The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-12
5. c. mEnCEn, Ear,or.

The Cincinnati Gazette Of yesterday
a That j. Harmon Dills, Of Cynthi-
ana, Harrison county, had been acquitted
OF the charge Of treason, in the Federal
Court at Frankfort. The loyal citizens
Of Cvnthiana, upon hearing Of the action
of the Court in the case, were indignant,
knowing Oils to be a double dyed trail
tor. Accordingly, a public meeting was
held on Saturday last which was adj
dressed by William Trimble, Esq, Col
Metcalfe and Col. Berry. Dills, together
with several others, were ordered TO leave
the State. The assembly, we learn, was
characterized with determination, aud
not Influenced by the usual hasty meas
ures which frequently govern mobs.-
Lon. Democrat.
We have in this case a forerunner Of
thousands of similar scenes which will
be exhibited over tho South, and in the
Border Slave States particularly, if the
Government remains fixed in its policy TO
punish no traitors except by due process
Of law. We arc sure that no person of
reflection can believe that one leading
rebel in a thousand win ever be punished
by this rule. We are to rely on Grand
Juries to find bills; and what Grand Jury
in South Carolina will ever indlct the
srRATrs, RuETrs, ArKENs, OnRs and the
rest of that Resilient broodof traitors Tor
high treason? SOD
What Grand Jury in Mississippi will
ever indict JEFF. DAVIS and his fellows
in reputation and treason for their
crimes? What Grand Juries will be ell
cient in the interior Of Alabama, Geor-
gia and Virginia? In many counties IL
would be almost if not her, inn
possible TO find a white man who had
not involved himself to a greater or less
extent in the rebellion, aud Grand Juries
will not be likely to set a precedent
which may lead them to the penitentiary
or g%allows, or subject them to q heavy
fine. Grand Juries will not act when
public sentiment is against them. Why
a few years ago, although but few
persons in the South were SO lost to
shame as to advocate the reopening Of
the African slave trade, yet Grand Jury
in %Savapnah, summoned by tho United
States Court refused to find a bill against
LAMAR, a notorious and avowed slave
trader, who boosted ofhis in fanny on the
streets. The Grand Jury took the high
or law position andsaid that the African
slave trade was no crime and that the
law ought not to be enforced. SO LAMAR
got off 1t is by this machinery that GER
tain politicians tell, US they mean to pun
ish troasonl No wonder that men go
into the rebellion feeling that the only
risk they incur is tho fartune Of battle.
In some Of The seeded States the iuries
would not act at all, while in this State
and in all the border States, many terri
bic scenes would be enacted, far more
terrible than the instance given by the
DEMooRAT, which merely gives the pro-
gramme Of a popular uprising TO seourge
judicial ineniciency.
In counties where the rebel influence
has pr~edominAtod, witnesses will be an
undated from appearing against trcach-
erousold aristocrats, who have been active
emissaries Of the devil in the work Of
rebellion. Men who are VIGOROUSLY
guilty, and who have been The scourge
and terror of loyal mon, win be dis
missed without censurc, and win go back
home 70 triumph over and insult long
suffering and patient loyalty. The in
evitablo consequence will be that mobs
and lyncb-law will follow, and scenes Of
violence will be enacted scarcely less
errible than the rebellion itself The
government is actually holding out pre-
miums, or perhaps more properly we
might say, exasporaiing and melting the
loyal men to mob law. Deluding itself
with the dream thatits present course Is
conservative aud adaptedto maintain the
integrity and majesty Of the law, its
course towards rich and influential rebels
is working in a directly opposite dircc-
ton. Such conservatism will breed mobs
and popular tumults as surely as a stag
nant pool viii breed corruption aud Glthy
reptiles. True conservatism is fonnd
rather in the inyigotating and refreshing
waters of She progressive stream. Con-
servatism consists not in rest, but in
motion,