Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-04-13
From Our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON March 5-Last Monday
was the first day of spring. It was also
q red-letter day in the calendar of the
centralizationists. The widest Iunatic
for . ,atrOng government never dared to
ask for one halfas much as the Supreme
Court of these United States, in four
hours time on that day, dished out to
them in the shape or decisions which
practically obliterate all State lines, and
virtually make the States bear the same
relation to the central government at
this point as the counties do to the
State.
1t was given out that the Court would
Ideliyer opinions ip the class of cases on
that day, and, consequently, the narrow
court room was filled with the leading
lawyers of the Senate and the House,
and from other points. Among them
was one OF the most intelligent and ip-
terested listeners in the pefson of John
Randolph Tucker the eloquent nephew
of John Randolph of Roanoke. 1t is
not saying too much when say that
this glorious representative OF the most
glorious era of Virginia. is regarded by
large class of lawyers and political
thinkers as the most powerful expoun-
der of the National Constitution since
the days of Calhoun, Webster and Clay.
1t is an epoch notable and instructive
whenever he speaks in the House. 1t
is wonder to all outsiders that the
"Old Dominion" does not place him in
the United States Senate and keep him
there. He is still. and has been for
years, professor of law in the Wash
iDgton and Lee University. This re-
nowned school is in his district. He
lives at Lexington, and lectures in the
University after the short sessions of
Congress. It Is conceded that he will,
if he lives, be in the Forty:seventh Con-
gress. AS soon as the court adjourned
and news got abroad about the high old
strides it had made, newspaper men,
with one accord, and almost everyone
else interested in the matter, visited Mr..
Tucker to get his views upon the effect
and scope of the terrible opinions.
POLITICS IN THE SUPREME COURT.
1t has been charged time and again
within the last decade, that the highest
court In this land was mere political
machine, under the control and in the
hands of the Republican party. If there
Is doubter left now of the truth of that
charge. he is the victim of coior>blind.
ness to the enormities of that party that
has Just put in the heaviest blow against
our form OF government that has ever
been struck by any body or party. I
went to Mr.. Tucker and found him pro.
foundly absorbed in the bold and rush
ing strides that the Supreme Court made
on last Monday. He said he was glad
that had come to see him.
A TERRIFIC ISSUE
He earnestly desired that the people
of this country should learn and under
etand"the terrific issue that the copsol-
idatements of the Court had thrust up-
ON the country" He declared that the
doctrines set forth and enunciated bv
Strong, representing the majority of the
Court, were startling and utterly SUBJ
yeFsive of our form OF government. He
declared that Field and Clifford had
met these usurpations, upon the part of
the Republican majority, with power
and with nerve and with an ability
worthy the Dest days and the best men
Of thgt august tribunal, which in the
days OF our fathers was the citadel and
bulwark of liberty itself The opinion
of Justice Field. is the rail- ying point of
Democracy aud the lovers of liberty
aud the form of government handed
down to us by our fathers.
THE STAKE IN THE COMING STRUGGLE
wish the eloquent Virginia could tie
heard in every quarter of this land.
He regards the present year with its
possibilities and its issues as the most
wonderful one In our annals, and the
struggle as the most terrific in which
the friends of human rights and
liberty have ever engaged in and en-
countered. But let him tell the sto-
ry of the marvellous march of four
hours that the revolutionary consolidas
tionists made in TING highest court in
ChristendOm last Monday,
This was written out In full by him.
self and he wants Tennessee to see the
awful usOrpation:
| THE TENNESSEE CASE.
In the Tennessee case the Court deci-
ded that where revenue officer of ti.e
United States makes affidavit that he
committed murder or any other crime
against the State in the discharged OF
bis official duties, he may on his own
motion be tried in the Circuit Court o1