The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-05-23
VOL. D.
Mobs and their Treatment.

The Cincinnati Press says that the eircumsan-
ccs of the recent afrays at Baltimore and ST. Louis
suggest some reflections as to the manner in which
msbs should be treated.
! 1t makes but little difference whether the mob
rises to attack the authority, or the authority Id
called out to quell the mob; in either case it is the
duty of the authority to proceed Immediately to
suppress the unlawful demonstrations, and not to
cease its efforts until that end is accomplished
! Soldiers with arms in their hands, when attacked
by mob., should fight-not run. 1t is for the time
being, war; and, just in any other war, the oh
iect should be to conquer the enemy rapidly and
as effectually as possible.
In such cases, forbearance is cruelty. Napo-
leon Bonaparte knew better than any other man OF
sharp, but it was short and effectual. The mob
spirit grows rapidly by inpunity: there should,
therefore, be no compromising with forcbe lawess-
ness
The forbearance with which mObs have been
treated in this country render them subjects of
curiosity Men, women and children rush to the
scene to gaze upon the demonstrations, and the
consequence Is lHll, IL, clisucs,
the innocent bystanders, as they are called,
co me n for their full share Of the loss; and news
papers and people who sympathize with the mob
performance, clamor loudly over these accidents,
as ir they were the effects of premeditated muir
derou design on the part ofthe authorities-there
by lav;ng the foundation for further disorders.
different practice would have rendered a mob
a thing to be Stunned by all who had no duty to
perform for its suppression. The rule for all such
Is to pct themselves out Of the way of harm as
soon as possble-a rule which ifthey neglect.
they have no righ. 20 complain, however severe
the treatment they encounter spectator is a
fool, ifimpeled by curiosity ,he rughes into danger
on battle field; and he is no less so if he does a
similar thing at n scene of civic violence.
Fora body of soldiers to stand and permit them
selves to be stoned bya mob is shameful. The first
act shou uld be promptly retaliated. There is no
other way than to assume tnat all who are mingled
with the mob belong to it. To kill the first man
who ofends may be the means of saving the lives
of hundreds There is no more effective moral
agent than sudden and unexpected blow. Mobs
are COW ardy. Their members do not 20 to the field
to be killed. but do all they can without encounter
ing fatal danger. Convince them that the danger
being with the first unlawful act, and they will rap
idly take at their better part of valor-discreton.
The officers of soldiers beset by mob, should
consider promptly, and act with decision They
should not throw the responsibility upon the
troops, but take it themselves. We fail to admire
the prudence ofthe Yankee Captain at Baltimore
who used the double negative periphrasis: ''Boys
don't say don't fire. One simple word of com
mand was all that the occasion demanded. The
world accepts the act of the officer as regular
favor which is reluctant to accord to that of the
suberdina tie.
1t may be expected that troops of foreign Ger
when attacked by mobs than that of American birth
In such cases volleys of insulting language having
reference to their origin, usually precede the more
,orc.be demonstrations. These calculated to
excite anger and apprehe of which are
iImciai to that GOODNESS which is peculiarly desi
Gable in such cases. They should, therefore, not
be judged by the rule that is applied to others.
Nothing is more unfair than to assume that, be
cause they of foreign BIRTH they more reck-
less of the lives natveborn. In the setime the loyal
which we observe everywhere in this class of our
population is above all praise, and every attempt
to excite prejudice against them by reflections upon
their origin should meet with prompt discourage
ment.