The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-07-29


and moved them to cry out Cruelty Him,
cruelty Him. 1t was these who stimula-
ted the ignorant and thoughdess mob, until
they thirsted for the blood of Him who had
healed their sicknesses, borne their inirm-
tiles, and compassionated their sufferings.
While the mass Of the people continue
unenlightened, they will ever be passive
instruments in the hands of those who STU
dy how to move them. In reason, thev
are children, but in their passions they are
men; and it is through this dangerous me-
dium that they are led on by their self-ap-
pointed rulers. We fear that the true friends
of the people are omparatively but small
band. 1t seems the interest Of all classes.
and all parties, to keep them IN ignorance,
that they may be more easily swayed TO
suit their own purposes. 1t is as much the
desire of the partisan politician to keep the
crowd from judging for themselves, as it is
that of the most despotic tyrant. The re-
suit, in making them do what they WILL is
the same in both cases, though the means
which effect this are different; for the one is
gained by hattery, and the other by force.
We have said that the friends ofthe people
are few, and even these few stan, aloof in
shameful inaction, and leave them to help
less prey to crafty disorganizers, erroneous
prejudices, and rabid infdelity. There is
an alarming degree of power left in the
hands Of those who are both secretly and
openly striving to corrupt the populace, by
removing the only rwo restraining princi-
pies that can be felt in their unenlighted
condition-the belefin God, and a future
state. Should these be taken away, we
may well tremble for our country, for the
turbid and polluted waters Of anarchy and
vice will overwhelm it like dcluge.
To calm and rejecting mind, an excl
ted mob is an object of compassion, and the
pious man will ever pray for the infuriated
multitude as his Saviour did: Father for
give them, for they know not what they do!'
The first STRINGS of tumut generally arise
from some cause that to their minds appears
just one. They possess anintuitive sense
Of right and wrong, which having never
'14n Guided or enlightened by religion or
ie"sol' Tan O0 N'-p.- mhled bv those who
dazzle them by false lights, ailu I'LL,
them by sophistry. They have not judg-
ment to sift the specious from the true; they
are prone to mistake appearances for reai-
ty, and thus to them the worse can be made
to seem the better season. They both see
and feel instances of hardship and apparent
injustice, and they are mischievously told
that the power Of redress is in their own
hands, if they have but the courage to ex-
ert it. While writhing under the loss OF
their hard-earned savings, they see the men
whom they think were instrumental in ru-
ining them, still living in case and opulence,
and some evil designer whispers, Re
vengep In the midst of their keen suffer-
ings from want of employment, poverty,
and scarcity ofproyisions, they are told that
the exorbitant prices demanded for shelter,
food, and fuel, are owing to combinations
& monopoly among spectators, who are
fattening upon the miseries of their fellows.
They stop not 10 examine the truth OF this
statement, but give it full credence, and take
summary vengeance upon the supposed Of
tenders. They are thus lashed into fury,
and imagine they can set all things right by
violence and umult. This course appears
to them justifable expression of their
feeling for so mobs have been spoken of,
again and again. They have never been
taught, that all out-breakings against law
and order are deserving of censure and pun
ishment. No one has attempted to con-
vince them, while they were in fit state
to be reasoned with, that they are enemies
of their country, by thus draining off the
force of the laws; and that by their throw
ing clogs upon the inferior machinery of
government, they may stop the mighty en-
CINE itself, and shatter it into dissolution.