The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-02-19
Law. rer.u. Mob..

the proceedings of last Tuesday, cannot
regard it as hattering exhibition of the |
of this community, or of its |
love of good order. and loyalty to law.
Those acquainted with the efforts made
to secure the sitting of the Legislature
here during the last session, connot feel
encouraged to labor to attain the same end
at its next session, confident now as they
must be, that we have community that
will dishonor its legislation and disregard
its officers and statutes. We all may feel
well assured, that our Governors, who
have labored impartiany to secure "elual
and exact justice to all men - who have
sacrificed the good wishes Of their own
partizans by approving Bill for adjourn
ment to our city, will readily approve a
like Bill at the next session, after having
been insulted by the leader of a mob,
whose chief delight it is to deprave andin-
fame the passions of the community in
order that he may the easier secure official
position and influence. Those who. through
our long and bitter struggle, have labored
so zealously and faithfully to build State
which should be model-in its regard
for justice, in the liberality of its institu-
tons, in its aim to extend to all the rights
and privileges of Freemen, and in its
determination to protect all, at whatever
hazard, from acts of gross injustice and
violence, must have felt elated when they
saw a being, whose crimes should be ex-
plated on the gibbet, gallop to the lead of
the hosts of Freedom, address a mob as
Republicans, and heard an agent of the
New England Emigrant Aid Company
shout hosannas in his behalf.
Well did business man on that day
remark, shat you can gather more fools
together in Lawrence in half an hour, than
in any other place in the country" 1t is
said that there is a principle Of justice
behind every mob; but it would take a
microscope of immense magnitude to dis
cover it in this. We should treat that
person who would aid another to steal,
and encourage him in the act, with the
penalty of the law in such cases provided;
but can any one tell US how we should
regard being, who incites a moh= to
plumber and assault posse of men. and
then counsels the same mob, after the
wrong is done, as RepublicsHs, to keep
the peace q?
We have in public meetings denounced
those who, without shadow of law, cap
tured JOHN DoY and Son, as doing that
which was grossly illegal and unjust;
vet we huzza when our citizens, in
defiance Of law, plumber and abuse men,
When a mob, without law, applies its
ferocious hand to one of our own citizens,
then, in the name of outraged law, we
demand redress; but when officers of law,
acting in capacity and discharging a
duty, not in accordance with our preju-
dices. appear, then the mob must be
loosed, and law made by-word and re-
proach. We denounce the courts of Mis-
souri, for keeping, without pretext of law,
Dog and Son in confinement. Their law
is mob law; they are but extending the
vengeance of the mob upon persons whom
they despise and hate, and why is it moi
as proper for them to do it as for Us I?
1t is vain to attempt to paliiate this
offence. We may assert that the posse
were Missourians, but evidence is given Of
the falsity of the charge. We may say
the prisoners were cruelty treated, but
evidence is introduced to prove that they
Jared as well as the posse. We may say
the prisoners were ironed-but the Officer
had right to iron them, if he believed
necessity demanded it. Admitting ali
these facts, it cannot be denied that with
the courts and all their officers in our pos
session, we had the power to arrest and
punish the offenders without disgracesul
appeal to a mob.
We have been complaining of the de-
crease in the prices of property-of the
dullness of business. We have proposed
to construct roads to secure the trade Of
southern Kansas ; we are inviting the emf
grants to the Gold regions, to make this
their point of departure. We are beg
giug of the generous throughout the land,
to aid us to erect our University and COM
plete our churches-and at the same time
by our action, by the encouragement we
give to MODS, by the honor we bestow upon
those who hesitate at no crime, however
great, we are demonstrating to the world
that human life, property, schools,
churches. all are unsafe here.
These things must be remedied
or our prosperity is ruined. We must
create a public sentiment which shall
secure peace and quiet and a proper
observance Of law in the community. 1t
is lasting disgrace to us, that Governor,
without the most distant allusion to party,
when counscling US to dishonor the action
of mob. and faithfully carry out the
statutes of our own Legislation, should be
charged with making Democratic speech.
Our welfare, our duty as citizens and
as men, demand Of US to prevent q like
occurrence.
General Lane.
MT. HOPE, Ohio, Feb. Sd, 1859.
Ed. HERALD OF FREEDOM 1T is as