The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1870-03-10
vIGILANTEISM.

cation was confined to exceptional cases, an
ignorance gross, dark, and superstitious like
lowering cloud enveloped the great mass 0
the people,-when the punishment of Grim
was almost impossible except by the stron,
arm of despotic authority too often crimina
itself, that law of selfprotection and selt-preser
vation, which is the fundamental condition O
earthly being, often required the punishmen
OF the wrong-doer by irresponsible mob law
and the institution of courts of Judge Lynch
in many places and on numerous occasions.
noted place, for one, for the administration O
this species of justice, so-called, was Lyddes
ford. and the courts of Judge Lynch became
so frequent and SO famous there that Lyddes
ford law became celebrated centuries ago in
story and in song as
"Lyddesford Law,
Where in the afternoon they hang and draw,
And sit in judgment after"
Nearly akin to this was the Salem witchcraft
trials in an early day of the settlement of Mas.
sachusetts, and notwithstanding the infamy at.
tached to the bloodthirsty bigots who were the
actors in that atrocious persecution which
spared neither age nor sex, there are latent
sparks of the same disposition which still re-
main in many people in modern times Even
at the present day it is not uncommon for per-
sons openly to avow and glory in their desire
to See law and order aud courts of justice
swept away, and q reign of terror instituted
by gangs Of reckless, irresponsible, too often
most villainousy disposed gangs of men con-
federated together for the purpose of wreak-
ing vindictive spirit of revenge upon human
beings who have incurred their hatred or dared
their resentment. Like the Hindoo Thugs
these miscreats in human form, as many Of
them are, shun the light of day and open trans
under the shadow of darkness, and always
manage successful assassination by taking
their victim. whose destruction has been re-
solved upon, unawares If the innocent suffer
for the guilty, what care theyf Who is re-
sponsble for the murder? We have noted
symptoms of late among the Radicals cropping
out in various places and advocated by various
Radical journals, of Incorporating yigilanteism
among the other issues of that party. Be a
little careful gentlemen, that you don't med
die with edge tools IN arraying or seeking to
array yourselves against the majesty of the
law, and against the reign of law and order in
any community. Remember
IT'S better to suffer from the ills We have
Than fly TO others that We know not Of
Though Judges upon the Bench in this Terri.
tory should connive at or assist in yigllanteism,
it will be curse in the communities where it
may be instituted that will assuredly return to
plague the inventors. Here we have no fears
it can ever succeed. No truly good citizen
can ever aid. encourage or countenance any
such criminal and murderous course. The
law affords ample remedy and provides ample
punishment for all crimes The course of JUS
tice, though it may seem to the personal view
IF particular inviduals at times to be wrong, |
has in Idaho at least been of so salutary an eff |
ect upon wrong-doers as to give in this new
country and chaotic condition of society. to-day
more comparative safety of person and proper.
y and less of crime than in any OF the great So
,allcd centres OF enlightenment in the world.