The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-12-28

When Elijah P. Lovcjoy-an origi-
nal noted abolitionist-wasm mobbed,
again and again, and finally killed in
the streets of Lower Alton, H., by
.an infuriated mob, we were . strip
pling in our teens trying to acquire
an education in Shurtleff College, in
Upper Alton. AS may readily be
supposed, the event caused intense ex-
citement not only in the Immediate
vicinity of the outrage but through
out the entire Union. Every think
ing, rejecting person took sides; cs-
pecially was this true of the students
in the College. The ground we assum-
= ed at that time was this: That while
we held in utter detestation the prin-
ciples enuneiated by Dir. Lovejoy, yet
we contended that he had a right, un-
der the Constitution and Laws, to
publish them as freely as any other
citizen; and that therefore every time
he was mobbed an outrage was perpe-
trated not only on him, but upon the
Organic Laws of the land, both State
and National. This ground, though
long years have intervened, we have
ever since maintained. In fact, time
and experience, instead of causing US
to ignore 1t, have only served to deep
-en our convictions, and to confirm us
in the position we then assumed
Fire itself cannot burn it out of u.s.
From that day to the present we nave
ever denounced mobs and mobocrats
ON all suitable occasions. If there is
any class of men on this earth whom
we hate, and whom it is right to hate
with perfect hatred" it is those who
are mobocrats in theory and practice.
They are anarchists. They strike at
the very foundations of Society,"
They would, if unchecked, resolve
Society into its original, elemental
parts, and social and civil chaos would
reign supreme over the land.
These reflections are caused on
reading the last " Upiomist." The
editor of that virtuous sheet and the
editor of the Herald are having a
small 'set-to"-applying to each other
various and sundry complimentary
-epithets, and professedly writing the
history Of each other while in Califor-
MIA. With all this we have no right,
nor no desire, to intermeddle. They
can fight it out on that line," and
we will be simply spectator. But,
in one of his filings, the Uatomist ed
dtor says: owe know Beriah, and
wrote the paragraph which brought
down his cl5e6ang at San Francisco" :"
In plain English the editor claims that
he caused the destruction, by mob, of
the San Francisco Press. Not only SO,
but he glories in it-he thinks he is
entitled to great credit for the achieve
ment. Whether this be true or not
we have no means of knowing other
than his word; but taking it for grant
ed that he did instigate the mob to
demoiish the Press establishment. in
what light is he placed? ? 1t proves
eonclusively that he is Jacobin-an
anarchist-a man who would substi-
tute the angry passions of mob for
the pure and simple operations of the
law one who, to obtain temporary
triumph over foe would break down
the safeguards and bulwarks of Socie.
ty. One of his own kind-the Salem
Record-says he is a "vagabond" "a
esmorai ieper;;" and very truly adds
that ''the vices that make up his career
may have attractions for some commu
mites, but Salem and Oregon offer q
poor field for such virtues to win eli
ther fame or appreciation" He may
plead IN defence that the Press and it.