The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-01-28
columbus Journal.1
"TOuch Not the Lords Amounted"


A great deal is being said just now
deprecatory of the freedom with which
the press criticises the decisions of the
courts. It is regarded in some quar-
ters as an exhibition of impudence and
impertinence on the part of laymen
who manage newspapers to undertake
to review" the findings and decisions
of high tribunals.
We beg leave to call the attention
OF gentlemen who think that courts
should not be criticised by newspaper
men, who are supposed to be ignorant
of the law, to the fact that thirty
years have not elapsed since a great
party was overthrown because of the
review and reversal of a partisan and
political decision rendered by the Su-
preme Court of the United States.
We refer to the celebrated Dred Scott
case, in which Chief Justice Taney,
speaking for the majority of the court,
said that at the time of the adoption
of the national Constitution the Uni
versal sentiment was that the negro
was a person who had no rights that
white man was bound to respect" .
the inference being that such was his
status at the time of the rendition of
the decision.
That decision did not greatly shock
the judicial mind; but it did shock
the common sense and arouse the
hearts and consciences of the Ameri-
can people, polite and rustic, learned
and unlearned. Not only newspaper
men and politicians, but men Of all
professions and callings began to in
quire of each other, is that the law?"
fully determined that if such were
the law, come veal or woe, come peace
or war, it should be the law no long
er. Such is not the law to-day
thanks be to Him who moves upon
the hearts of men to work righteous
ness, to deal justly, to love mercy, to
lift up the lowly, to "wrest the sword
from the tyrant's hand, and break the
oppressor's rod"
The Dred Scott decision was made
by partisan court-made to serve
the ends of the pro-slavery Democrat
ic party of that day. The expecta-
ton was that such a deliverance by
the highest judicial tribunal Of the
land would silence and paralyze the
"Abolitionists" and BLACK Republi-
cans" But instead it provoked the
opposition Of thousands and tens of
thousands of patriotic Democrats, not
withstanding the fact that lawyers
and editors Of Democratic persuasion
denounced as revolutionary the at.
tempt to 'sreview" the decision of the
court in the newspapers and on the
stump, and reverend clergymen took
up the refrain, and from hundreds of
pulpits the warning went forth:
sTouch not the Lords anointed" "be
ye subject to the powers that be-;
forget not that judges and magis-
trates bear not the sword in vain. y
But the people rose in their majesty
and swept from power the party that
sought, through the courts, to sup
press freedom Of speech and the press
The great political revolution of 1860
followed revolution which re-estab-
lished the government on its ancient
foundations.
A decision Of the Supreme Court OF
kOhio that the law is powerless to pro-
tect the people against thieves. ruffians
and fo-gers is itself nullity. And
any action of other courts tending to
obstruct the detection, Indictment OF
apprehension of these thieves, briber;
and forgers deserves nothing but con.
tempt.