Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-06-16
Reasonable LaWlessness.

Reasonable Lawlessness.
If any one has had any doubts as to what
fruit such seed as has been sown by teachers
like Vallandigham is likely to produce in this
country those doubts ought to be at once dis
PEELED by the news Of the cold-blooded murder
OF officers Of the law in the peaceful exercise of
their functions in Indiana. For months, in the
street, on the platform, through the PRESS q
wicked and partisan csmor has been kept up
against the Administration, the laws OF Con
gress, and the orders Of military commanders
For months such men as Vallandigham in the
West, and Wood and McMasters in New York,
seconded by such papers as tho Chicago Times,
and the ADLER and as little scrupulous press Of
New York City, have been exciting the people
to revolutionary resistance to the laws Of the
land. The CONSUMPTION law has been denounced
as more tyrannicsl and oppressive than that of
Russia which has driven Poland into revolt, as
an unconstitutional and despotic tramplng
alike upun the rights and liberties Of the PEG
pie, and taking from their States the means and
the power Of resistance 10 usurping Federal
rulers. Every spark OF discomfort has been dill
gently famed into fame ready to scorch and
burn the Northern States with the devouring
fires of a civil war. And all this has been done
in the sacr cd name Of law and order, with
clamorous assertion ofregard for rights violated,
tra, al al nda foa nd la nd
situations oyerthrown and dsregsrded. And
now the harvest is coming
tbs but a day or two ago that the New York
World, in an adroitly and malicously cunning
article on the probabilities Of resistance to the
N'iorcement Of the conscription law, put into
the mouths and hearts OF such traitors as those
who. have just struck at the Government in lnd.
ana, the very incentives they needed to make
them ready for their work Of blood. Elsewhere
the same malignant and partisan spite against
the Administration has been continually feeding
the minds OF bad men with stimulants to their
evil and turbulent and revolutionary passions.
Having failed to intimidate the Administration
by their bullying advice into a surrender Of the
Government 10 their partisan direction, they
have conspred, with 6cndish cunning to terri
fy it into submission by the danger Of treason
at the North as well as at the South. Having
failed at the ballotbox, ia the Spring elections,
to accomplish their purpose Of so gripping the
Executive az to leave him and the Government
ct their mercy, they have with a Satanic ings-
nuity worked to stir up evll-disposed persons to
resistance to law and revolt against the constitu-
ted authorities. Having failed to control the
will Of the Government, thoy have attempted
to paralyze its arm. Having failed to rule the
Administration they have invoked the gods Of
lawlessness and anarchy, prsferring the wild
fury Of civil war to the law and order over
whose administration they could not preside.
1t is not long since we took occasion to say
that we were glad at last to End the mon who
had been hitherto the champions Of the mob
spirit Of the country, become the advocates Of
law and order, and the jealous cpposers Of every
departure from the regular and peaceful exer-
else of all the functions Of government. And
we look nov to SEQ these advocates Of obedience
to law denouncing, In no measured terms, this
criminal lawlessncss in Indiana. Let them, FOL
q little while, turn their batteries from the Ad
ministration, and open hot and heavy Ere OIL
the breakers in Indiana. They cannot say
as they have 80 often said when asked why the,
did not denounoe Southern rebels, that thei
words would not reach them for their paper
and speeches 20 into all these Indiana home .
and are the daily bread upon which these mur
derers feed. We wish We might hopo to hea
from the lips Of these jealous friends Of law
scathing condemnation Of these crimes not onl
against individuals and society, but against th
Government itself, crimes that, unless checke
at once by some remedy that shall be adequat
to the case, may spread into the blind and tel
rible rage Of civil war Lot these law b,eaker
be taught that they have mistaken the spirit an
the lessons Of their teachers, that they may loo
for no sympathy nor defence from Democrat
newspapers and speakers, that they will DO he'll
up to the eXecration Of svory patriot alike b
men Of all political afhuities, as traitors as vel
as murderers, and their wicked acts will becom
comparatively harmless. And lot the peopl
take this opportunity Of learning who are tn
real friends Of civil order, who are the true Law
abiding citizens, by observing who Of those VIII
have but recently talked so Aippantly and &C
piously of broken constitution and violated Law
now unsparingly denounce these Indiana mur
der.