Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-11-19
Let Justice be Done.

eternity. tina, the black man J. i ~
rights which the white man was IL ',nd t.
respect.
This extract fiom the repol; of &
speech made by Gov. Newell, at Sc
attic, just at the close OF the late
political CANVASS, either does him III.
Justice OF is too highly colored to be
consistent with facts. No honorable
man will cast reproach upon those
who have passed away revered alike
for depth of character and iidel-
ity to course they conceived to be
in the direct line of duty, and hence
we reject the idea that the Governor,
even in the heat of partisan debate,
should have used precisely the lam
guage attributed to him by the Intel
Hqcncer. We cannot admit that
political necessity" may, under any
circumstances, excuse a perverslon of
facts which shall dim the fame one of
whom the present generation have
cause to feel proud and to whom
pos.erity and the impartial historian
will do simple justice by a faithful
review of his labors.
The decision of the Supreme Court
of the United States, in the case of
bred Scott VS.. Sanford, is regarded
by iurists as one of the clearest eX-
positions of law of the case at bal"
to be found in the judicial reports of
this or any other country. 1t is one
of the grandest appeals and most
profound pleas on record, for justice
to the negro, and al overwhelming
arraignment of the Black Code.
Chief Justice fancy, Though the
whole of his decision, shows to any
candid mind capable of comprehend
ing his reasoning, that his sympathies
were with bred Scott, the "plaintiff
in error" and nowhere does it affirm
that " the black man has no rights
which the white man is bound to re-
spect," nor can any such meaning,
by any fair construction be placed
upon his conclusions. The question
before the Court was one of jurisdic-
ton, and that could not be deter
mined without considering the status
of the plaintiff as to citizenship. The
question of fact showed he was q
slave, and the point of law was.
whether by removal into free State
he became @ citizen. In the decision
OF this matter, the Court reviewed
the history of the Constitution and
the Legislation of this and other
countries inasmuch as they affected
the negro. In this review the Court
said: I" 1t is difficult at this day to
realize the state Of public opinion in
relation to that unfortunate race
which prevailed in the civilized and
enlightened portions of the world at
the time of the Declaration of indie
pendence and when the Constitution
of the United States was framed and
adopted. Rut the public history of
of every European nation displays it
in manner too plain to be mistaken.
They had been for more than CEN
tury before regarded as beings of an
ferior order and altogether unfit to
ass ociate with the white race, either
in social or political relations. and so
far inferior that they had no rights
which the white man was bound to
respect, and that the negro might
Justly and lawfully be reduced to
slavery for his benefit. He was
bought and sold, and treated as an
ordinary article of merchandise and
traffic, whenever profit could be
made by it. This opinion was at
that time fixed and universal in the
civilized portion of the white race"
Thus it will be seen, Judge fancy
only used the language of the times
and people whose acts he was re-
viewing. He followed this line of
research through legislation down
to the institution of the suit. This it
was necessary to do to determine the
meaning of the word citizen" as
understood by the trainers of the
Constitution and the people of the
United States; and as if to impress
the public mind that these were not
the sentiments of the Court, further
on the affirmation appears: We re-
fer to these historical facts for the