Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-06-20


WEAK-BAcKED OrFIc1A1s.-The New York
Independent comments, with deserved severity
upon the course of the Governor of Massa-
chusetts, in permitting Massachusetts, writ of
habeas corpus, to be trampled upon, as it was
by Marshal Freeman, and his kidnappers, dur
ing the week that Anthony Burns was under
arrest in Boston, The article is from the pen
of Rev. DIR. Cheever, one of the ablest and
most accomplished Clergymen of the Ortho-
dox Congregational faith, in the country
We give an extract below, and commend its
perusal to our readers -
There is much to be pondered in the delara-
ton that the right to keep and bear arms is
the palladium of the liberties of a republic. as
being a strong moral check against the usurpa-
ton and arbitrary power of rulers. Arms on
the side of justice, and in protection of free
dom, are, in fact, moral power; she beareth
not the sword in vain,' but as a moral duty,
and moral, not merely physical force
Where right is against the combination of
injustice and might, the right is a moral power,
the resistance a moral resistance Where
might is against right, the might itself is i'm
moral. the soldiery are immoral, the command
is immoral, the obedience to it is immoral,
every thing in execution OF an immoral pur-
pose partaking of that original immortality.
Where right is against might, if arms be put
IN possession of right, of arms be taken up in
behalf of right, the arms themselves become
moral power, while all the array of military
force and violence on the other side is an i'm
moral power.
Now, in the case Of the recent complicated
outrage against freedom in Massachusetts,,
there was offered by divine Providence the
opportunity of just and legal armed resis-
lance to unjust law. The laws of Massachu-
sets were violated, and should have been en-
forced. The Chief-Justice of the State Court
issued mandate, the issuing of which made
it the moral duty of every individual to sup
port it, and of the force and officers of the
State to execute it. 1t would have arraved at
once the whole people into an undivided and
legal, and the consequence would have been,
peaceful, resistance to I'M Justice; and instead
of mobs there would have been the quiet con-
hdence Of the people in protection by their
own government, and instead of anger and
strife, and passion heated to bloodshed, there
would have been the majesty and serenity Of
right combined with mieht an irresistible
moral check against usurpation. But the peo-
pie who pirate SO loudly in regard to the me-
or unjust, diso6eyed thei, o0n magistrates.
their oacn laaes, and suffered them to be con-
demned and trampled under foot, in the terror
Of an armed oueraaciRg force on tile other side.
The mandate of the Court should have been
enforced; it was the first duty of the
Governor of the State, and of the citi-
zens of Boston. In refusing it, in deserving
it, they were traitors to their own govern
lnent, they struck the deadliest blow them
selves against their own liberties. They dis
obeyed the divine injunction, so perpetually
Wanted on the side of injustice, to obey the
powers that be-" they disobeyed and des-
pissed that injunction when it issued on the
side of justice. In the history of the world
there cannot be found an instance where the
providence of God has presented more in
slant and palpable opportunity and claim of
perfectly legal and righteous resistance against
oppressive and Ubiquitous law, and the op-
portunity has been with such baseness and
cravenness of spirit, neglected and despised.-
We cannot see why the Governor of Massa-
chusetts would not be amenable himself to
impeachment for so gross disregard of the
mandate of the State Court. The editor of
the Tribune has set this point SO effectively,
that we eEoose to quote his comment ON the
conduct of the Governor.