Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-12-07

nullihed by any part OF the community which
may deem that lsw prejudical 10 their interests.
Threats have been made 10 disregard, set at
defiance, and trample under foot, any law which
the Legislature may pass to regulate the currency
If any portion OF the people have right 10 null
lily law upon the subject Of currency. then
they have an equal right to nullify any other
law. II any one neighborhood has the right 10
set at defiance that law which it deems odious,
then every other neighborhood has the same
right. II every neighborhood has the right TO
set at defiance, the particular law which it deems
odious, then we had as well abandon our gov.
eminent, and ell law and order, and submit our.
selves to anarchy and msrue.
But to our credit greatly, the spirit OF disc.
bedence and resistance to established law, has
rarely manifested ITSELF to any extent, in ouI
State 1t is to be regretted, that this spirit is grow
ing rather too common in some other places;
but in our State, the great majority OF the peo
pie are sober and discreet, mild and prudent,
industrious and frugal honest and virluous, and
above all, the lovers Of good order and peace in
society. With such people, whatever may be
the threats of few, it seems that faithful exc
cution OF the laws, must meet with an irresistible
support. And as far as possible, the laws will
be faithfully executed.
Bad laws should not be passed. No law
should be passed which will not operate upon
every man, and every part Of the community
alike. Every bad law in force should be
promptly repealed No reason should be al
lowed to exist for disobeying or resisting the law.
But all the laws in force should be sacredly
observed and faithfully executed, until repealed
by the Legislature, or decided by the proper tri.
bunal to be unconstitutional. Man does nol
show himself fully capable Of self government
until he can submit TO the restraints imposed
by the laws enacted by majority Of his fellow
citizens. Till man can do this, the community
10 which he lives is in constant danger Of riots
and mobs, and all the evils, outrages and afro
cities which go hand in hand with the violent
breaches OF the law. 1t is better in all cases,
as long as law is continued in existence, and
not declared to be unconstitutional TO let it
take its usual course. Evils that are endless and
ruinous must grow out Of any other course, and
the seal OF public condemnation should be
stamped in the outset, upon every attempt and
nifty, 10 disobey, resist, or trample under foot,
the laws of the land. let that attempt or threat
emanate from whatever source it may.
The resistance OF State law is notification
OF the worst character. 1t is the notification Of
law, where we have a tribunal to decide upon
its constitutionality, and without an appeal TO
that tribunal; or it is the notification Of law
after it has been decided to be constitutional.
1t is an open resistance to all social order, for
which there can be no Justification; and it is
the spirit OF mobocracy in its blacklist charac.
ter-a spirit that should not be couutenanced.
The subject Of Internal Improvement is one
Of growing interest among our questions OF State
policy. On this subject a great diversity OF
opinion has heretofore existed; but experiments,
comparatively recent, made by some OF our sister
States, have gone far to settle this diversity OF
opinion, and 10 unite the public mind upon this
important question. A few years back, and
both at home and abroad, our State was declared
TO be benighted- in the dark-half
century behind her sister States in public spirit,
and public improvement; but time has proven
our course to have been the wiser one: and that
some o. our sister States were running far in ad
vance Of their age, population and means, in
the construction Of internal Improvements. We
were right. They were wrong. If we cau we
should keep right. On this subject, in the mid
die course, there may be safety. We should
pursue steadily system of internal improve.
ment but we should not involve ourselves in
debt, by an extravsgant system.
But will not say that people should I'm.
dertake no improvement, when they have not the
means 10 pay. When labor is cheap, and the
necessity OF an improvement great, and the ad.
vantages to result to the people certainly equal
to the interest on the cost OF the improvement
aud all the expenses OF repairing, and the wealth,
population and business Of the country is increas.
ing then people may be justified in borrowing.
But 10 most cases, there is so much uncertainty
about the existence OF all, or many OF these cir.
cumstances, and men are so apt to fail in such
calculations some from interested motives, and
others from want Of knowledge, that borrowing
becomes hazardous business, and more fre.
quently proves runous than beneficial. 1t is,
therefore, generally the safest course for govern.
ment not to borrow. and would generally ad.
wise this course; and would deviate from it with
great reluctance and caution.
But the question Of borrowing is not important
to us now. We have fund for internal i'm.
provements, arising from the sale OF the FIVE
hundred thousand acres Of public lands; and the
proper disposition OF this fund is the subject for
our consideration. II rightly Appropriated, and
faithfully applied, the State can be much i'm
proved, and the people greatly benefited by the
disposition Of this fund.
In connection with this subject, there are sew
eral matters which should be considered. In the
first place, too much should not be expended IN
contests about the disposition Of the fund. Public
spirit should over ride sectional feelings in select
ing the objects 10 be improved and in making
the appropriations for that purpose. In the next
place, a proper reference should be had to the
amount Of population that can be safely with
drawn from the ordinary pursuits OF life to the
construction of internal Improvements, without