New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-05-14
Mobs and their Treatment.

4
die. OF those who feb in the not on Thursday night
As given in another psri Of IT, Iubn1s today,
vii be read With deep interest Our readers " %
share the satisfaction we feel when say that
it removes every doubt as to the light conduct Of
the Magistrates on that trying occasion. II Is
plain from tie whole testimony that the order %
fire vas given only when there was no choice DC
tween doing ana resirning al 70 the fury OF the
| mob. In the FIRST sudden and dreadful shock
which ssch an event must carry to every bosom
not dead to ell human sensibiiiiy, and while the
facts were not perfectly sseer.Ained II was I'm
po.s ble TO Danish all shadow OF tear that there
might have been some precipltancy, some lack OF
needia warning. some failure t. make the most
thorough use 81 the civil force before resorting to
| the steiner alternative 70 such fear can re
main, We thilk. after the Coroners investigation
Every fso: IL brought clearly ont every step has
complete justification, and doubt mingles with
the disposition TO award to The City Authorities
the credit due alike to their hmness and humanity
This sas It should be Its dreadful thing to take
human life, IN whatever manner, upon whatever
necessity From the nature OF the case, It Is morally
certain that those no suffer Will not be the guilty
only-tbat the relatively guilte.s and the absolute
ly innocent must saii-r the execution which IS IN
tended 1r the willlully crmina alone. Wherever
human life is taken By hnman authority or pur-
pose, there must have existed a palpabe and
pressing necessity for such taking. there rests
on the heads Of the takers a fearful responsibility
And yet life may lawfully be taken. To say
that II may not is to enthrone violence. 70 proifrr
-, x,tIla an1
preston Let the conscientious ami the humane
proclaim I'VE will neverresort 20 force and blood
seed. no matter how great the necessity, aud
the reckless the grssping sud the vile have the
whole world at their feet 70 be rioted aud trodden
uoon For the State 10 say that 1t will never shed
blood to preserve Property enforce Order and
maintain Right. is TO make proclamation 10 the
rowdy and the rutfa that they.msy destroy Pro-
perty subvert Order and trample on Right when
ever it may suit their csprce or satiGte their ma
lice to do so. For a People to proclaim That they
vii never resist the powers tina, be, IS TO invite
and embjlden corrupt aud despotic rulers or raps.
cious ruling classes 10 plumber AID stsrve them AT
pleasure. When the dire alternative "a presented,
It is better that men should die that Order be pre-
served aud Right upheld than that they should die
victims OF triumphant aud unchecked not as die
hsndreds must and would every year il mobs were
allowed to defy Authority and trample on Law
with impunity. Far better let the best blood OF
nation be poured out in the yindicetion OF It's rights
the maintenance Of its liberties than that It's soul
should be crushed aud thousands after thousands
OF its people starved by despotc and grinding ex-
actions. A great evil, though terrible in contem-
vi h.. Ia. bla -
cane from still ereater-the only possible seoul
IS OF a yast and vital good.
A revolutionary outbreak eyinces courage
mob is essentially the impulse Of towards. The
banding together Of three or four thousands 10 dc
priye one Of bis means of livelihood for some reAl
or faucied insult is conspiracy alike audacious IN
its nsiure and paltry in It's splrit. When work
men throw down their implements Of labor 20
throw up barbados exchange the trowcl or
spade for the musket. and boldly hoist the flag OF
Revolution. they manfully set their lives on the
cast. and their excess Of numbers is fairly COM
penssted by the superior unity, discipline and
weapons which they must expect to find opposed
T. them. But when q mob " hich does not even
pretend to be oppressed by the laws yet INSIST.
on breaking the laws-wheu admitting the right
fitness Of the constituted authorities It yet per-
ss,s In delying and disobeyng those Authorities
when in the outraged name Of Patriotism, It In
ssts on dish0norne and degrading the National
Character II eyinces a criminal faulty which an
hardly be too resolutely dealt with Ard ~ tue
act OF surrounding the citizen sodiery, who stand
firth the passive and unofeuding guardians OF
Order and instruments Of the civil msgistracy.
missiles calculating on their reluctance to tire on
crowd composed manly Of unsrmed men, IL
view also OF the inevitable peril T. the lives o.
persons innocently sitting In their houses pass
iug through the streets, there mixture Of CIV.
ardlce and mesnaess most losthsome 10 contem-
plate. 4 true man must feel that the position OF
such so.dicry challenges the respect and for.
beAraoce Of every Loyal republican.
All things have their lesson, and # the awful
experience Of last eek has taught our sathortie.
| 70 be uniformly stern and decided with mobs the
blood thus poured ous Will not have been shed IN
vaic. The magistrate who endesyors 10 hum3r a
mob and u make personal capital with II by
milk and-wsier course Is an soettsr OF wholesale
murders aad should be execratei as traitor
l There is BAT one honest, enc humane way % deal
1 With rioters, and that IS 10 disperse them as
promptly as possible. Where there IS anythin-
Ake ample space, Il does seem that reso.-te
charge OF cavalry sufficient in numbers and formed
as conpActy as possibe, woaid save the etasion
# blood. If seasonaOly Tesorted 70. TIE tine 70
read the Riot Act is the irst minute after Gear It.
iicstoas Of riotous purpose have been given The
yroand thas cleared snoGld be promptly occaPIec
By infantry and artillery. Bat 10 e',zsn soldier
4 should be asked nor exPesied 70 s,and ssil and
receive showers OF stones aad u isr one moDeai
onser than Is requisite TO enable tne peaeeaole
| AID obedient 10 &c; cut OF the way ami these
means falling. il should be distinctly understood
that such chiids psy a. hrinE blank car
4 tricges VII ever Be resortec q. o.ess there
Is necessity Tor -r.ng balls, there 10 10 sense
10 barning powdeF-no use IA Il bat y deind-
the rioters into a confidence that balls VII
not De used, sf.er tn order has oeen loud!
| given - Use them. When the question OF ~
holding or s1r-en6ering the supremacy OF the laws
"A clearly AZ stake. stsrnnsss aud decision are the
| true humanity snd The sacrifice oi lew lives IN
| thoroughly qaehng rio, ~ the outset may often
prove the saving U; haadreds by preventing riots
| there alter Whenever ]; shall be thoroughly set
1 i -