Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-09-03

! am not satisfied with the tone OF soma
OF our papers upon some violent measures
that have been applied to the instigators
J OIL these plots OF instruction. Disspnro.
baton has been expressed in language OF
. sharp rerroof. accompanied by prolound
} truisms about the sanctity and suuremacy
OF the law, and not without aex,raordinary
sympathy for the unfortunate su6srsrs. Il
Is very we'll for us, who are sleenipg SAFE.
" in our beds, to discourse learnedlv and
wisely and patiently about appealing 10
The law fer the redress of every wrong !.
ana TO descant upon the iegality and dan.
ger OF THIS course OF summary justice. -
but can we expect the same cool and rea
soning philosophy from those whose throat.
lie under the knives Of the a.sassins. and
VINO see at their elbows the wretches who
are stimulating them TO strike the blow
Are they to wait till their dwellings blaze
IN The dead hour of night. and their wives
ana children are massacred in their sight.
and then, should they survive, go TO a
grand jury with an indictment against the
offenders. Il they can he legally identified
profess myself to be as much devoted 10
The supremacy of the law. as any COOL ci.
iizen ought to be, but who does moi know
mat there arc cases in which it's tardy tech
meat pace moves too slowly to prevent the
| impending mischief agree it should be
extreme. but when il is so, we come bark
10 the first principles Of self preservation.
Tor which all laws were made and all gov
ernmcnts instituted and submitted 10 But
VINO Is 10 be the judge Of the urgency of
me casee Those who take upon them
selves the responsibility Of actingp Itcan
De no other When the property or per
i son OF an individual is assaulted, he as
: sumcs his own defence-he rerels the ar
gfessor, and, necessarily, makes himself
me judge oil the degree OF force he may
use. The Cases are numerous and easily
understood. 10 which it would be idle To
look to the law for the prevention of a
wrong. IL man, spotted with the plague
were TO come into populous city and
set himself down in the market Mace. and
10 bring 1t nearer to the question. were to
avow his design in coming there wa. IN
infect the city with the fatal disease. would
you ask the inhabitants TO lei him re unmo
Tested unit! they should carefully examine
The statute book TO find some law for his
removal and, If none should be found. to
WAT until the legislature should enact one?
ihis would be forbearance not foolish
merely, but highly criminal. II would be
Their right and their duty TO apply physi-
cal force 10 expel the malignant intruder.
and II his death should be the conse ouence
oil bis obstinacy, who would reproach tie
authors of il?
! we have case in our own history. in.
hnitely less urgent than that we are spea.
KING OF, and yet the violaiors OF the Law
nave never been considered as dangerous
offenders, but rather applavded as intrep
ID patriots, The men Of Boston. who, in
ma, thought II expedient for the cause Of
liberty and their country, to throw the
eargoes of the Tea ships into the sea, GER
tainly committed a gross violation of pri
va'e right, Of tie security of private pro.
perry, and OF the law which protects il: bur
1t was great public occasion, il had vital
national object, which the law could not
reach; the good Of the whole called for
,be sacrifice /; the law was suspended or
disregsrded TO attain an end which the
law could not accomplish, and the memo.
ry OF the perpetrators OF the deed is held
IN honor and respect. Let US he assured
ihat however we may moralIze on this
subject, and satisfy ourselves BY repeating
ordinary max'ms and theories, the people
OF the south will not and ought not to al.
low their homes and rights TO he invaded,
their lives aud properly to be sacrificed by
reckless band Of false phianthopists.
outthat they will, and they ought TO cut
up the appalling miscbi by the roots, by
such means as the exigeDcy Of the case
may require, however terrible they may
prove TO the offenders
Have we. of the North, no interest in
these proceedings Let US not believe
that we are TO be mere spectators of the
tragedy. In this scheme of emancipation,
what is TO become Of the governmet, the
constitution, the union Of these states p
They mnst all fall before il; they will
sink INTO The vortex, Cor they are lost when
ever the rights OF the people Of the south,
guaranteed as surely and sacredly as any
we erJoy, are taken from them. Can the
north. consistently with the solemn obga
tons II owes TO the sonth, consistently
WI, its own safety and happiness. look
with indifference or tacit appreciation up
on proceedings so Taught with the fate OF
all that is dear TO us Let US not only
speak explicitly our adherence Of them.
but be active and jealous in arresting
their progress. These mslign ph.lanthro
pists would involve twelve millions of
the white population Of our country IN ru-
IN, IN an insane experiment, detestable in
i's means. 10 improve the condition OF the
blacks. And it is obvious that the blacks
for whom the experiment is made. must
perish in the process. Am asked for my
sympathy and regrets, il such wretch
becomes himself the victim Of bis machin
atoms, instead Of immolating tens Of thou
sands 10 his wlckedness, bis vanity, or
his follyp
think cannot be misunderstood, but
that may not be misrepresenied, it may
be well TO be more explicit. hold the su-
premacv Of the law TO be essential TO the
enjoyment of liber.y--nay, TO It's existence
IN any national sense. This is especially