The Trinity times., 1855-02-24
We vERvIL L z {:
eArrHn.aY noRMNo, FEB. -. 1883.
Mob Law.

ne fNbbt W NHitfi ufDO lhh uhN
been enforced IN different portions Of this
State during the last two months, must nee
of oil who have the welfare of the country at
heart. and who are desiroos 10 see proper
respect paid to the laws which have been
framed, for the governance OF the State-the
protection Of all--and the punishment of
those who, by an Infringement Of the laws,
render themselves liable TO the penalties at.
tached thereto.
There seems 10 BE- mania throughout the
land for the speedy enforcement Of punish
ment for crmes--a morbid pafsion appears
10 have seized upon the community and many
''yespeetab's gentiemenr "Osr best meH"i-
arc found ready 10 mbrue their hands in the
blood Of their erriDg fellow men-to take
upon themselves the responsibility Of judges,
and after hurried cercmony-which they
call trial--hasten with eager hands TO per-
form the oathsome duties Of exeeutoners.
Scarcely has the blood dried fthe stain will
never wash OUT on the hands Of the partic-
pators in the dreadful tragedy at Iowa Hill,
before another, and another, and another fol-
low in quick succession from one extremity
Of the land TO the other, aud although the
demon Of mob law scizes upon "fA< beet msn'i
in heretofore peaccable and law abiding
community almost in our immediate vicinity.
A man is found in possession Of stolen
property, and forthwith these respectable
gentlemen are transformed into brutal hang
men, and tho poor wretch in the space Of
few brief hours tried ~ condemned and ex
ceuted, without a voice raised in his behalf
his only request, to be shot, instead Of hung
denied hm--is suspended from the nearest
tree until life il eXtinct-a fearful warning to
malciactors-an nclIaceable stain upon the
community--an everlasting disgrace to the
self made executiouers.
Is tho law no utterly inefficient that tho
safety Of the community demands these high
handed measures on the part Of the pooplc1
l. there no protection for life and property
without resortng TO such unjustfabe means
for the redress Of wrongs and punishment of
crimes7
We have laws, framed by wise Legislators.
We have judges, learned, pure, ncorruptible.
We have officers, faithful, active, reliable
What then is the cause Of these public out
RACES upon the majesty Of the law7 If the
criminal il guilty will he not be punishedi-
Cannot, then, 'oar respectable citizens, ,""our
best men," wait n few days7 Are they 80
eager in their thirst for blood that they must
themselves commit n crime greater in enor-
nifty than that which they desire to punish,
in order to sa,ists this morbid cravngl
A Alas! for the participators in these bloody |
scenes; many an unquiet hour OF sorrowiul
TtlltNuuH VIII htttuu NhNi iuthit hhO
last dying agony of the poor, resistless vic
tim Of their hot huste will rise before their |
minds in the quiet hour Of night-steal in
upon their cumberland the ghastly
spectacle will oft ob,rude itsef upon the
memory even in the busy hours of day
and even though they may receive no pun
ishmeut now for this infracton Of laws, both
human aud divine-ihe hour will come which
will summon them 10 meet the victim Of their
raeh net before tribunal from which there
is no escape
The fact ,hat he ou;rageri of the law, in
this instance, were intelligent men and cs-
tccmcd as gentlemen, is sad commentary
on the morals of the community. We can
imagine some excuse for a multitude Of igno.
rant, uuciviliIcd beings resortng to such
measures; but that men Of intelligence-mcn
who claim the respect Of the community in
which they live--men whose actions are re-
gprded as examples to be initiated by their
fellows, should be the leaders in trampling on
the law aud putting the officers Of the law ut
defiance, to our mind admits Of no o1cusc-
scarcely Of any palia,ion.
Ii we wish to have wcIl-ordcrca commu
nily--if we wish to live in tecurity--if we
wish to pursue our lawful occupations unino.
lested the supremacy Of the law n'ss' be
maintained, aud the proper punishment met
ed out to all, however high their station, or
however grea, their influence, who shall dare
70 outrage il. The greater their influence, SO
much the greater the necessity for their pun
ishmeut. The higher their position SO much
the less excuse for their errors or their crimes
Our voice shall never be raised to screen any
individual from just punishment, or to gloss