New-York daily tribune., 1849-06-11
Right against Riot.

Right against Riot.
The Al5any alas is journal const'tutonally
afflicted with malice aud propensity TO ialsehood
so inveterate that we hardly know whether to
deem it morally responsible. 1t naturally takes
the side Of the rioters against the authorities IN
discussing the late deplorabe airay in our City,
and commenting on a recent article In this paper,
says
U The Tribune which advocates I'm general the most
,estrctive course in regard licensed establishments,
comes tothe opposite conclusion IN regard to THIS one
What the Atlas means by licensed esta0hth-
ments is not clear, but presume that droS-
shops are running in its head But whether the
reference be to grog-shops, theat RS or anything
else. our course is uniform and decided We insist
on the protection Of all in their legal nights nj all
hazards We should prefer that neither theaters
nor grogQeries were licensed, but, being licensed,
we demand that the civil authorities shall main
tain the rights which have been legally accorded
them la Republic like ours, we hold the La"
70 be the end of controversy Save IN the way ol
effort for a legal modification of that law and ne
who would deprive any citizen OF his legal rights
nv violence or intimidation traitor and rebel
who should be defeated at whatever cost. NO
matter though the house attacked 10y mob were
a den Of infsmy the most detestable we insist on
the imperative duty OF defending 1t against all
other than legal measures OF repression. NO mat
ter how vile or how despicable the party law
le..lv asssiled we insist on as stringent measures
beipg taken TO protect bis shelter as If 1t were the
MAYORS mansion or the City Hall For the at
tack on his rights is virtually an attack on al
no
the value of his property even OF his life, but
the safety of all property and OF HE genera''y
I'm defending the rights of Mr. Nbo, Mr.. Macrea
dy, their associates and patrons the authorities
were defending our right to speak our CONVICTIONS
through The Tribune and the right OF Ministers OF
the Gospel 70 denounce Slavery, lnte emperance or
any other wrong which may happen at some time
To be popular. The whole question OF Liberty or
Slavery Law or Anarchy, was Inv Owed In the IS
sue forced upon our authorities at the Astor place
Opera on the night Of the 10th ut.
The Alta. plainly seeks to make party capital
ont of this Riot in defiance OF the fact that both
the civil and Military chiefs who gave the order to
Sheriff Westervelt and Maj. Gen. Sanford
are opponents OF the Whig party (Wheiher the
Mavor might or should have been there also has
no shadow of airing on the main question: IL Is
fslse that The Tribune ever "prOclaimed ITS satls
faction at the wholesale and wsnton slaughter OF
fellow citizens bssely false. Our satisfaction
WAS elected by the vindication of the Law
supremacy We deeply wish that could have
been effected without bloodshed, but we rejoice
that. even at a cost so depOrabe, 1t has been set
tied that our citizens do not hold their own houses
subject to the mercy Of any hundred rutiians " no
NAV choose to tear them down and can find a thou
sand reckless ders TO stand behind aud cheer them
ON. Ii is false that the verdict of the only lega
tribunal that investigated the matter affirmed un
necessary bloodshed on the part ofthe magistrscy.
That part of the Jury's oPinonamounted substan
tally to this-Thst fthe authorities bad been gifted
with prophetic vison, aud so had known beforehand
Just what a desperate, ferocous mob would besiege
the tbeater on that occasion, they might 10y send
ing thither the entire Police and leaving the rest
of the City for that night to the mercy OF burglars
incendarles and cut throats have quelled the Riot
with their civil force only
There are twenty or thirty other ialsehoods
crowded into half column Of The Atlas that we
should be glad to reprobate, but cannot find room.
Its assertion that more than twenty innocent
persons were killed at the Riot stands IN de-
hghtiul proximity with its assertion that "The
Tribune and its associates have uttered false ac-
cusations against the dead" We ecanuot imagine
what The A,ss expected to gain, beyond the
mere pleasure Of lying, in calling The Tribune
L" the Law Reformer who is willing to dispense
with court law, jury and proof, nor by its
assertion that The Tribune protects Property
at the unnecessary expense Of innocent lie we
have repeatedly ex planned that the considera-
tion paramount in our minds was that OF Liberty,
or the preservation of the lawful rights Of the
ssssiled; though we believe If the rioters had
been permitted to destroy the Opera House the
ioss OF life would have been far greater than 1t
was.-But We leave The Atlas TO the undisturbed
enjoyment Of the residue OF its wsntoh calumnles