The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-05
mobs and LawIessness.

We spoke yesterday morning OF the
growing prevalence of mob spirit in va
rious portions of the country and eNhort-
ed our readers to strict obedience to law.
We find in a recent number Of the New
York Journal of Commerce the same sub
ject spoken of so forcibly and with SO
much calmness and good sense, that we
take pleasure in transferring the article
TO our columns and recommending it to
the perusal of all. 1t is peculiarly APP
propriate to this locality, in view of the
action which has been taken in many
places, with the sanction, we are sorry
to say, of some Of the newspapers OF this
State,) to drive from their homes, by mob
violence, peaceable and law-abiding citi-
Gems who have pursued their business
quietly during all the years of our trou-
bles, and to prevent the return of others
who having complied with all the pro-
visions of the law, have legal right to
make their residences wherever they
NAV chose, subject only to the laws of
the land and not to the will of some As
piring demagogue, or the passions of an
unreasoning mob. The Journal says: g
This country has made terrible sacrifi-
ces for the establishments of, law and or
der in the land. 1t is subject of great
regret to notice that so many who pro-
fess to be loyal are guilty of acts which
are of the same general class with the
crime of rebellion, and that not few
newspapers publish, with signs of apprO-
val accounts of lawless and violent acts
which disgrace our civilization, and
which. if permitted to continue, VIII
make our sacrifices for the country worse
than vain. ..
II is unnecessary to particularize, when
speaking on this subject. If New York
city were to be at the mercy of the riot
ers of 1863 for years to come, who would
want to live in New York? If men pro-
Tossing to be friends of government en-
courage such mobs, what can be hoped
for our institutions! The mob in Phila-
delphia last week, the mobs that have
been described in various parts of the
country for two weeks past, the mobs
who burned and destroyed property and
life in New York in that fearful week of
1863, the mobs of which we hear at San
Francisco, all these are sad commenta-
ries on our national character. And it is
especially sad to see newspapers CON-
mending the work of such mObs:
There is curious alienation in mobs.
They are always sure to react, and they
result. unless restrained by the strong
arm of law, in violent retribution on
those who set them in motion. But this
il n very poor reason for discouraging
them. The true motive is i'll theinterests
of law and order, of life and property
n is the disgrace of Philadelphia that
she permitted such mob as that of last
week in her streets The men who COM
nose mohs are almost always. towards
The New York rioters in 1863 were cow
ards, daring to act only in crowds against
sinole individuals. What more coward
" SIGHT can be shown than the attack of
n hundred or a thousand men on one, as
the Door victims. of the rioters in 1863
were attacked, and rs men have been
RECENTLY attacked? The men who make
mn these mobs are mainly of the, class
who are without influence and without |
moral character: but the approval given
to their acts by newspapers raises their |
offence to the highest grade; and there |
are many very respectable individuals
who are not without equal responsible |
ty. Served him right" is a very COM
mon remark when reading the account |
of mob violence done to some offender.
This is a very. natural exclamation, but
is it not plain that lypebing is the endof
law. and the inauguration Of crime and |
brute force in place of law However
guilty the victinb itimakesn no difference;
the majesty, Of law, ought TO- be vindi-
Gated by the voice and act of every man.
It is moral duty of every citizen to de-
nounce, especially in these times, every
oct Of insdbordination TO the laws Of the
land. sEiIys. ~ AtSt
Those whe--approveofm mob law en-
courage assassination This is too plain
to need demonSsEl tio6. q II eednt mex
plcable thAtA psvspaper which is hons
eetly and RG46Sely L sMenting the death /
of The lstes1 anesidsnt by the inprderousl
hand of ansI.tssin, should be so blind
to the lawn 81 morality and of eonsistenr
cy g 20 c96i6naSd In the same columns
ora gsafi u s ~ s-'@'f' .'' = - !.