The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-04

TIE Late Case OF Lynch Law In South
Csroiins and the LssssA e TeaeAss. I
Our black republican cotemporaries IN,
dependent, the Tribune and the Eusning Post
have been raising d lalhentahle hue and CRY
over the recent lynehing Of enc James Power,
at Columbia, South Carolina. Power is . ma
tive OF Ireland, stone cutter, and, with mum.
Der Of other men Of his trade Of different ma.
tionalities, was employed in the construction
of the new State House at Columbia, when the
pro-slavery Committee of Vigilance of said
town got wind of some remarks of Power of an
abolition character. The results were, an un-
successful attempt Of Power to escape, his cap
ture, the infection Of twenty-nin lashes upon
his bare back, after which he was served with
a coat Of tar and feathers, and In this condition
sent down by railroad to Charleston, where he
was conducted to prison, and thence, after Q
confinement Of several days, shipped to New
York.
These, we believe, are the facts In the case;
but, as served up In our abolition organs from
the testimony Of the sufferer, the only wonder
Is that, from the various tortures, trials and
mockeries to which he was subjected, he es-
capped with his life. From the very fact how
ever, that Immediately on his arrival here
he was sufficiently recovered to visit
our aforesaid abolition newspaper Offices,
and report his suherings, we may infer
that Mr.. Power has somewhat exaggerated
them. or that the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher,
the poet Of the Post, and the philosopher Of
the Tribune, have given very highly colored
picture Of the case in all its details. Admit
ting, however, for the sake of the argument,
that they have not exaggerated the facts, but
have given truthful narrative, what does it
prove?
We are told that it is but another chapter of
the enormities, the cruel and barbarous atroci-
ties, which are the natural and inevitable fruits
OF the institution Of slavery. In this view, and
for this purpose, this affair has been seized
upon and appropriated by our abolition or
gans. Their object is to keep up the supply of
combustbles to this Northern nti-slavery agi-
tation; but, in the meantime, the fearful lesson
conveyed to the North by all such violent man
ifestations Of Southern public sentiment, is
strangely overlooked. There was Vigilance
Committee in this case of James Power There
are many such committees Of recent origin
throughout the Southern States, and we might
I'LL several columns Of this paper with the late
of such committees against North
srn mercantile agents, pedIars, travellers and
strangers suspected as abolition emissaries.
Southern shareholders themselves, beyond the
'ange Of their personal acquaintance, have
lot escaped this universal surveillance
All these things, including the case Of poor
'ower, admonish us of the North Of the state |
f alarm and distrust, vigilance and terrible
esolution Of the people of the South, upon |
his vital question Of slavery. These dreadful
manifestations of Lynch law very plainly indi-
ate revolutionary state Of the Southern pub |
ic mind, which, If driven closer to the wall,
vill not shrink from the extremitiss of dis
,nion and civil war. Those frateTnal bonds
# harmony, Cancellation, forbearanee, good
fellowship and mutual confidence between the 4
North and the South, upon which this Union
vas founded, and without which it cannot
much longer exist, are virtually broken So
tally, commercially and religiously, the union
between the North and South is, to great ex-
ent, already destroyed. The mischievous poll
ical agitation os slavery has done all this
nd now, upon the very brink Of "a sectional
upture, decisive and disastrous to all concern
d, as it must be, If 1t should come, we of the
forth are admenished to pause The warning
ONES to us in thousand shapes, and in e4ery
'oice from the South, and still our abolition
gitators ara adding fuel to the Ere.
One Of two things must inevitably follow
he complete defeat and dispersion Of our anti
slavery Northern Holy Alliance in the ap-
preaching Presidential election, or the saces-
ZION Of the Southern States from the Union,
With black republican elected to rule, over
hem. When vigilance committees through
out the South are superseding the regular
authorities and forms Of law upon this fear
full issue of slavery, aad when an unguard-
ed expression upon slavery by stranger in a
Southern community is sufficient to bring upon
him the vengeance OF Judge Lynch, it is fool
ish it is criminal to tride any longer with these
Southern waverings of disunion.
Reform of the Finances Of the State-Re.
port Of the Comptroller.
In another page we publish the report of the
Comptroller to the Legislature, which opened
yesterday at Albany 1t is an able document,
and presents sound and constitutional views in
opposition to the financial legislation which
has prevailed for many years. The Comptrol-
Ter shows that debts have been contracted by
the Legislature in violation of the constitution,
and the loan of 50. 500 600 voted for Inv tho