Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-10-08
Wendell Phillips on the Supreme Court.

vi all the instruments used by the
South in old times the Supreme Court
was the most evil,intentioned and the
most efficient. The people have
been bred in such servile reverence
for its decisions that whichever part
got possession of that weapon was
almost sGrc to conquer. Its Judges
appointed tor life and lingering on
the Bench to extreme old age-as
Sidney Smith said of Bishops, with
Episcopal pertinacity all
ways represented the opinion of a
former generation. This depart-
ment OF the Govern ment has always
been the last to come into line with
the nation AS new eras have opened.
The South never appealed to arms
until it found, in 1860 that this usual +,
ly formidable weapon had lost Its
power. The nation swung away
from treason like Taneys, and the
ship OF state moved on '.with an uD-
right keel" Stung to madness the
South Appealed TO the bullot-unsuc
cessfully.
The signs ut Washington indicate
that Mr. johnson means to try and
fnd refuge under the same shelter. =
lie evidently plans TO place the army
in the hands OF his friends as far as
possible But only as reserve
force. The checkmate he intends to
call on Congress is to be, it would
seem, some action OF the judiciary
declaring all the reconstruction legis-
ton unconstitutional How danger
Gus and embarrassing check like
that would be to the nations pro-
gress, every one familiar with the his
tory of the anti slavery movement
will fully appreciate. Whether Mr..
johnson will succeed in obtaining
such decision, no one knows His
councillors evidently count upon it /;
we fear with too good grounds for
their trust.
Every thoughtful man has anx.
iously watched this tribunal ever
since 1861, Mr.. Stevens early saw
the danger in that quart er. and was
only deferred from a vigorous at
tempt to avert the danger by the fact
that the appointing power resting
with Mr.. Lincoln, il seemed impossi.
BILE to secure any sufficient change in
the character Of the Bench. The
action of most the Judges who owe
their appointment to Mr.. Lincoln, is
evidence enough how unwise and
dangerous it would have been to put
it into his power to saddle us with
any more enemies, empowered to
balk us as long us their lives lasted
Mr.. Jobnson's main object is to
confuse public opinion and divide the
ranks of the Republican party. No
more effectual means could be desired
than decision Of the Supreme Court,
adverse 10 Congress- Round such u
decision would rally all the timid,
tired, week >kneed, half-way, compro
missing and dishonest elements which
victory has Iured into tho Repubi-
can ranks. Landlocked and hamper
ed by such opposition, tue reconstruc-
ton movement would move very
slowly and f:fully forward-the
youngest Of us, in such circumstan
ces 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
contingency time will show. We en-.
treat them to remember how much
hangs on their action. The nation
will support them in going, as Frank
lin said, " to the extreme verge OF
their constitutional power" for
means to meet such an emergency
,Salus popuh suprena ter.
WENDELL PHILLIPS.