Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-09-27
From the Anti-Slavery Standard.
Wendell phillips OHa fERe United
States Supreme Court.

OF all the instruments used by the South
| in old times the Supreme Court was the
| most evil-intentioned and the most ETH
Gent. The people have been bred in such
servile reverence for its decisions that
| whichever party got possession of that
| weapon was almost sure to conquer. Its
Judges, appointed for life and lingering on
the bench to extreme old age--as Sidney
Smith said of bishops, with Episcopal
pertinacity always represented the
opinion of a foreign generation. This de-
partment of the Government has always
| been the last to come into line with the ma
| ton as new erss heve opened. The South
never appealed to arms until it found that
his usually formidable weapon had, In
| 1860, lost its power The nation swung
away from treason like Taney's, and the
ship of State moved on "with upright
keel" Stung with madness, the South ap-
pealed to arms-unsuccessfu VaT
The signs at Washington Indicate that
Mr. johnson means try to find refuge un-
der the old shelter. Heplans evidently to
strengthen himself by putting the army
into the hands of his friends as far as pos
sible, but only as a reserve force. The
che ckmate he intends to call on Congress,
is to be, it would seem, some action of the
Judiciary declaring all the reconstruction
legislation unconstitutional. How dan
gerous and embarrassing check that
would be to the nations progress every
one frmiliBr with the history of the anti
slavery movement will fully appreciate.
Whether Mr.. johnson will succeed in OBJ
tanning such decision no one knows. His
counsellors evidently count upon it we
hear too good grounds for their trust.
fol
watched that tribunal ever since 1861. Mr..
Stevens early saw the danger in that quar-
ter, and was only deferred from vigorous
that, the appointing power resting with
cure any sufficient change in the character
of the bench. The action of most of the
Judges who owe their appointment to Mr..
Lincoln is evidence enough how rDwise
and dangerous it would have been to put
1t into his power to saddle us with any
more enemies, empowered to balk us as
long as their lives lasted. '4- g Sl.z35
Mr.. Johnson's main object is to confuse
public opinion and divide the ranks of the
Republican party. No more efectual
| means could be desired than a decision of
the Supreme Court, adverse to Congress.
Round such decision would rally all the
timid, tired, weak kneed, halfway, COM
promising, and dishonest elements which
victory has lured into the Republican
ranks. Landlocked and hampered by
such opposition, the reconstruction move
ment would move slowly and f1tfully for
ward-the youngest of US, in such circum-
stones, may reach old age before it will be
| ended-in any true sense of the word.
What measures the radical element in
| Congress will adopt to meet such contin-
gency time will show. We entreat them
to remember how much hangs on their &C
ton. The nation will support them in GO
| ing, as Franklin said, " to the extreme
verge of their constitutional power" for
means to meet such an emergency. Sogus
pop,li supreDaG lea.