The true Democrat., 1855-07-03
Outrage on the Wabash and Erie
 Canal

The war ln Indiana seems to be approaching a crisis. On the oth inst Gov. Wright issued a proclamation to the people of Indiana setting forth the outrages done on the Wabesh and Erie canal in Clay county, by a combination known as '' Black Boys" from the fact that they black their faces when proceeding to acts of mob violence The Governor thus enume- rates the outrages:
 l. Destruction of Bicrh Creek Reservoir, June p, 1854.
 ?. Attempting to destroy wasteway of same, July $, 1854.
 3. Attempt to burn Eel River Dam, August, 1854
 4. Destruction of Birch Creek Reservoir, May 10, 1855.
 ,. Warning of men sent to repair the same, May 31, 1855.
 6. Partial destruction of Aqueduct over Birch Creek, May 3l, 1855.
 :. Mobbing, lynching and tearing down the house of citizen, May 24, 1855.
 8. Burning of shanties, destruction of pro- perty and turning the inmates out of doors near the Reservoir June 2, 1855.
 We extract from his proclamation as fol- lows:
 "This catalogue of outrages is sufficiently aggravated to call for the most decided and en- tIEcLlC IlcdSuTcS Ol COTreCIiCu.
 "Tho work recently destroyed is now being repaired under the protection of a force ordered by this department, and therefore call upon all good citizens of Clay county and elsewhere, and all officers holding any relation to the go- vernment, to aid in securing the public peace, the security of the public property, and in bringing to punishment the persons who have so recently set at defiance the authority of tho laws and the rights of the citizen. This de- partment, vested by the constitution with the power to see that the laws are executed, to sup press instruction, is firmly resolved to bring the whole military force of the State if neces- sary to put down these lawless proceedings and to secure the quiet reign of the law. It is far better that millions should be expended, and even lives sacrificed, than that lawless band of men or private individuals should usurp the authority of law and rule day or an hour in madness in our happy State.'
 The Indianapolis Journal gives the follow ing important information.
 "1n private letter of instructions to his (Gov. Wright's) Aids, Gen. Dodd and Col Ness, to whom are ntrusted the duty of supporting the civil authorities in protecting the reservoir in canal, the governor says they are to em- ploy not exceeding forty men, unless 1t should be manifest that such force would be inade- quate, and then they are to increase their force as the exigency demands. He further says if they find the courts of Clay county determin- ed to aid the rioters or unwilling to act against them the fact must be reported to the execu- tive and he will declare Clay county in state cf ahsurectio'a-for the time being annihilate it's civil existence, and extend the jurisdiction of the courts of neighboring counties over it, From this it will be seen that the Governor is determined to put the rioters down, and if they are wise they will initiate Capt. Scott's coon, and come down without compulsion."
 The Journal says that there is very serious danger that the citizens of the neighborhood injured by these canal outrages will be excited by renewal of them to such degree as to take the law into their own hands and punish mob outrages by mob vengance, as there arc enough of men interested in the preservation of the canal to crush the whole nest of Clay county outlaws at once. sr