Eastern times., 1855-08-30
SgistelIanp.
The Increasing Contempt Of Law.

The Increasing Contempt of Law.
The indications of growing disregard for
law in this country cannot be contemplated
without serious concern by all good citizens.
The existence of lawless spirit is not confined
10 one section of the country nor TO one class
of our people. That spirit has manifested IT.
self among the settlers who are TO form the in
stituiions and control the destiny of one Of the
fairest portions of our land it has ragged with
fearful violence in several of the fourishing
cities of the West; and it has prevailed 10
some extent in our own region. We recent
ly had occasion TO record an instance in Wis
cons;n, in which mob, taking the law into
its own hands, committed terrible butchery
upon a murderer. This is the second instance
of such transaction which has occurred in
that state within few weeks And now we
vile, another exhibition of law lessness and vi
olence, which is in some respects even more
to be deplored, as an instance Of unrestrained
licentiousness and contempt of that liberty
which is regulated by law.
1t cannot be denied that this spirit has been
foslered and encouraged of late years by men,
some of them of position and influence in the
community, who have advanced and supported
the dangerous and destructive doctrine of
higher law This doctrine leads necessarily
to an abncgaton of all law for if every man
is allowed TO be his own Judge Of the propriety
of any law, and TO refer 10 his own conscience
to determine whether or not he shall render
obedience 10 the enactments of the constituted
authorities, it is evident that we might as well
have no law at all. The judgment of men is
very apt to be perverted, and conscience is
a very elastic faculty.
How would the advocates of higher lawism
like TO have their principles put in practice in
regard to the prohibitory liquor law1 There
is no earthly reason why these principles
should not be applied to all laws. In this COM
tiously believe-or say they do-that the liquor
traffic is not injurious to the interests of the
community, and that it is proper and honora-
Bile branch Of business. Here is law made,
that comes right home 10 their business and
their bosoms,' and will seriously affect their
material interests. But will any one say that
the liquor dealers would be justified in pro-
nouncing the law unconstitutional and tyranni-
cal, and in uniting together in forcble resist
ance to the officers who attempt to enforce it
Will the higher law men themselves say SO
in this case; or does it made a difference
whose OK is goredl
Pernicious as the higher law doctrine is, il
has found many advocates, and its practical
results have been witnessed in outrages which
have been committed by the excited multitudes
who have opposed the execution of obnoxious
laws And we would remark that higher law
ism is not confined to one section of the coun-
try 1t exists, in principle if not in name,
among the nullfers aud secessionists of the
south, as well as among the extremists of the
north We consider that TO the inculcations
outrages against law and order which have
disgraced our country, are in great measure
attributable. BY Incorporate comments upon
the laws Of the land by impugning the mo-
tives of Legislators by undertaking. and
abusing the Judiciary, and by holding up the
officers of the law to ridicule and contempt
the higher law advocates have done much to-
wards creating disregard for law among the
people, and towards encouraging that lawless
spirit which always exists to greater or less
extent in certain class in the community, but
which would never dare to make an open dem
onstration without such encouragement.
We do not mean of course to intimate that
the higher law party directly instigated OF
that they approve of the outrages committed
by mobs in different parts of the country dur
ing the past few months. But we say that
such acts of violence are the legitimate fruits
of their doctrine. They would make every
man the Judge of the law for himself; he is to
refer all laws to his conscience, to be respect
ed or disregarded as that faculty shall direct
In the suggestions of every mans conscience