unfit to associate with the
white race, either in social or political rela-
tons; and so far Inferior that they had no
rights which the white man is bound to re-
spect and that the negro might justly and law
fully be reduced to slavery for his benefit "
l[l9 Howard's Reports, 4O7.]
In these words, solemnly and authoritative
ly uttered by the Chief Justice Of the United
States, umanity and truth we're set at naught,
and the whole country was humbled. "Then
you and l and all Of us fell down while bloody
slavery fourished over u.s."
Iqnote his words fully, so that there can be
no mistake. Here, then,,is his expressed as
sertion, that at the Declaration OF Indepen!
dence in l776, and the adoption of the Ma
tona Constitution in l7S9, in Europe as well
as in our own country, "colored men had no
rights which the white men were bound to re-
spcct." Now sir, this is false, atrociously false
II is notorious that there were States ofthe
Union where, at the adoption of the Constitu-
ton, colored persons were free, and even in
the enjoyment of the elective franchise, while
in England the Somerset case had already
decided that there could be no distinction OF
persons on account OF color, and Scotland,
Holland and France had all decided the sam Q
rule On this point there can be no question.
And yet this Chief Justice, whom you pro-
pose TO honor with marble bust, had the un>
blushipg efrontery To declare that OF that time
as well abroad as at home, colored men had
no rights which the white men were bound TO
respect" and this he said in order to Justify
wicked interpretation of the Constitution.
Search the judicial annals and you will find
no perversion Of truth more fagrant yi.a .q
Sir, it is not 6t, it is not decent that such a
person should be commemorated by vote Of
Congress- especially at this time when liberty
is at last recognized IF you have money to
appropriate in this way let it be done in hon
or OF the defenders of liberty now gathered
to, their fathers There was John Quincy
Adams There was also Joshua r. Gidaings.
I Let their busts be placed in, the court room,
il you please, where with marble lips they can