The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-04-23
Lav,y andorder.

Sacramento lyuchings; they have present.
ed TO their readers views OF those excited
scenes Us from every point Of observation,
and have thought whole pages we'll devoted
TO informing the world ofwhat fierce and
burning flashes can be struck from those
rude, untempered minds when nught excl,
ting impinges on them. But some exten-
uuting circumstances should be considered
whom we sit in judgment upon California.
Every nation under the sun has been liberal
to her of its surplus villainy; gamblers,
robbers and cut-tliroats inies, the cities and
swarm over tho country: to such charac.
ters tho tardy operation Of the law holds
forth few tcrrors, and, when crimo is com.
m'tted, those who desire security feel thu.
the first law Of nature justifics tho immcdi.
alto and vigorous infection of appropriate
punishment upon tho offender. Peaceful
men, in the pursuit Of their lawful business,
are set upon ,hro 'gh revenge or desire of
p'under, OF, artesting heir steps to give aid
to ORC in extremity from tho hand of vio-
lencc, become themselves tho victims of the
wrath they had endeavored to stay; the air
rcsounds with the cry of foul murder done,
the crowds throng 10 see and punish tho
wrong, but, though inpatient and aroused
to Indignation, rude Justice seems to rise
above and triumph over their fierce pas.
sons; they satisfy themselves by investi-
CATION ofthe offenders guilt, and then, in pro.
nouncing his dread doom, they but nntici-
pate the settencc which, inevitable though
delayed, the tribunal Of tho law would pass
upon them.
We cannot justify sucl, acts; when men
take the law into their own hands they as
sumo fearful responsibility; when they,
without the authority Of law, punish vio-
lcnce. besides the dangerous consequences
to society, reflection brings doubt and often
times rcmorsc in its train, and their whole
lives would not be long enough to assure
themselves that they too had not done rrea,
wrong.
But we think those more cxcusablc, who,
in new and unsettled country, anticipate
the law by violently and extra. .judicialy in.
flic''ng what is apparent justice, Il IN those
who, in land Of law and order, deliberate
ly violate both natural justice and enacted
law. The Sacramento lynchings are wor-
thy deeds when compared with the ri,tous
resistanccs the law in Boston. To which
class Of offences should Norshen. EG,tur.
givo greater prominence Of exposure, upon
which should they inAict the scverer cas,i-
CATION ? But, besides that reprobation which
impartial justice demands Of them, proper
regard for their own safety, for the security
oil life and property, for the permanency of
the bublic / ~ ihs slsaald imn,.l the psess
to throw itself. in opposition to the lido oe
lawlcssn 'ss which threatens to sweep over
the whole North. The mob is becomifo
fcarfulIy powerful there; The will Of the
people, of the unthinking passionate, lust.
lul poPulace overrides order and Justice
statutes and constitutions those who seem
to be leaders trucklc to il; Cabinets and
Presidents cover before il; it exhibits itself
in riots and bloodshed, in legal enac,mcnts
which loosen the grasp of Justice upon Ex-
trav"gnncc and Fraud, in Agrarian laws
which cut off fencouragemen,s from Industry
and energy and stimulate only 10 sharpery
and cunning. The rcscuing Of fugitive
slaves in Boston is but another exhibition oe
the same spirit and principle which, one or
two years since. made Philadelphia like
den OF wild beasts, which, in almost eve.
ry part Of tho North, at ono ,mo or an.
other and repeatedly, has broken ou, in yio-
Ience and bloodshed. Scarcely month
passes without an eruption, of greater or
less violence, OF these hidden fires, and still
tho more intelligent of.hat people either are
blinded to their danger or affect ignorance
Of it. One paper brings us intelligence Of
three late occurrences, perhaps Of nconsid.
cradle moment, except when viewed MS
symptoms OF the virulcnt disease which has.
with insidious step and deadly prorrcss.
crcpt through every vein and cankered per.
haps incnrably, the whole body polite.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, recently. =
scclarlan discourse was interrupted bv n
mob, which proceeded to acts of violence
aud outrage. We have seen 10 statements
of these evil doers being brought to justice
and punishment, hut the police and fire CON-
panes were called in topro,ect the lecturer
who finished his discourscs and left. The
clergy and laity Of that denomination which
was the subject Of the lecturers inyec,iyes.
published card reprobating the conduct of
those Of their own faith who were ,u-sn,l
in the riot and pledged their bes, efforts for
the support OF "law and order" and for
the restoration Of the property injured The
inhabitants also met and unanimously re.
qucsted the City Corporation to make an
appropriation sullicicn. to dclray the expense
o! repairing the Church which on The pre-
ceding Sunday 'was injured by the hands
OF ruthless mob The New York Sun
comments thus upon these proceedings