Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-08-17
NOR NIOIENcE

l ne public gazettes IN all sections of the Mon
are filled with deeds Of violence and outrage. indi-
yidual and collective. We arc. indeed. almost
tempted to eNclaim, with the nervous English poet
" Oh, fora lodge in sont rrst ,cilderness
" Some boandiess configudty of SHADE ~
mat our ears may no more be pa,ned and our
souls shocked, by each succeeding days report of
wrong and crime, with which the earth abounds
of all the events Which have recently transpired
however, the Mobocratic outrage in Baltimore is
the most astonishing and Observation-Disclosures
It's cause or It's extent be considered Certain
Banking institutions in that cit, having failed some
TWO or three years ago, the press has ever since
teemed with publications the subject both in
pamphlets and in the journals, until, al length, the
ostcnsiblc directors and managers of those bank
rupt institutions have succeeded, not in clearing
their own skirts offc suspicion of fraud which has
ever since attached TO them but in involving Others
and among them men of previously the highest
standing in the community, in the odium of their
guilt. Among these suspected men Rcverdy John
son and John Glenn, both eminent lawyers, are
the most conspicuous, and against their property
the first fury of the mob was directed But who
can chain the ocean when its waves have been
dashed into storm or calm the passions of
mob, when, the civil authorities paralvzed, they
find themselves stronger than the law =! And i, is
in this point of view that such tumuuary proceed
ings are so deeply to be regretted and condemned
The original motive and object is soon LOST sieh Of
and the reinators of the movement are themselves
swept away by the current which they have no
more power than others direct in its course or to
check at the desired point. In large cities, cspc-
cially, there are thousands Of villains ready for
mischief and plumber, who are always eager to en-
gage in scenes of violence which promise them
rich harvest with but slight comparative danger
These men, entering upon the work Of dcsruc
ton without knowing or caring any thing about
the causes which led to it, can never be check
ed while there spoils yet attainabc. Aud
they soon become the master spirits of the fray,
directing popular fury alike against the innocent
aud the guilty ii being only necessary, at such pc
RODS of blind aud discriminating rage, TO excite
suspicion in order TO ensure summary punishment
Who can doubt that in Baltimore this has been the
gradual march of events Not ono of the leaders
for their supposed fraudulent connection with the
bankrupt Banking institutions dreamed for a mo-
ment that popular vengeance would seek for new
victims as they wcrcdestroyed. But they soon
found that they unable TO cage the tiger they
had let loose, and the consequences of their mad
ness arc now feariuy visible. In one word, there
is but one thing that can Justify an appeal from the
laws to the vengeance of popular asscmblages--
and that is, the danger to the SAFETY Of the commu
nifty consequent upon the laws delay" or its in
efficiency. Such regard the recent insurrcc-
tonary movement in Mississippi, and tho ncendi-
airy attempts of Abolitionists generally. They
can be no otherwise reached. But for the punish
ment of ordinary crimes, the laws arc sufficiently
strong in character and swift in execution. Those,
therefore, who in such cases appeal from the law
10 the mob enemies to the public peace, to So
cial order and to well-regulated government, and
ought to be put down at all hazards 1t is nonsense
to say that this cannot be done for, if this be So
no mans life, liberty or property is for mo-
ment safe 1t can be done but only in one way
and that is by an efficient and prompt exercise
of the power confdcd to public officers for the pre-
servation of the public peace. If the Baltimore
city police too weak and the militia too gen
orally engaged in the work of destruction to cna-
Bile the Mayor to put down the rioters, where were
the Governor and the country militia and if they
were too weak, why not the assistance of the
United States troops asked for Is the idea OF
shedding blood in such unpatura strife SO alb
horrent and revolving, that men should hesitate to
employ cannon and bayonets in such emergencies
The necessity of rcsorting to such means is surely
to be deprecated; but certainly it is not less so
than the open defiance Of the laws, which consti-
tutc the only shield of defence which the weak
may employ against the strong, and the wanton
destruction of property, accumulated perhaps by
long life of honorable industry and economy. In
one word, it is now to be decided whether we live
under government of lars or not for if we are
to be left to the mercy OF mobocratic aSscmbagcS,
every mans house must in truth be his castle -
filled with well armed rctaincrs, to protect himself
his family and his property from the violence with
which he may any day be visited
THE GAMBLERS.
d. e.. E.yf