The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-05

ENCOURAGING MOB LAW.

One the first fruits Of the result Of the Ward trial in
kentucky to be found in the proceedings of public meet
n held Louisville Saturday night reported under the
Geographic head The meeting requested bIr. Crittenden to
resign his seat in the Senate and asked the Wards leave
the State mob aftcrward proceeded to the residence of
the Wards whom they burned in efgy their
coming firing their residence itself We shall be
reeab disappointed graver results than these follow
the scandaous verdict which has caused these excuses
" Y. Tribune.
Nay not with more proprey be suggested that the
.gace riots described in the foregoing paragraph are
hefrs fruits of the instigaon mob law furnished by
passionate assaults Of such journals as the Tribune
upon the action of the court counsel and jury in the late
Ward case2 We cherish the freedom of the press as one
our dearest rights; do regard any functionary
tribunal having claim to exemption from scrutiny
and ensure but overlook the fact that when
the legitimate freedom Of the press degenerates into cen
dousnes the friends Of law and order have cause for
alarm Without expressing any opinion upon the YER
DICT rendered in the Ward case, we should not dis
charge duties a public journalist if We did
not express decided disycnt from that spirit
which denounces in unmeasuFcd language OF passion
and Evaporation the action Of the counsel and jury en-
saged in the trial II the jury acted rashy in making
P and rendering their verdict their consciences viii
prove their severest reproyers Their offence is surely no
greater than that of those who seek make il the melting
cause the prevalence Of violence and mob law No one
could reasonably object to legitimate review Of the facts
ELECTED the trial with the view of showing that the YER
DICT aoqutal not in accordance with the proof and
The law. Such investigation and such structures are
rrcty legitimate and TO such course we take no ercep-
n But when the investigation degeneraes into reckless
'Euncaton and passionate appeals the morbid sens
he Of spirit Of mobocrscy feel hound to enter our
protest. We know Of the parties so severely de-
aouneed and have sympa,hies in the matter The great
a to which look is that jury Of twelve men selected
and impanelled according law upon their oaths have
endcred verdict If that jury, either corruptly or
'shy have rendered verdict against the facts and al
owed guilty to escape their offence against public
lscc ought to he made the pre,ext for instgatng
violations Of law and order less offensive TO public
morals II Is better that two guilty men should escape
Punishment than that the lives and property OF a whole
community should be endangered by the prevalence Of
'd spirit Of violence instgacd by passionate appeals for
'ngeance.
These remarks are intended mainly a. a rebuke Of that
Fous spirit which cbarscerzes some Of Che journals In
heir denuncaons Of the jurors in the Ward case But In
'ar blind fury few Of them denounce the lawyers who
offended Ward. 1--WE understand the character Of Ken
lucky lawyers they win dcspise such impotent assaults
hey know their duties and their right, counsel md
hey he deferred BY the anathemss Of liccn-
lon' press from discarginp the former and maintaining
he latter The New York Courier knows no bounds 70 its
nh II holds The State Of Kentucky responsible for The
tdiet and INDUCES in most insulting comparison be-
tween that State and Massachusetts, by contrasting the
suit in the Of Webster with that in the case Of Ward
tv6y kenucan win spurn the cslumny upon his gallant
Commonwealth contained in the following remarks Of the
Courier.
These two transactions are memorable they are great
opponents Of the moral Of two communities. They
marx with decided and unerring hand the status in cviiza
700 which each people has arrived The places Mas
n'e'b a. the highest point the other shows beyond
'F that Kentucky y at he lowest. DO not wrong the
S'Ee BY chasing the Kentucky uryan with him DO
oe his herce retbutive code BIZ comparing " with that
community which makes is boast 81 chivary Better,
" better, that should right their wrongs BY the
hand and every fancied insult be cxrated with blood
the peril Of the arenger than that such insults should
.snged with the certainty Of protection by such o-
kentucky has shown that she furnish. There Is
49, IN the savage who Stays his enemy, and knows
ne ae he makes family Of mortal foes but what l.
4 49, =" 'eose men in tho moral scale who, in country
80 " are equal before the Law, deliberately turn the
murderer bose upon society purred Of his guilt BY
'e mockey Justice Tho use o the tomahavk becomes
-, "heh compared with such Of LAW, and even
''''''0 ~ suoh light looks respectable
CO O'nnere goat has been successfully bred IN South
The animal seems perfectly At home In the eli
t' ana Is as hardy and easily raised as the common
TIC hecee obtained is in weight about equal 10 that
' choice varieties Of sheep while it value i ten times
greater - 49,
PD hight was 70 have taken place across the Canada
~ near Buffalo, last week, but was postponed. Yankee
''l'Tan was on the ground