The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-12


Of mob law. We comply with that promise
today, and our readers will doubtless concur
with ~ iu the commentator bestowed on 30
faithful sentinel Of public morals, and the
public good, who dares to speak to the truth,
unpalatable though it be TO the community to
whom il is addressed. The editorial is intro
duced by u communication which called forth
this decided expression of opinion.
sThe Recoil.o
MEssRs. EDIToRs: Many of your friends,per-
sonal, political, and social, deeply regret the APP
pearance Of your able editorial Of yesterday,
under the above caption. The friends alluded
to, at home, were law-abiding citizens, derided
Lynch iaw," as a remedy, worse than the evil
sought to be cured But here they have seen
pistols reckcssy discharged in dense crowds,
and peace-makers ruthlessly shot down. while
the law has permitted the desperadoes to roam
at large, unwhipped of justice, to find new vic
tins in the community. Our prison ship is
looked upon as seape-goat for knayes, and the
terror of the law has ceased to deter fom crime.
We feel that an emergency has arisen that calls
for prompt and energetic action and permit us
to say, that provocation ensuing, that action has
but lust commenced Tho "recoil" will only be
the re call of the rope around the next assassins
neck, on summary process. The non-action of
the meeting, following the execution of Rowe,
we cordially approve. The action of the people
spoke in language that needs no Interpretation.
We regret that no one will prove foolhardy
enough to test the experiment of the public
minds "recoil." Messrs. Editors, give not the
desperate delusive hope, or the "Virgin City
of the Sacramento" may yet see sights which
will throw the deplored scene entirely in the
shade. There is Il cancer upon the social sys-
tenn, and the only remedy is to cut deep, with
true nerve. Mercy to the patient demands that
the operation be performed, painful thought it
be, to the hearts Of the OPERATORS.
The courteous and dgnified tone of the
ADORE communication entities it to response
Let us examine the argument 1t is conceded
that law abiding citizen in other lands has
become lawIess here. And why! Not because
the law has no punishment for the offence of
which the recent victim of the peoples rage was
counted gully; rot because the punishment
which Il decrced WAS insufficient; but because
we have no prison house of adequate security.
Painful necessity That an offender must be
hurled into eternity without moments prepa-
ration, without trial, without the aid of coun-
sci, in the midst of the rage and roar of an in
furated popuace, without one sympathizing
heart to mitigate that dark hours mortal pang,
because we have no prison. Ard this too in
city upon whose heaving tides float the vessels
Of all nations, laden with the productions of
every cline; city which boasts of the magni-
icence Of her commerce. the extent of its pop
ulation, the perfection Of its institutions.
How often have we all listened to the eo-
quence of our orators enforcing law and order
ave, listened and appauded! But where are
+" law and order" now? Disguise it as we will,
the recoleclons of that tragic night must ever
prove n bitter draught. Oar aw-there was
law among us once--decreed that every man
was innocent until proved guilty. Look at the
which it threw around the security,
not of life alone but of liberty and independent
action. BY s,oorn grand inquest must the ac-
cused be first indicted by svorn petit jury
must be be tried by counsel of his own selec-
ton must he be defended by testimony upon
oath subjected to the rigid test of cross-exan-
inaton, mu t his guilt be made entirely manifest;
by solemn verdict of his peers, must he be
found guilty, or ever punishment can be inflic
ted The wretched being who has just fallen
before the Srocco of the public wrath, had
none of these advantages, no not one.
Those very witnesses whose statements sealed
his fate, were not examined unc er oath His
triers were not sworn much less selected from
those who had formed no opinion. The cere-
monial was farcical, the catastrophe was bloody
Silence was on the lips of the mass, but in many
n heart was slaughter If the guilty man fall
thus to-day-the innocent perchancc may fall to-
morrow. When law is thus wronged insuted
and abused when the constitutional ramparts
which protects the lives or liberty Of citizens
are thus violently broken down when the mere
impulse of the multitude, however exempted
from responsibility and maddened by excite
ment, is made the arbiter of life and death,
there is no such thing as safety in the State
We say it body-and should say it still, if
called to seal the sentiment with our blood
Touching these darker sights, which our cor
respondent threatens, We may yet see, we appre-
bend them not. In the widest and most des-
peraie communities, within the limits of our
country, no second spectacle like that of Tues
day night, hath ever been beheld.-There was
but one massacre Mt Vicksburg. And still the
traveller as he first floats along the Mississippi,
VIII strain his gaze TO catch an early view of
that theatre of blood
Never again will the people, after having once
realized in practical degree the horror of an act
like this, be prompted to renew the sanguinary
spectacle Never at least until they have ripened
10 tnaI maturity OF corruption Wnlcn eVentuates
in the orgies of red revolution. With an eve
almost prophetic, we can look forward to the
time when the public feeling will react; when
men will regret that wild excitement which hur-
RED them into acts so incendiary and disastrous.
The thdrns we shall reap will be Of the tree we
planted. If they tear us, we must bleed But
we dismiss this subject, probably forever. IL
avas not to refer unto the past save as a warn
ing for the future. We have done grievous
wrong under a temporary impulse. 1t will never
be repeated First impulses like first impress
sons, are usually erroneous The sober second
thought is the matured fruit Of the understand
ing.
From the same print we also clip the follow
ing manly vndication Of the same course, by
citizen of Sacramento. The tone of the com
municaton shows the public sentiment, which
renders apology or explanation for such course
necessary.
Genuine manhood never displays itself to
more advantage, than wHn breasting the surpes
Of popular prejudices, and opposing bold and
fearless front to tho fro Nns and threats of n