The Van Buren press., 1869-05-04
f1Ni stei a8l f"
NO.s.4.5.
The Opinion Of the supreme cesrt q ~
i' A Texas Case. ~ .e 80


The opinion of the Supreme Censt
rendered BY Chief Justice Chose, 10 tie
/ Texas case, viii be read with intense IN.
terest by jurists and statesman. II Y the
| view, a. We understand Il. Of most 81 ths
members OF tho Supreme Bench-a N.
/ bunal habi,ually honored and respected
Iby Democrats and Conservatives slmose
to the point Of reverenee, aud, ~ regard.
ed, to be implicitly obeyed- upon the ex.
act question Of the actual legal ssatus ef
States in rebellion, The view Of the n.
| e.iJeaeer has been, in consistencc with
that o. all eminent jufist or Vermont.
! that an insurrection existed in the secsd
ed or rebel States, which more OF less at.
, feeted their. status in respect to the Unlon
| and To the supreme fiat of the Constitu
ton: but, to use the language Of the De.
csion OF the Court, now just made upon
protracted consideration and calm view,
utterly removed from the strong excite.
ments which civil war, with its terrible
/ consequences in horrors, distresses, and
miseries, so often seriously impresses on
the strongest and best balanced ninds.
:. the Constitution. in all its provisions,
looks t. an indestructible Untons CON.
posed Of indestructble States. The un.
Ion between Texas and the other States
was as complete, as perpetual, and as in'
dis soluble as the union between the crigi
mai States There was no place for ~
consideration or revocation except
through revolution or through consent
OF the States Considered, therefore, -
| tran sactions under the Constitution, the
ordinance Of secession adopted BY The
convention. and ratified by a majority OF
the citizens Of Texas, and all The seta Of
her Legislature, intended to give effect
to that ordinance, were absolutely nul.
They were utterly without, operation ~
law. The obligations Of the State. ~
member of the Union, and OF every siti-
zen of tho State, rs citizen Of the uni.
ted States. remained perfect aud unim-
paired, 1t necessarily follows that the
State did not cease to be a State, nor hsr
citizens to be citizens ofthe Union
Washngton Intsiiiyencey. 10 o' 1slro ~
/ The CAsR OF NEWMAN ys, THE CAMDrH
| VIGILANCE COMMITTEE case has
been attracting considerable attention, ip
the IT, S Circuit Court, during the past
fev days. As stated on q former Occs-
sion Newman went to Camden With =
stock of goods, valued at from Sla, ,000te
1 $50. 900. ia thc spring Of 1861 He caIno
from Georgia, according to his testi
mpay, tmt five mistake not was original
| iy from the North. Soon after lie bed
settled in Cainden, he war fever bOcans
50 hot throughout the couDtry, that vigt
| lance committees we're formed in nearly
every village, city and town in the South.
who made it theii business TO And ont
eyeflzlayn sftifmd Aey .,ass9scteaA ,qqlksA6Aas
without the lines of the Confederacy.
The Camden vigilance committee, srepF9
sented by j. T. Elliott, - Goddard and
---------, called on Newman, took charge
Of his goods, aud told him to leave the
State, which he did Most of the goods
were turned over TO the. Confederate ~,
thorities, and the balance were disposed
Of at auction.
l1 Newman brought suit in tire United
States Circuit Court. against the follew'
| mg members Of the Vigilance Committss.
alter thC CLOSE " tuc war lot uSWekVs'
John brown, Dee Newton. John I, Still
man, Erasmus j Elliott, VIM. T. Stone,
Jas Is. Green, John O.. Green, John MAI
tock, JAS 1. Elliott. Samuel g. Huchxa.
az, Nathaniel 7. Ponder, B, +. Powell, \.
| Q Z. Elliott. A. S. Huey, VIM. Tumblin
Jas r. johnson. ''" ,,
The following persons are the oniyde..
fcndants now. the others having been dis
charged, from bankruptcy, aud othss
causes: John Brown, Dee Newton, JOHN
I. Stilliman, Jas B. Green. E. j., Elliott,
N. r. Ponder, l.. @ c. Elliott
The jury retired on Friday evening
and after being ont until Yesterday morn
ing reported to the judge that they we're
unable to agree, who sgaiu ordersl tAsln
Into custody until some, verdict vas
foma Up 10 the present writing they
are stili undpeiied.-k IL. Gdzeste. -" -