Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-07-30
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 30, 1864.
Vigilance Committees.

Vigilance Committees.
1t is not the province of journalist to pro-
nounce a judicial decision upon an er parte
statement of facts. We are not. therefore,
about to discuss the various reports that have
reached us relative to the proceedings Of por-
ton of the inhabitants of Dungeness But in
presence of the fac. that there does exist there
an association, embodied in the form if not
bearing the name of vigilance committee, it
seems only right to recall to our readers the
principles of truth which govern in all law,
and if neglected never failto assert themselves
in the punishment invariably brought upon
any system in which those principles are neg
lectcd.
The truth which underlies all theories of
government is the eternal law that right
should punish wrong. 1t is for the purpose
of carrying this law into effectual execution
that systems of society have been established,
by which all the members voluntarily bind
themselves to obey the laws instituted by
majority Of the nation, in the persons Of its
representatives. Directly nation merges
from the savage Or barbarous state, it recog-
nizes that for the good conduct Of its life it is
necessary that it should be subject to rule.
Passing through the intermediate stages Of
despoism, limited monarchy. in the persons
of our ancestors, we have reached the form of
a republic, in which every individual is con-
cerned in electing the rulers, and then in obey
ing the laws instituted by this process. In
this manner the highest type Of civilized
government ought to be reached. Every man
being interested in making the laws. is of
course interested in seeing that they are duly
and properly administered. Security of life
and property ought in this way to be gained
most perfectly. The rashness and needless
ness which directs private revenge is thus
avoided. The wrong done to the private cit
izen becomes public wrong, as an offence
against the State, and the whole majesty and
force Of the State is directed TO the proper
punishment of that public wrong. The wis
dom Of the State, as represented by the Judge,
sees that adequate punishment is admins
tered; the justice of the State. as represented
in jury of impartial men. Sits the evidence
and decides whether the wrong has been
committed.
Such is the theory Of the law: omnipotent,
infallible and decisive-and accordingly Ger
tain very well-meaning men maintain that
there is no appeal beyond it. They argue
that the law being established with certain
forms adopted for its execution, it only re-
mains for the citizens to obey it and carry it
out in strict adherence to its forms. which ar
g,,ment is Of course unanswerable, if the law
and its administrators are both perfect. If
your law is universally recognized as good, if
your judge owns all the virtues which judge
should possess, and your jury shares them,
there is no ground for any exception being
made by private citizen to such public ad-
ministration Of law. Neither is there fair
ground for exception if the law. judge, and
jury fall very far short Of the standard of per-
lection; because it is not likely that it can be
reached BY ordinary mortals, and in default
Of perfection We must accept the best we can
get, exactly as We are obliged to do in any
other department Of life. Everybody sees at
once that it is better for the whole nation
that all should be bound by general law than
That each man should attempt to rule bis own
transactions with his neighbor BY any law
which he may CHOOSE to manufacture. When
once the principle is admitted that any man
is beyond the general law Of the nation, the
essence Of stability is gone. An American
citizen transacts The business OF his life in
the faith that all other American citizens are
bound like him to obey American laws. II
there is to be any variation from this rule. the
constitution Of society rs At an end. For say
ifMr. A thinks one law unjust and not &C.
cording to his mind, there Is no reason why
Mr.. b should not think the law that binds q
man to pay his lawful debts is unjust also.
Jfoucc the element of uncertainty 10 admitted,
society becomrs practically reduced to con.