The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-29
OBSERVANCE OF THE LAWS.

For an octogenarian, we think our wor-
thy neighbor of the sole organ is the most
frisky contemner of the laws whom we
now remember. Ned Pepper and Angus
tus Tomlinson did not hold the laws in
greater contempt than does our venerable
friend. With his lax notions, he might
go upon the road and say stand and de-
liver" without twinge of conscience.
The sole organ is only an organ of
the disorganists. Four distinct attacks it
makes in the same paper, that Of August
2s, upon the laws of the country. One is
upon Mr.. PREscoTT HALL, district attor-
ney of the United States for the southern
district of New York, for attempting to
enforce the provisions of the third Sec
ton of the act of Congress of December
81, 1872, in regard to painting the name
and port of the vessel on the stern. The
sole organ says that this law has been
''obsoete for several years!" 1t means by
this that the Locofoco district attorneys
nave cltIcl uccH SiOi ait vi TIC otdtutC, VI
have knowingly neglected to enforce it.
In another column is an attack on the
Postmaster General, because he does not
instruct the deputy postmasters, in viola
ton Of law, to examine sealed letters and
possess themselves of their contents.
In still third column is an attack upon
the g unfeeling, barbarian ferocity" Of the
Sub-treasury act, because it "rudely,
falsely, and brutally" charges poor Patrick
Collins as a defaulter, when he is not
and never has been a defaulter for one
cent" The Union has told this story so
often, that il will believe it one of these
days we have no doubt.
In fourth article the Union abuses the
Sub-treasury lover our shoulders) because
it makes the investment of public money
in merchandise an act of felony" and
thereby affixes an unpleasant odor to men
who figure among the aristocratic Demo
Gratis of Richmond. We are not respon-
sible for the law, the language of it, or the
penalties. II might have called these Of
fences by gentler name, and annexed a
more gentle punishment than fine and i'm
prisonment; but the wise trainers Of the
law thought differently; and if they have
called their friends by hard names, we
cannot help it,
The sole organ thinks it matters much
what you call these offences. Mr.. AUGUs-
TUs ToMLINsoN was of the same opinion.
"lfyou take money from the public, and say
you have robbed" said this distinguished
morallst, ''you have individually committed
great crime; but if you do the same, and
say you have been reiieving the necessities
! Of tie poor, you have done an excellent
acton If, in afterward dividing this
\ money with your companions, you say you
have been sharing booty, you have com
United an offence against the laws of your
country; but if you observe that you haze
been sharing NTH your friends the gains
o. your industry, you have performed one
+ OF the nobest actions of humanity. To
knock man on the head is neither virtu-
Gus nor guilty, but it depends upon the
language applied to the action TO make it
murder or glory. Why not say, then, that
you have testified fMe courage ofa hero,'
rather than the atrocity Of the ru6ianp
Tins IS perfectly clear, is it notl''
Gen JAMES WILSON, of New Hamp-
shire, member OF the House of Repre-