Demoine courier., 1856-10-02
SHALL VIOLENCE REIGNs

OiuCsAhO lsCSs vousS0 ~
Finley, one Of the oldest ministers ofihs
Methodist Church and one Of the best
known, was Knocked down at Lewis
burg. Preble Co.. for some part he was
supposed 10 have taken in a Fremont
meeting. We have seen no charge ina,
he laid or did anything wrong. He was
simply a victim to the spirit of outrage
and violence. perpe,ra,ed in this profess
&c land Of liberty BY the supporters Of
the slave system. Lewisburg is a small
quiet place, in a rural country. and wha,
happened there may happen any where.
But, ilthere were any doub, OF wha,
spirit prevsdes the pro-sI,ery party, we
have il displayed in a hundred other
quarters. On Monday. we published
an account Of the murder Of two men,
an assault on unprotected women and
children, by a mob Of lrishmen, IN a
village of Indiana. The only cause Of
this savage conduc. was, that a wagon,
filed mostly with women, was passing
along. on which wac displayed = picture
representing q buck or his las. legs
There vas nothing personally offensive
TO any one In This. There was nothing
more aggressive than is done a, every
political procession in the county,
These are two of the most recen, exam
Piles Of violence we have recorded. but
they are only examples. The land is
full Of them, and SO far as we have OBJ.
served, they are almost Without creep.
tion on n side. II is the prc-slavery
side, which enraged at the danger of
failure, and excited by the experience
Of its wrongs, resorts TO insult, outrage
and violence. We had first the high
precedent off, bully striking a Senator
in the Senate Hall. Then we had rape,
robbery. murder and assassination in
Kansas. Then we have booksellers
banished from Alabama, mechanics from
Carolina, and cnizeas from Virginia.
And lastly, in this peaceful Ohio, in a
quiet country town. we have q venerable
minister of Of the Gospel bl~udgeoned.-
All this has one, and only one cause,
tina, men have dared TO exercise freedom
Of speech towards one ofthe great wrongs
of the land! Atheists have blasphemed
the living God. and dark inquities are
daily committed, yet we hear Of no one
mobted or murdered on that account
II is only Slavery which claims a aacred
immunity from all accountability! Hea-
ven may be scofTed at and laws derided,
but lie, 10 n dare 10 speak for free.
dom! "
The violence which now reigns in
this country commenced in Congress,
when Herbert was allowed to shoo,
down q waiter and GO unpublished, when
Brooks could beat a Senator almost 10
death and be Toasted, praised, and fia,.
tered for his act. and when such men as
these could find. what the world calls
honorable associates IN Congress, then
full play was given TO the passion Of the
rude and violent. A half dozen intoxi-
Gated, staggering DULLES . be found
any where TO club a decent man, or
knock down a clergyman. When shall
this cease? We can tell when j. will no
cease. 1t Will not cease till freedom OF
speech il established every where and
any where in this land. The American
freeman is not made Of such sof. stuff
tha, he will yield to DULLES and swaggsrs.
Freedom Of speech. however, will never
be fully established while slavery be.
lieves it can prevail, ill il 10 Instituted
within ito own limits, the same sPiri, Of
intimidation will be continued.
Our country was never filled with 50
much violence as il is now. lie, every
man look at the cause. Let hin see
where il belongs, who does il. for what
purpose, and he will have before him one
of the most perfect pictures ever exhibi,
ted Of the real effec. Of great moral
wrong in degrading the human character
and extending its influence through all
the Of liberty.
We have a class Of people who say,
that il nothing il said about any of the
grea. wrongs Of the world, nobody will
be offended. OF course mol. The dark.
est sin Of The human heart il NO, offend
ed if the conscience be asleep; when The
world observes il not; when no accuser
calls il in question. "Let /. %alone," says
timidity. and we shall have peace.
The time for tia. policy 10 past
The moral controversies Of mankind
will % or ill the right prevails. Il 10
bv the nreyalence of the r;pht onlv thai