The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-06-22
THE PORTLAND RIOT.

Another inques, upon the body Of Rob
bins who was shot in the Portland Riot, in
siigated by such ardent lovers Of peace, and
disinterested gentlemen as Nathan Clifford
John A. Poor, and Charles @. Clapp, is now
going os in the city Of Portland. II has
already been in session some ten days, and
the end is no, yet. The editor Of the TEN.
perance Journal says il promises 10 be q
permanent institution" in the city Of Por,
tland, The testimony is reported day by
day in the Portland dailies, and serves the
very useful purpose Of keeping up goodly
stale excitement among distressed bunker
politicians who arc endeavoring 10 resusci-
tate the forlom fortunes Of the Hunker
Democracy with the riot and its incidents.
We take il 10 be the last card Of expiring
hunkerism to rosusolta,s q party which has
been condemned by the people. So far as
the conclusions Of The inquest is concerned
whatever they may be, they will have no
weight with the people.
We refrain hom filling our columns with
the details Of this political inquest. Such
matter would be valuele,s, but the follow.
ing article from the N. Y. Courier and En-
quirer, paper which has no sympathy
with the Maine Law or with Mr.. Dow, is
o! value and will repay an attentive perusal.
It states the whole case ably, and the de.
duciions il makes from the facts are conclu.
sive. and will be admitted 10 be so, by I'M
prejudiced minds.
We publish this morning, as in duty
bound, tho history Of the Portland riot as
presented by Mayor Dow and certified to by
tho city Board Of Aldermen. RI 1t be in.
deed true history, IL even the main state.
ments be true and error exist only in the
details, Mayor Dow is entitled to tho appro.
baton Of every lover Of law and order in
the country, for his action as an executive
officer. We say, for his action as an ereeu-
tue officer. The question Of the Maine Law
has nothing to do with the case. Neal
Dow's relations to that law have nothing to
do with IL; his political antecedents and his
party connections have nothing to do with
1t. II is simply question OF the perform
ance Of OFFICIAL duty and that question Is
at end the moment It Is established that
there was mob which persisted in the re-.
(usal to dispense on legal summons and Of.
ter fair warning Of tho consequences. tits
set forth in the document we publish that
the mob began their attack upon tho City
Hall about hali.past eight in The evening"
that the part assailed was ut first held pos.
session OF and defended by the police alone
that the military were sent for only after It
became manifest that the police would be
overpowered-that the Sheriff preceded the
military and commanded the people, in tho
name Of the State to dispense, and as often
as he repeated his command, was only
answered by jeers and defencc-that the
Mayor speedily afterwards renewed the com.
mand, and was answered with hostile cries
and showers Of stones, by which many Of
the soldiers wero badly hurt-that the com.
mand to disperse was again repeated, with
similar efect-that arms were presented
without producing any impression upon the
mob-that the soldiers unwilling to submit
passivcly to continued violence, dropped of
until only six or eight remained, and that
they were soon marched from the ground
that tho mob continued their attack upon
the building, until word was brought that
the police could not hold out Eve minutes
longer-that the military were then marched
to the aid of the police, and were saluted
with missilcs-that the mob was again
Intellectually warned, and then and not till
then, were fred upon by the soldiers, 1t be.
inc over two hours and half after the
commencement Of the attack by the mob
upon the building-and that the person who
was killed was the ring OF the riot.
This statement puts quito different as
meet upon the case from what was given by
The first representations of the Portland pa.
pers. II It be substantially true, It is weak
and wrong to detract from It's force by carp.
ing and cavilling at triaes. A mob fierce
with passion is an animal which is not to be
triaed with Il was against that which con.
stitutes the very life Of government; and
whatever means be necessary. II is to be
ouelled. The Astor Place riot is too fresh
in the memories Of our citizens for them to
weigh to scruple petty circumstances on
such occasions, or to listen with much iavor
TO them after mutterings Of bafiled rage
Whatever else New York will tolerate, 1t
will not tolerate mob rule against that, it
has learned to be implacable and relentless.
A mob in this city trould be riddled irih
thousand bullets, shouldh dare TO stand its
ground half The time the Portland mob did,
after the summons 10 dispense. 1t Is a great
mistake to endeavor to make capital out oil
disturbance, either for or against the Maine
Law. It is libel upon that class oil the
community who cannot approve Of o prohio-
TORY law. to pretend that they will either
resort to or countenance violence against it.
The very ground they base their opposition
on Is natural and constitutional law, as they
understand 1t and their appeal Is to Justice
not force, to enlightened judges and not to
an infuriated rabble. With what Taco can
men whose very first principle 10 the invio'a-
bility Of property, be tainted with encour-
aging mob violence which no community can
sanction for day without unsettling every
security upon which property rests
We yieldto none In adherence oil this
Portland mob, and Of oil mobs. We may
think the Maine liquor law TO be bad law,
bu, tad laws will never destroy our Gov
eminent, for in the very nature Of our popu.
lar institutions, lhcy themselves would DO
destroyed by peaceful legislation long before
thew could doit. What We have most 10
lear is not bad laws, Sut ld,rltsmess. When
laws are successfully resisted by upon yio-
lence. government ceases and anarchy be-
Gins Let there DO no paltering on this
subject. Let all miserable attempts TO make
a martyr Of tho man RoBBlSs, be received
,riih tie contempt they deserve The anti
Maine Law mcn-in their struggle against