Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-09-03
Stanntca Sqeftator,
STAUN ION. VA.
Tuesday, SEPT. 3. 1851.
A Favorable Sign.

The ontrares committed throughout tie NOT
tbern States in the viole efforts to suppress any
expressions of sentiments in opposition to 'he
tyranny of Lncolnism, by the demolition OF such
presses as know their ghts and dare 10 inain-
tain them furnish the most conclusive evidence
that there is feeling Of opposition to the farther
prosecution of EncolL's urholy war pervading
the masses of the people of that section which
;nsnires as much dread in the minds OF the ty-
ronts at Washington as the masked batteries of
the s.rebes," the very thought OF which makes
their knees knock together with more violence
than did those of Bslshazzar when he read his
doom in the mystic hanl writing on the WALL
The tyrants know that the rights of the people
have been ruthessly vi, lated, that the constitu-
tion has been trampled under foot, that the most
sacred bulwarks of freedom have been destroye :,
and that they would be justified in rising in the
majesty of their strength that they might crush
the tyrants who would enslave them, and conse-
ouently they fear and trenbe and very properly
deem their only means of safety consists in
waton and ruthless destruction of such presses as
persist iu remaining true to the sacred rights OF
the people The freedom ofspeech and the free
dom of the press must be destroyed, else the
masses of the outraged people will arise in lnu-
tiny. The tyrarts feel that they are standing
upon the crust of volcano through which the
compressed fires of freedom may any day burs
forth, aud involve them all in total and irrevoca
Bile ruin. It is not the presses they dread, s'
much as it is the response with which their fre'
expressions meet in the hearts CT the masses
the people, If the sentiments of these presse
did not find an echo il the hearts OF the peopl
they would remain uumolested. The fact tha
they have destroyed such presses as oppose thei
policy, furnishes conclusive evidence that the
are conscious their policy will not bear tn
test of criticism. They, themselves, affix tn
brand OF conviction of wrong g-doing upon thei
own brows-by their own conduct they stan
self-condemned in the pillory of public opinion
MIR. Jas. s. Lightner Killed in Lexington
Missouri.
The Lincoln men are committing the sam
outrages ia the West that they are doing in tn
East. They are arresting and even murderin
valuable citizens who have too much patriotisr
and selfresnect to bow the knee to the Baal {
Black Republicanism. From correspondent
Lexington, Missouri, we learn that worthy an
respectable ulan-Mr Jas. S. Lightner, who We
native of this county, has been murdered b
Lincoln men, The correspondent to whom
referred, under date OF August lst, says; "Ihre
days ago our citizens were surprised and alarme
at learning that James S. Lightner, man
sterling integrity, and one OF our most uset1
and respected citizens, had been shot dead 8
midnight by Lincoln's troops, while their prlsone
was uparmed and entirely at their mercy. An
vet such was the case His wife went down t
the boat early in the morning to taSe him
change of clothing, and while on the wharf
was bluntly announced to her By one of the SO
oiers. that her husband was dead. The poo
woman was frantic for many hours, and h'
screams were distinctly heard at the distance
= two or three squares. No one has ever been il
formed with what Mr.. Lghtner was charged
nor have any been atle to conjecture. All
the business houses have closed their doors
show their respect for his memory"