The Portland daily press., 1862-09-22
A Change of Circumstances.

More than two thousand years ago one of
the sages of that ancient age discovered. and
proclaimed the fact, that there is God who
judgeth in the earth, and, though hand join in
hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished. The
man who to-day, Goliah like, yaunteth himself,
boasts of his prowess, and treads with lordly
step over the heads ofprostrate victims, ,tomor-
row bites the dust. The man who stands ready
to-day TO strike down him who dares broach a
new thought, or propose new measure, is to-
morrow set upon by dogs, torn in pieces, and
his body left to rot upon the dung-hil He
who to-day stands ready TO assist in putting to
ignominious death those who offend against
his taste, his prejudice or his whim, tomorrow
may find Judge Lynch adjusting the rope
around his own neck. Many man who has
lighted the fires of martyrdom with his own
hand, to consume the bodies of those deemed
heretical, has found himself roasting at the
stake in the blazing faggots. This common
change of tide in the current of popular feel
ing, seems to have taken place near the "sa-
cred SOIL" and some of those who but little
while since were thrsting for blood and would
not listen to petitions for mercy are now made
to realize how sweet ''the quality of mercy" is,
and that "it becomes the throned monarch bet
ter than his crown" We copy the following,
by way of illustration, from "Carlton's" cor
respondence Of the Boston journal, which he
gives under the head of 9retribution
You remember that John Brown had an ac-
complice by the name of Cook. who was cap
tured among the Pennsylvania mountains and
delivered oter to Gov Wise, and suffered
death. The man who arrested him was Fitz
Hugh Miller Of Chambersburg. Yesterday |
saw seventy-four rebel prisoners marched into
that town guarded by the United States troops
At the head of the party marched man with
downcast eye, sun-burned, dusty, dressed in a
suit of gray, with a feather in his hat-the
same Fitz Hugh Miller, captain in the rebel ar
my.
The Dutch blood of the citizens, usually as
calm and steady in its flow the rivers of
their Fatherland, came up with a rush. Hang
him! Down with the traitor! Kill him! y min
gled with words not recommended by them
al law, were uttered. The excitement became
wild. Men, women and children rushed to OBJ
tain view Of the fellow-to obtain possession
OF him. The guards quickly put down the
demonstration by charging bayonets; that
alone saved the fellow from dangling by the
neck from one of the trees in the square.
Miller evidently thought that the hour of
retribption had arrived. He cowed before the
demonstration, and showed himself an arrant
coward. would not give two cents for his
chance of continuing this life If released to-
night and left to the mercies of the populace.
great change has taken place in the opin-
ions of men In this section. They have had a
big scare, have felt little of secession, of sla-
very, have lost few hundred horses. passed
sleepless nights, through fear been forced to
fee. They are waking TO the realities of war,
and are ready to put down secession and sla-
very also, without caring much about the man
ner Of doing it. The public pulse beats not as
1t did in the days of John Brown.