Smyrna times., 1854-10-18
Written for the Smyrna Times.
The Duty of Yielding Obedience to
Law.
B Y o s G A r .

i've duty OF every citizen to yield obedience ia
law. Until the acts of government become
so oppressive as to be entirely subyertive Of tie
principles Of right-so oppressive as to be no
longer patiently bOrne-so tyrannical as to ius-
thy open rebellion, and an appeal to arms for
hs PVerthrow-every man should sustain and
uphold the law-every man should feel that
when law is trampled on and OUTRAGED that his
own ieeiings and interests are tramped On
that the safeguards thrown around him and his
ia'hliy' are being trampled in the dust. To the
nonor OF American citizens, they have gener-
ally shown high respect to the laws of their
country-and it is to this general Predominant
Characteristic Ofour ctizens---ths loyal, cheer
tui obedience to law, as embodying the will If
the people, that has filled the PATRIOTS hear #
win hope for the future when clouds md darL
ness nave lowered around US. So lono os tho
people OF this country maintain this stood,, 10
termination to vindlcate the majesty of tho law
at all hazards, so long shall our free forms ot
government stand, and, under them. mon sb.u
ENJOY all the happiness that the BLESSINGS of -.
Oenehcent Providence so lavishly placed a, ,be;r
u''PosaI' but let there be a radical change in
american Character in this respect-let law be
'rampled upon and outraged with impunitv
""e"eVer the passions or mad frenzy of mob
may choose to assume the right to ruIe--then
we may bid FAREWELL long. an eternal eara-
"el-to tue highest and best earthly BLESSING
that Heaven ever Yeuchsafed TO man-the bless,
ing OF sound, rational, republican liberty No
tyrant that ever disgraced a throne. is half CO
lyrahnicai, half so much to be dreaded nc tho
tyranny of mob-law. And JUDGE Jeffries u,;,h
oil 'he bloody deeds that stamp his name with
eternal lntamy, is not, after all, half so dread.
iul as Judge Lynch. We may not see the evil
az the first glance. The mob NAV only bo
aroused to do what seemingly law and iustce
"ught 10 nave done, but whenever law is tram
Piled under foot the precedent is as dangerous
nay, even more dangerous when the mob
seems to have done what would have beer r;rb,
Tor the law to do, than if the evil PASSIONS tho
multitude had been evoked TO trarnnle M Tho
rights OF virtuous and inofending citizens. or
10 crush helpless and unprotected weakness
ana innocence. In the former case we are too
apt TO lose sight of the evil consequence Of mob
iaw' IN our sympathy with the result of ifs sc.
ton. In the latter we see, at a plance tic
fearful evils, and are aroused to determine.
ton to sustain the majesty of the law.
These thoughts, thus rapidly thrown off bave
neen suggested by the late unfortunate viola
.i"n OF Ia" and trampling upon authority, by the
hanging OF negro man in Caroline county. bv
an excited and lawless mob No doubt the
negro deserved to be hung am willing 10
grant that the mob only did, in that case. what
the constituted authorities ought 20 have dono
ouE 1t Is none the less dangerous on that ac.
count This lawless mob may next be evoked
!" It's nlihd frenzy, to wage its vengeance ON
peaceable and inotfendipg citizens Encour,o e
i'=--'oster lt--smile complacently upon it
eulo2lse these vioators of law. as beroos r,ho
nave done some great thing, and soon Won will
aestroy all constituted authority, and all the
dearest interests of humanity shall become the
sport oil the caprice and wild passions of the
worst portion Of community-all that soc;o,r
h0i'S sacred and dear shall ruthlessly be trod-
1ch under foot, and the bloody scenes that dis
eraced France, under Jacobin rule. shall ba 20
enacted with ten-fold horrors. in our oxn ,nd
NO. must submit to tyranny. pive mo
thousand times over. the tyranny of one man
10 mat OF mob law. He may be snpled out
inu made responsible to history, at least: bnt
ia"icss mob cannot be brought to responsi.
ollity by any tribunal. And the men who haze
ID the instance alluded to, so shamaf,Ilv til
ie" the laws OF their country under their feet.
'qght 10 meet with the earnest and SINCERE
SapProVal-they ought to be made to feel,bat
| Is fearful thing to violate the majesty of,ba
aw; and they will SO be made to feel. there i
'u'Dcieht virtue, and enough love of order and
'o'u government IN Caroline county, to avenge
he outrage thus committed, and make tbeso
nen feel that they are criminals. Th,ouobout '
VI Iner after lives. they shall feel that tho
y Gam IS on their brow, and Conscience mill I
'i'oN wherever fate may drive them md :.
oU'S " in'Fth and reyelry--arQund their own c
'es'ues-ln the lonely watches of the night a
ut oehea'h the starry skies, and amid nat,ro,s o
erdaht held, or on old oceans brimv w.vo ?
they may roam-coNsc1rNcs shall
rack them steady to itspurpose, and ever there
WI ring IN their ears that one, fearful. damnirn
'ord' h""rderi murder n murder y! .
-----~~S~
w Inc election in Baltimore last week for
iayo[ and members of both Branches of the
10y council resulted in the election of samn- 4