Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-19
lime to awake to a sense of these dangers, and of

the evils TO which they tend
Lawlcssness is the road TO anarchy; it is hal
way there Beginning in the South at a periot
now distant in circumstances, which commended
il to thoughtless popular liberation, it has gon
on over the falling pillars Of the social Fabric til
it has given rebellion and threatens us witt
another. Menacing us now in the event OF anoth
err war, with not improbable scenes Of strife ant
bloodshed by feud and faction at the North, it vii
aggravate those scenes if they come which law
abiding spirit would have tempered. We neet
not, however, speculate upon the futale. The
past and present are enough to arrest attention
ard to call for united public sentiment every
where to breathe new authority into the law, ant
a new principle of order into society which the
spirit of lawlessncss cannot eat out
We would be glad to add few words in expos
ure Of the fallacies and mistakes under which The
practice and spirit we have been rem arking upor
seeks shadow Of excuse, but want Of space forbds
We rank these as first, certain fallaces in rogarC
TO the peoples will" Second, "cxigcncy," ans
the perverted California precedent. There is also
an erroneous impression that the war was an out
break of the same spirit-to put down wrong
and lastly there is an influence from other section:
where it looks smart y while it is the source, to a
certain extent, of secret but pleasing conscious
ness ofpower.
The San Francisco case exhibits the only ''exi
gency" which can ever justify such action. twas
in defence Of life; and when there was Other
defence of it. 1t in that early day when there
was no established and operative law, and it was
in defence Of law. 1t was not so much violence
but in aid of the paralyzed law TO put down VIC
lence. 1t was in charge Of seventy leading citi-
zens who gave fair and public trial 1t has nc
application in land Of established law, in any
other case than life As to the "reoples viii,
the peoples will which has right to rale is tina,
which is in the law. The people will nay have
bearing upon political questions, upon Ike polit
ical measures of the government, but never
against the operation CT existing law. The leo-
pies will is in the supreme law. Because "socie-
ty'' makes the laws, that therefore the members of
society may control the law,--an idea sometimes
met, is great mistake. The members Of society
do not AXE the laws, but "society," that is, gov
eminent. Take the Legislature. Do It's mem
be,s make the laws BY no means. Not the
members, but the Legislature, makes them. What
would laws be worth in law, which the members
of the Legislature might make if assembled at a
private party of the weight of the difference, we
cannot here speak.-Lastly, as to the war. TWAS
far from being as above quoted. 1t was strictly
and signally Of self defence of the Union !;
of nationality and God ordained government.
The war had been going en-, on the other side, six
months, before We took arms The government
armies were but a posse conitatas to enforce the
laws within their legitimate jurisdiction. Slavery
was q weapon of war, and we took it.
We have aimed to speak with breyity CT topic
which might be mach farther enlarged upon and
which is worthy the consideration Of all,
Lex