Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-10-11
Lunch Law in California and at the
North.

equal to all emergencies, naturally
censurest that hasty justice which over
rides legal forms, and accomplishes the
three processes Of trial, judgment,
and execution by an heterogeneous
movement, and almost in breath.
Yet there is some excuse fer these
impulsive proceedings in region like
California, where yillainy from all quar-
ters has taken sanctuary. Selfpres-
eryation is a principle which lies at
the foundation of the criminal code;
and in the absence of the safeguards
which well organized and efficient
police throw around life and property
inthe States east of the Rocky Mount
aims, the orderly and peaceful portion
of society in California is justified in
protecting itself by extra legal means.
The object proposed to be accom-
plished by the sudden and terrible
examples which have been madein that
State, is in strict conformity with the
whole design of criminal justice; and
this fact should be taken into consid-
Grafton by The very scrupulous prints
who condemn as an act of assasslna-
ton the lynohing Of murderer, taken
in the act, On the banks of the Sacra-
mento or the San joaquin.
Such an act being in harmony with
the purpose Of the law, and prompted
by the instinct of sell-preservation, IS
very different from any attempt to
arrest the course Of justice by ViO-
lsnce; and yet we find the very North
ern presses that denOunce Lynch law
in California, where there is none
other, and where it is directed to the
n,iDishnent of crime, recommending
1t at the North as a cOunterbldst to a
fcdcroI statute founded upon one Of
the 1lainest clauses in TIE Constitution
Of TIE United States. The citizens
Of Sacramento say: Heb is a HlJlF-
derer, With the blood of peaceful
citizen red upon his hands. There
scores of desperadoes in our midst
whom it is necessary to strike WITH
terror. Let US try this man on the
instant, and, if proven guilty, let us
nut him to death at once" What Is
the conduct Of the abOlitionists and
@ree-soilers Of Massachusetts, and New
York. when a Fugitive from labor IL
legal custody is about to be handed
over to his Legal owner? The cry is
Lynch the ofioarsl Arm and
slnite the constituted authorities hiE
and thigh, and set forth the prisoner
of Ybe lawip This is the advice o
men who turn up their eyes in hoTro'
when they b, ar Of human tiger be
ing put to death in California in orde.
to terrify the Rloodthirsty herd t
which he belongs ClergymeIn' op
nosed5 TO capital punishment, rise IL
their pulpits and declare, by virtue Q
a code which they profess to have re
csiyed from God, that it is justi6abl'
to resist by force of arms the exeeu
ton of a statute which simply restores
to a citizen his abducted property. Zee
oonised as such under the Conshtu
ton of the United States.
The missionaries of abolition, lay
and clerical-placing themselves II
the Almighty's judgment-seat, an'
claiming that their @h'gher law
framed to fit single abstract issue
and overlooking all contingencies, i
the ascertained will of Him who take:
into consideration causes, conditions
and consequences-contemn law and
precedent, deny the binding force OF
interstatal contracts, reRounee and re-
pudiate the political covenant when
the people. through their Fepresenta-
.t;ves, their rulers, and Their judges:
have sworn to obey, and il peTmitte q,
would turn the whole South into an