Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-09-26
THURSDAY, SEPT. 90, 1899.

ueeu nearly tuc Nuo'c vi lhc humihlS.
tration presses. with remarkabl concert
and unanimity, are endeavoring to turn
into ridicule the testimony of Mr.. Plea
santon concerning the plot developed to
him by NJ Eiwee for blowing up the
Philadelphia troops on their way to
Harrisburg in December last. They call
il hoax. and ultimate that NJ Elwee
must be quite wag to play off so pal pas
BILE story OH the credulous Mr.. Plea
santon. 1t does not seem to have ocur.
red to them that. if hoax, M'Elwee
has had ample opportunity to say so. an !
certainly they will admit that he had
sufficient motive, in a regard for his own
character if not for the interests of his
party, could he have done it. This is
obvious from their own course. They
see the effect il is calculated TO have
on the sober and rejecting Of the coun
try, and hence their precipitate zeal to
becloud the disclosure with doubt as to
its reality. Ii is maniiestly no, the thing
itself that they SO murh care about as
its apprehended influence OH their own
interests-and therefore the only ques
ton in their morality is ho~ 10 get lid
of it. This they do by attempting to
make it on; hoax. 1t remains to be
seen, however, how the people will
bear this impudent triling with their
intelligence and moral feeling. But
why, let us enquire, is it, that the plot
should be thought incredible On ac-
count Of its monstrosity? Motor it is
of piece with tie other doiDgs OF
that mob. Have we not heard before
OF the plan projected to prevent the ar,
rival Of the first troops from Cumberland
by blowing up the Susquehanna bridge !!
And have we not heard Of The deliber-
ate attempt to assassinate Mr.. Penrose,
and the open threats against the lives OF
other individuals ? Lock indeed, at the
whole conduct of the mob, in the violent
expulsion OF members Of the Leg isiature
from their seats, and the appointment OF
committee TO take care Of the govern
ment-thus virtually claiming to have
overthrown its regularly constituted au-
thorities-and saw what there is at ell
improbable in the VI Eiwee plo,9 We
very much question if the Enquirer and
its coadjutors will not fluid, before they
are done with this business, that ii
would have been better for them not TO
have treated it quite so jocosely Their
zeal shows that they think their party
IN some danger from 1t and when It's
truth is made apparent 10 the people,
the responsibility which they were so
prompt TO recognize, may, very teasona>
bly, and justly. be insisted on.
But there is another chapter to be
added TO the history of this mob. quite
as startling as any that has preceded it
one which shows that although the
noise and tumult has subsidized, the mo
raj disorder in the body polite hich
produced it, still exists and rcigns with
fearful and threatening power. Ii will
be recollected that among those most
conspicuous i'll interchangeable endeavorsi
10 preserve public order and quel the
mob, was Judge BLYTHE, Of Harrisburg.
Alter warning and eutreating them to
dlsperSe, it is known he had some of the
TInS-leaders arrested, and held TO bail, as
well Tor their good conduct as to answer
indictments at the eXt term of his court.
From some cause or other, however, il
appears he has since retired from the
bench, and that Governor Porter has a. p.
pointed his own brother 10 the place.
AT the late term of the Court the rioters
were TO be tried-but the Attorney Ge- !
neral refused 10 prefer indictments a. |
gajnst them. A private attorney of some !
individual prosecutors then sent up an
indictment against three Of the rioters,
which the Grand Jury returned true
bill by a unanimous vote. The Jury ais
SO presented the conduct Of the Attorney
General as misdemeanor i'm office -
Judge Porter, however, astonishing 10
say, quashcd 10th the indictment and