The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-08-19
Who are the Authors Of Mobs.

Who are the Authors OF Mobs.
Judge Hoffman Of Naw York, before
whose court came the riot cases of tha,
city. made most solemn and impressive
charge to the grand jury as to the late
mobs. He adverted to the causes Of the
lawlessness now prevalent in the following
| terms
For some months past crime has been
on the increase-offsnces against persons
and offences against property rivalling each
other in frequency. Beyond all this, a
general spirit of lawlcssness has been
spreading through the community. One
Of the worst signs Of the times has been
the prevalent disregard of and want OF
respect for the laws and the lawfully con.
stituted authorities. Dangerous men
dangerous because powerful and influential
have by example and precept taught
the people to disregard and disobey con.
stitational and legal obligations, and, some
times upon ono pretext and sometimes
upon another, have countenanced (if they
have not counseled) dsobedience and
resistance. They have aimed their shafts
not only at legislative enactments and con-
stitutioDal provisions, but at the officers 81
the law-the judges Of the land and the
decisions Of the courts.
As in times of war every man becomes
military critic, and sits in judgment upon
the operations of our army and the plans OF
a campaign, SO every one has become an
expounder of the constitution and the
laws, and assumes to sit in judgment upon
the judicial tribunals Of the state and ma
ton. ...-
The people have become accustomed t.
look upon the constitution and laws and
authorities as less sacred than in earlier
days they had been taught to believe they
were. The pulpit and press, the political
platform and senate chamber, the social
circle, and perhaps even sometimes the
courts themselves, have been the schools
in which these pernicious lessons have been
taught.
Manifestations Of popular violence, some.
times in one direction and sometimes in
another, sometimes against men Of one
set of opinions, have from time to time
occurred in this city and elsewhere. VIII. n
applauded they have been app auded loud
ly when condemned they have been con.
demned fecbly. Now one set Of partisans
and now another have spoken of them as
lust outbreaks Of popular indignation" or
patriotic uprisings of the people,"
Conservative and prudent men have
watched the growth Of this evil with alarm,
and foreseen and dreaded the harvest
They saw that it was in violation of and
| in hostility to the fundamental principles
upon which all government and all society
rests. They have sought to remind those
in authority, and those having influence,
that it was their solemn duty to inspire the
people with respect for all law. by never
deviating from it themselves; and to make
the people understand that obedience to
law was the first duty Of the citizen. They
have proclaimed that as there was no safety
| for the nation except in = faithful adher
ence to the constitution, so there was ne
security for the people but in unbendine
| respect for and obedience to the laws and
authorities Of the land. Warning the legis.
lative power Of the state and nation against
| ths enactment Of constitutional laws, the,
have insisted and ever will insist that thu
courts and not the people are to sit in iudg
ment upon the constitutionality Of an act
and that, until declared by the courts to b.
unconstitutional, resistance to it by force
and violence is criminal.
These warnings have not been needed
The evil teachings Of misguided and wick sG
men have not been without their eff:ct-
They have taken deep root in the popular
mind. Intidelity to constitutional and
legal obligations has produced it's brood o
evils. This infide!ity and the false teach
ings and examples Of partisans of variou.
sccts and par,ics-aided as they have beer
ny causes and elements which are alway!
actively at work in times of war and c,vi
convnlsions-u urged on by the spirit Of law
lessness which they have created, have re
Gently produced in this city an ou,breal
which resulted in violence and enormitie,
without parallel in the history Of tn
country. The immediate cause Of this wa
opposition to the enforcement Of the con
scription law; but this cause would huv,
been wholly inadequate to the ressl
if the poison Of constitutional and loya
,nfidelity and of false teaching and pernici
Gus example had not been infused into tn
popular mind.