Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-06-03
Inv lessacss Of the Age /.

1t has been only few days sine we publish
ed All account Of the existence Of a powerful
league in Massachusetts, organized for III. pur
pose Of resisting the fugitive slave law, aud mur-
dering the United States officers and citizens
VIM should attempt to execute it. Closely fol
lowing upon that. We have information Of the
arras, and imprisonment of United States
Marshal in Ohio. while in III. di discharge of his
duty If bringing To punishment gang of men
who had set the law at defiance by harboring
fugitive .laves.
II it were only at rare interval, that these
violations Of law occurred they would not, per
hap.. excite the alarm Of the patriot. In gov
esnmrn, like ours, where So much liberty IL
given to the people, such o1ihrenk- Of popular
passion and lawlessness may now and then be
expected. and cannot be avoided. Bot il l. USE
le.. to deny that these di-grac"ful exhibitions of
resistance to legal authority ARE becoming more
and more frequent every day. Even tie salu
tary restraints of public sentiment seem 10 have
los, their efficacy and men, who s>hun' d ro
participate in such scenes "f vio.nc., nrr found
tscitly encouraging. or at Ira.l icrbly 1ep,"ca
ting them.
few year, ago these popular -hlIiuns Of
iawlessness of infrequeni occurrence
Such riots ~ those of the A-tnr Place ia New
York. and Spring Garden in Palal" pha. were
So unusual thu, the whole Country wa c"uvhl,rd
by the announcement; of them Nnwadoy they
do not even excite n nine DAVIS wonder. Nigi-
lance Committees in San Francisco condemn,
hang. and expafriate men by the >c"ro-"mplol6-
of railroad nnd canal companies mHrhr oach
other. and burn the dwellings of nnifrndiug
citizens without provocaii"n- gangs Of r"wdirs
and cut ihrnni- parade the streets uf our lar GER
cities wi h"ut interruption aud crime e every
de-oiiDtinn stalks forth unhbu.h-d ~ our most
public hnroughfares-and yet,ih" r''"p. book ON
with easy nonchaiaact and quiet iudtl renee. l.
ihsr. no danger that such croiiou-"r--, if lrtt
unchecked may proceed, by grsdu. advance
neni, until il overthrow the R-pubIc'
II is moi for any practical benefit TINT it has
been. 81 i. likely TO be- TO US of th. Sou,h, that
W. should in-i-i upon the rigid enforcement of
fae Fugitive Slave law. according l." its strict
letter aud spirit. Experience has demonstrated
10" unmi .irkeably that, in point of substantial
advantage Ia Us, that law is not worth the piper
mp II which 1t was written. Perhaps no single
instance has occurred, in which the cost "f re-
Claiming fugitive slave in o""-rqurnc- If the
inp-dn.ni, and ob-truc,ions thrown in ih~ way
By the insane z..o,s and fanatics Of the North.
ba, not exceeded his actual value. b., IT Is be
cause il is a law. and one that wa- framed To
carry nu, n specific provision of the Constitution,
thu the South should insist upon s entire
outon in all its length and breadth. one viola
ton Of Jaw, TO people rs impatient of restraint
as ours are. und have been Ia ,ght To- be by un.
serupulou, demagnguss. only aft 'rd- encourage.
meni 10 other violations more irrq,en aud more
fragrant.
The cen.ors of ths public mo,a- in th., North
the press and the pulpi, iarhl--. to their
trust. not only encourage this spirit of in.ubor-
dina:ion to Authority, bu. applaud the prime 40
tors lin it. The pulpit, instead of cnrr, my pence
earth, good will To- nen." hs. become. To- -om.
extent, the leader of revolutionary rrvult-. The
press. instead of being the 'psIla.lam If li'clty'
is fast growing Ia he the mngnz,ur Of hc,niious
ness. There ID no longer, tn. part of tho
people. that cheerful recognition Of the .uprema
cy of law. and that graceful acquie-c.rcr in the
will of the mn-.rity, without which the whole
fabric Of our government must ,"pplc To- its foun
ds,on.
Perhaps the day may yet com- VIII the
United State. will regret the acceptance OF the
political dogmas of J-fferson, in lieu If thuS. of
Washington aud Hamilton, Ma, lh"r" not be
danger that wa have progressed 10" fur in the
comforting of power upon the p""ri.! Ca men
be ps,ri"ts when they have II" respect far the
law. under which they live! Aud can the un
Dough, loyalty OF the people" which Burke pro
cinimsd the "oh"ap defence of nations" be relied
on when men are So forgetful Of the obligations
OF patriotism as to seek to enbvert the govern.
men'. by armed resistance to II law Of -ca, cely
iess sanctiiy than the Constitution itself!