The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-05-05


terisl Of society great deal faster than We
can weave II into an organized social web;
and the tangled skein Of our border life has
. dirty trick, occasionally, Of getting knottsd
round people .throats. 10 manner that calls
for prompt adjustment.
We had hoped that the squattsr settle
mcuis on the frontier OF Minnesota, would
grow into the main trunk Of the body poll.
tic, without that intermediate stage Of social
anarchy which has disgraced the border life
Of other western settlements that for once
10 the history OF the west, the respect for
law and order, which has made the central
mass Of Minnesota communities on excep-
ton to the anarchic history Of most west
ern Territories. would pervade it, extremi'
ties, and afford the same guarantees TO life
and property NJ Is enjoyed In the popuous
and organized counties.
Last December We had 10 record for the
first time In Minnesota one OF those brutal
acts Unpopular vindictivensas, when law and
evidence, and every social right OF tho indi-
viduaI, are ,rampled under foot to glat the
blind passions Of mob. This was when
RuIssnARr was lynched at Lexington, lie
suesr county. for tho supposed murder OF
BoDELL.
The universal reprobstion which this act
excited---ths popular horror which followed
its commission seemed 10 afford a we'll
grounded assurance, that this transient
cbullition OF popular vengeance would be
the last attempt, In Minnesota. to substitute
the passions OF tho mob, for the impartial
judgments Of the law.
Il has turned out otherwise. A faw days
ago wo had TO record second case o.
lynching in Minn~ots. This time Wright
County was tho scene, and OSCAR +. JACK
SON the victim. JACKSON had been arrested
on the charge Of numbering q neighbor, and
after fair trial was acquitted by the YER
die, Of q jury. On returning home, tho
house In which h. WAS domicilod was bcsst
by q mob Of rutiisns, bis person seixod, and
there. amid circumstances Of atrocity too
horrible to repeat, he ws thrice hung, till he
died by piecemeal, under . succession Of
outragss whoss mere recital makes tho
blood run cold administered with such
deliberate and malicious cruelty. and with
such demonac zest Of greedy vindictiveness,
as to divest II even Of the hideous apology
Of mob justice, and prove II In every respect
coldblooded, damnable assassination.
which STAMPS every brutal participant. in
tho bloody deed n murderer before soci.
ETY.. and before God.
There Ia no excuse OF sudden passion 10
the casc-no prompting Of any powerful
motive. It was simply the banding Of hu.
man wolves In the hungry lust for blood
We have nothing to do with JAcxsos's
guilt or innocence. nor had they. Tho law had
declared him innocent. II he owed bis &C
escape from just punishment. to the lax al
ministration Of justice. the remedy il 10 "
form that administration by nourishing an
implic, respect for law--by teaching from
press, aud pulpit, and forum, that tho exist
encc OF society depends upon the supremacy
of the social organization aud the aseudea.
cy of the law. We unbs~i,a,ingly assert
that II JAcxsoS was murderer, he was 80
~ virtue OF that very violence and lawlcss
ness 10 which he fell himself victim. and
that the murder for which he died would
not have taken place exccp, in community
where murder WAS held to be- The privilege
OF any gam OF villains who should choose
to confederate for that purpose,
Jackson WAS no worse nor better than
his neighbors. They seem to b., on the
whole. pack OF as bloody villains as ever
dsgraesd any community IN the world
We have nothing more to say abou, this
assassination now. exeep, ,his-tha, this
example Of mob law has go, 10 bc the las.
in Minnesota We have got 10 the end Of
that rope. Ono such case Of popular VIC
lenee does Us more injury in the eyes Of the
civilized world than dozen private mur-
ders. Once let il appear that the law does
not extend sufficient protection TO life and
property in Minpsota--once give up our
border settlements 10 the reign Of mob vio-
lenee, and few people will Sck homes in
soli,udcs exposed to dangers like these.
The PRECEDENT OF IMMUNITY mus, no, be
established We demand in the name Of
society, that these nests OF assassins and
bandits In IL Sucur aud Wright counties
be eItirpAtei from our midst. ,ha, every
brute Of them oil. concerned in ,hec appal-
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