Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-10-29


Mob Law.
1t is but few years since our village wa
in the midst Of anexcitement that was almos
unparalleled for intensity, ON the question
7 of reading the Protestant version Of the Ri
Die in our common schools. The why ant
wherefore of this question coming up at that
time. we do not propose to discuss. Stuff.
Gent for our present purpose, is it to say
/ tina, the Catholic Priest here at the time
and the experimenting School Committee,
were at losserheads on the question. The
Committee. as we thought. took the right
view Of their duties. They were subsequent
~ sustained by the Supreme Court. But
this question was for s)ma time The question
of the day, controlling and overriding all
others. The staid and sober citizen, as well
as the young and impetuous, partook and
hreathed in, the spirit rervadins this commu-
nifty on the subject. The two newspapers
published here at the time were largely oc
cupied in discussing the question, and in no
very friendly spirit toward each other. 9th
er papers published articles, pro and con on
the subject, written by Ellsworth gentlemen
The spirit manifested by some of those en-
gagged in the discussion, was bitter and un-
yielding. By and by, the whole question as
sumed a partizan character and few OF
those who in the early stage of the agitation
took sides, changed fronts. At length a
public meeting was called, at which certain
resolutions were passed, which were publish
cd to the world. Tie doings of this public
meeting has been commented on by ncwspa-
pers in the interest of the Buchanan party
with much severity. The mob law adyoca-
ted by an Ellsworth town meeting,-as some
of these prints chose to call its action-was
severely condemned. The very author of the
resolutions passed by the town, (shich
drew down on its head so much Of Union
saving Democratic thunder,) sought to make
capital against the Republicans for their
passage. when he was conducting Buctan-
an paper in st, No occasion has ever been
permitted to pass unimproyed since, by these
papers, or the Buchanan political orators,
without giving Ellsworth broadsde for
EARRING and featheripg" Father Bapst.-
Neither have they, since taking the ring
leader into the bosom Of their party, ceased
their labors in this direction But, dear
reader, with these patterns of good morals
these men who profess to regard lynch law
with such holy HORROR makes all the diff.
ference whose bull does the goring. Hon
Jefferson Davis who is considered by thes G
haters of "tarring and featherng'' opera
lions when done outside of their party
limits, and who is the leader Of the
Buchanan Democratic patty of the Union
goes in for tarring and feathering po
litical opponents. This Mr.. Davis has been
spending the summer in Maine, and has been
feasted and s,renadcd to the echo. The
Eastern Argus has had much to say in praise
of this gentleman. At one time we had the
promise Of having him stamping this dis
trict in favor OF Mr.. Bradbury. As the
cold weather came creeping along, and the
sun chose mora southerly route, apparent
ly 50, the Hon. Mr.. Davis, packed up his
/ trunks and started for the South. In Boston
he publicly plead for Buchanan party rrinci
pies. The Boston people heard him patient
ly remembering that no such liberation woult
i be extended to a Northern man, in the gen
i tfeman's own State, who should take the
other side. In New York, he made q
speech intensely partizan in which he tool
ground in favor of "tarring and feathering'
political opponents. We publish the follow
ing as sample:
"These higher law preachers should ls
tarred and feathered, and whipped b. thos'
they have thus instigated. This, my friends
is what was called in good old Revolutionary
times, lynch law. 1t is sometimes the very
best law, because it deals summary Justice
upon those who would escape from all othe,
kinds of punishment. And when | hear
man, with sycophantic face and studiet
phrase. and with assumed philanthropiC
morality, preaching treason to the constitu
ton and the dictates Of all human society
!, think that man is fit object for Lynch
law that would be higher than any he coulc
urge
What the gentleman means by treason t.
the constitutions to deny that it, per Sc
carries slavery all over the domain of tn,
country. 1t may be well to ask how thi
gentleman would have liked to have had
coat Of tar and feathers applied to his back
/, when he was advocating dis-union doctrines
1t is we'll also, to ask the BUCCANEERS, il lyncl
law presents any new attractions when I'D
yocated by one Of there own leaders,
"Engine War"
), Quite war has arisen in consequence o
the Engine trial here on the 18th inst. ana