Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-06-07
whilo ws are ,lw.rs disnosed to look wi,


intense satisfaction upon the triumph of law under
any aud all circumstances, we are not willing to
deceive ourselves in reference the result Of the late
affair att Boston That city has long prded itself upon
its alleged devotion to law and order 1t has long
wished to be considered as the emporium of all the
virtue refinement talent and literature OF the coun-
try. 1t Processes to look with unmtigatcd disgust
and horror upon every outbreak of popular violence,
matter where it may occur, and, with oustreched
hands, breaches of moderation. justice, and honesty
with the peculiar sclEcomplacency of tho Phariscc.
Pistols, dirks, and bowie knives, regarded by her
"solid men, as essentially carnal and barbarous
pons, not to be mentioned to sears polite while
slung shot, stones, bludgcons, vitriol, and the like,
provided they used in n sneaking and cowardly
manner, appear to be considered entirely and com
petcly orthodox
We, however, cast not odium upon the whole city
because of the dsgraceful attempts of comparative
few to commit outrage, violence, and murder. 1t is
not to be denied though, that the fanaticsm of
the best portion Of the citizens of Boston in respect
to the question Of slavery has tended immensely en-
courage the awless spirit of the cap abolitionSs
and desperadoes with which the city abounds Bos-
ton in fact with all its boosted reputation for firm
and consistent devotion to law is the headquarters
oil Abolition fanatcisn, and where such pcstient
hei esy prevails we may be prepared at any moment
to witness scenes of violence and blood.shcd 1t is,
therefore, to the presence Of this INSCRIPTIONS and
wasting fanacism to the false teachings of many Of
ITS most learned and distinguished men, that we are
compelled to attribute the late isgraceu riot and all
itssconsequences, past present. and to come Ii tic
public sentiment of her people Just and law.abid
ing no serious resistance to the execution of even the
Fugitive Slave Law, Objectionable as it NAV be to
them, would be attempted But where the
church, the press and the hustings unite in insane
denunciations of law Of the land the masses Of the
people taught to disregard and trample il I'M
der foot Under such circumstances not only their
judgments and their consciences If thew have on,.
but their fears also operated upon and they be-
come unwilling to face open discharge of duty il
thereby there is any likelihood OF being made the
victims, however unjustly Of public censure and rep
rotation. Few men, even though supported by the
full approval Of conscience and judgment have the re-
quisite moral courage to act up their convictions
under the presue of mob-threat and intimidation
Personal fear is most frequently potent in eter<
mining the conduct Of men than any sense Of mora,
duty. Hence the equal readiness with which mum
bers join the multitude to effect any object whatever
They willingly consent to go along with crowd ei,
the great mass of mankind not to accommodate them.
selves most readily to circumstanccs-there is an a.
most uncoaquerablc aversion to differing with the
majority about anything, either in sentiment or con-
duct majority therefore, of the citizens &C Bos-
ton being violently opposed slavery and to the exc
cuton of the Fugitive Slave Law, it is not surprising
that the minority should be rendered tame and nerve
less in the discharge of the late duty imposed unon
them by the constitution and laws of the land Dut
while it is not surprising it gives us no very high
opinion Of the real virtue aud morality of the modern
Athens.
We rejoice, we say, at the triumph of law under
every circumstance. We rejoice, however, over its
recent triumph in Boston, because of its prac,i
cal importance to the of the fugitive slave or
to the South ITSELF but simply because the aulacicus
Vilany OF mob was defeated Such triumnh Il
worth but little to the South In the matter or dol
lars cents, we have, doubt lost infinitely more
than we have gained. As to the principle involved
we are not prepared to say that we have achieved
very signal triumph. No one in the South, we prc-
sumo, has much more confidence in the efficiency or
the Fugitive Slave Law rs n source of protection n
Southern property than they had before. And r.
this triumph has not had such cffectas that We
see no wisdom in valuing it very highly. As we said
before we prize it simply because the wild and law
less purposes Of miserable and fanatcal mob were
thwarted That is about the sum and substance If
our rejoicing the matter