The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-10-08

The following is the second article
on the Drrd Scott decision, written by
me, and published in the Standard %
years ago: D.M.
THE NATIONALITY OF SLAVERY.
Until the decision of the Supreme
Court in the Dred Scott case, the pao-
pie in the Free States We're IN some
measure protected from the evils re-
sulting from the system of African
slavery IN this country, and many
doubted the right. or at least the tx
prdlrncy, of agltating and discussing
the question amongst us. Slaves had
always been regarded as being d,ff-r-
ent from other property, being con-
sldered rs species of property Great
ed only by municipal law, and not
recognized as such beyond the opera
tion of the law creating it. This prin-
ciple was universally established in all
civilized countries
The civil law admitted slavery to he
contrary to natural right. Inst I. 3
2. The law of England will not en-
dure the existence of slavery within
the realm of England. The instant
the slave touches the soil. he becomes
free. I Blacks Com 424. By the
common law, one man could not have
property in another, for men were not
the subject of property 2 Salk. Rep.
666. 2 Lord Rayna. 1874 Property
in slaves is not recognized hv the laws
of Scotland I Ersk Inst 159 This
is the law now in France, and as soon
as the slave lands on French soil. he
is free The doctrine of the Supreme
Court of the United States. in Prigg
v. the Commonwealth of Pennsylva-
MIA, Is Peters Rep $50, was to the
state of slavery was mere municipal
regulation. and no nation or state was
bound to recognize the state of slave
ry as to foreign slaves within its ter
ritory. 2 Kenfs Com 265.
The above well settled principles
are attempted to be set aside by the
late decision, and slavery is declared to
be a national institution, guaranteed
to every state by the national constl-
tuition
slave eXpressy @ % II the on
mt % to state @ This is ID @
in the constitution giving Congress greater power
over slaves than over any other description OF prop
therefore the opinion of this court that the ac
property this character north of certain line il
eE Tna
lily were made free by their residence in Illinois
IF Congress has no greater power
over slaves than over any other de-
scription of property, the court is cor
rect in the conclusion that an act OF
Congress which prohibits slavery
north of certain line is void; because
no one will claim that Congress has
the power to prohibit citizens from
holding horses or cattle north of {
certain line. If 'the right of proper.
tv in slave is expressly conferred II
the constitution, and guaranteed tt
every State" no State has the power
to prohibit it within its territory; be.
cause the constitution Is the "suprem'
law of the land F" Const y s, Art 6
At this point the decision becomes
"f momentous Importance TO every la
boring man in the Free States. DreC
Scott was taken to Illinois in the yea,
1884, and held there until 1885, HI
was then taken to Fort Smelling
where slavery was prohibited by the
Missouri Compromise. and held there
until 1888. He was held about fou,
years as slave, in territory in which
Congress had declared that slavery
should not exist, and two years of that
time in Illinois. in which it was alsc
prohibited by their State constitution
and vet the court declares that mel
ther Dred Scott nor any Of his fami-
ly were made free by their residence
in Illinois. y
This being the established law OF
the land, slave owners can hire then
slaves to labor in the Free States for
any length of time thay may see prop
ar, and they are not made free there
by. The wages paid to free laborine
men at our iron furnaces, range from
three to five hundred dollars per year
The price of slave will range from
twelve to fifteen hundred dollars, ten
per cent upon which sum would be
about the price for which a slave
could be hired. thereby reducing the
price paid for labor, more than one
half
Now we ask, is any one so stupid as
to believe for one moment, that the
owners and managers of our iron fur
naces, and other manufacturing est b.
lishments. will continue to pay libtr
al wages for free labor. when they can
procure slaUe labor for one half, or
one third the amount?
The people of the Free States cer-
tainly now have the right to discuss
this question, and we shall take the
liberty of doing so. whenever we think
we can promote the interest Of the
free man, and subserve the common
good of our country by so doing.