Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-09-02

proceed. At your call, have taken what |
believe to be the cause of public order, and of
truth, in hand, and that cause must. be my
shield. A saying that we had when was at
school, comes into my mind, scarcely know
how to quote it, and must hope for your par
don if do 1t was not, fiat justitia; ruat ce-
lumj but TELL THE TRUTH, THOUGH THE
DEVIL BE BEFORE you. Let it be heard.
Hitherto, when murder, especially one
attended by any startling or unusual circum-
stances, has been committed by unseen hands,
in country where existed free press that
great instrument has never failed 10 raise, and
TO keep up, the alarm. 1t has done more, far
more, than writs and dispositions, and search
Warrants ;more than the whole roll of sheriffs
and constables and deputies, with the posse
Icomitatus in their wake, to drag the perpe-
traitors from their cover By its universal and
Spontaneous activity, operating like moral
hue and cry, it helps to point Alright, public
vigilance and suspicion. 1t ministers usefuly
to public indignation, making it strong and
stirring. 1t puts every thing in motion, itself
heading the pursuit. 1t sharpens scrutiny,
re-invigorates tagging exertion, smites like
inward fire upon the fears and paintings of the
skulking felon, and throws out signals of all
kinds thousand times more valuable, when
its mighty trumpet is sounded in good cause,
than any that masonry ever planted upon its
mysterious Lodges. Need instance the case
of White, at Salem. Need mention that of
'I'hurtell, in England, a few years ago, when
the unceasing clangor of their press, reverbe-
rated even to our shores. Paris never had
such police; society never such conserva-
tive principle. 1t is omnipresent. Like flashes
from the heavens, it lights up the entire hori-
Zon. Its sweep is from the 60 orient to the
dropping west;o the whole nation its stage
and the whole people its audience. What
power in society, when directed to proper
ends how resistless, how awful! But, in the
case we are considering, with the exception of
the comparatively few newspapers, anti-ma-
sonic in special name and object, the press, as
far as l have had opportunities of observing,
has been shamefully silent. This best guard
of free state better than legions Of bayonets,
this Lion at its portals, whose noble nature,
for the most part it is, to spring forward, en-
ragged and Incorporating, upon crime has
been lulled to sleep; has been chained and
muzzled; has been faithless, has been criminal
say criminal. Silence in such a case, is par
ticipation, 1t shows in effect. companionship
with the murderers, had there been nothing
more than silence. 1t is Keeping bands with
blood, when voice, loud, simultaneous and
'lhtShoCps aiouid lung tlIOupIl Luc ldUus
May not justly say that the whole trans
action, in every feature in which the public
have a right to feel an interest, is an anomaly.
Generally it has been the course of the Press,
as through a salutary instinct of its nature, to
be too quick rather than too slow to fly at a
wrong in the remote intention and tendency
to err byinAaming too much, rather than ton
little. But here in Morgan's case, with the
stain of blood before its eyes, with crime &C.
tually perpetrated, and crying for punishment
fit shuts its eyes. 1t becomes suddenly and
stupidity blind, or it turns TRAITOR, There is
no alternative. The press on this occasion
has fallen into stupefaction, or turpitude; fol
Tilt cannot so utterly have lost its senses as no
to know, that the crime would never have beer
lcommitted and left unavenged, but for the full
Hand continued existence, in our country, of til,
2 masonic obligation. No sophistry can gainsa,
this position. The evidence of it is fragrant
tits foundation is upon rock.-Had cas-
like Morgan's arisen in 1875 had blood beer
SO attrociously shed, and gone so long un
avenged, through any acts of the government
then ruling us, or the black doings and subtl
lhidings of masonry within its borders, be
J lieve that it would have acted upon publ
opinion like an electric shock, and that on
fathers would have sought no stronger caus
tor prostratng IN the dust, an open authorlt
or secret influence, that could SO Ubiquitous
e ly PROSTATE justice. Am wrong Do at
d firm too much Am giving way to feeling
# in place of reasoning No I speak unde
. the highest of all sanctions, before the Amer
Il lean public. Turn to the DEcLARATIoN o
" INDEPENDENCE, that glorious charter of GU
. liberties, and see if it be not there recorded a
: one of the causes for dismembering an En-
lpire, that the British King, by his odious act.
$ had INSTRUCTED the administration of justice i
d our country. No single case, comparable i
: atrocity to this of Morgan's whether as re
!. CARDS the original conspiracy and murder, Q
S the total obstruction of the laws sincere. eve
y disgraced tyranny of that era over u.s.
v If one like it had occurred, town meeting j
IS Boston would have rallied New England I