The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-01-12
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the Commonwealth, where tumult
and riot at times have been so for
m;dable, that the executive power
the State had to be Invoked 10
qaeIl the disturbances. These iur-
bulent manifestations are becoming
al~armingly frequent, aud TO repress
them some remedy must be devised
Thatthe attitude OF the Executive
towards the participants therein, NAV
not be mistaken, the following plain
and easily eompreheuded principles
are grouped together t. show what
viii be the rule 0f his conduct co
the occasion Of every outbreak u a
kindred nature. No disObedieuce Of
regularly constituted authority viii be
permitted. whether on the part %
individuals, corporations or csmhi1a-
tons Of men. No sense u Rr0ag.
however grevious, will or shall justi-
fv violence In serking indemnity
therefor. The rights Of property
must be respected, and no interior
ence with it, Legitimate use will be
tolerated. Every man must be al
lowed to sell his own labor at bis
own price. AID his working
must not be interrupted either
by force or Intimidation. For
grievances, fancied or real, redress
must be sought in the manner the
Law provides, and no one must at
tempt to override its process. Il
citizens will recognize these princi-
pies as binding npon their co~nscienccs
and actions, there can be no necessi.
.ty for Executive interference 20 pre-.
serve the peace. and it must be IN.
Gerstood, once jor all, that any vlo.
lation Of private rights or resistance
10 public officers when in the dis.
charge OF their duty, will be som.
marty dealt with, and if the civil
authorities and the power Of the
county cannot maintain the suprema.
CIV Of the law, then the whole power
of the Commonwealth shall be en-,
ployed, II necessary, to compel re.
spect for authority. Again, IL is evi.
dent a recurrence Of these disorders
cannot be prevented by the use Of q
military force, for upon the with
drawal of troops, the turbulenb feel
ing still exists, and there is no secu-
ritv against similar aud repeated
outbreaks. One ofthe main sources
of the evil has its origin 10 the tim
Iiditv or unwiIlingness ofthe local au-
thoities to enforce the law, and their
duties should be dehGed anew.
and the penalties imposed that would
compel their performance. These tn
n ults are not resislless, and officers
Of spirit who know Trey have be
whole power Ofthe Commonwealth,
if needs be, to support them, can
have no reasonable doubt Of their
ability, to reprcss every form Of yio-
~lence; AMI if 10 the face Of 3 local dis
turbauce, they fail to discharge their
duty, they should be made to feel the
full responsibility Of their neglect aud
cowardice. Mobs, too, are scntient
bodies. They kHOw they cannot
successfully contend with the com
bined power Of the State, and if the
energy of an Office. e~yiuces a dc err
imitation to act promptly and resp
lutely for the preservation of order,
rioters will quickly abandon their nn-
lawful designs. Moreover, men who
engage 10 these riots are voters. and
The tenure Of the Offices Of those in
authority depend in a large measure
upon the good will Of these turbu-
lent electors. and it is difficult TO find
an officer who will fearles>ly and
fully perform what be is legally re-
quired TO do. He palters with his
duty until the tumult assumes pro-
portions that threaten the peace and
security Of the whole community
and then, unable TO quell the disturb.
ance, petitions for the aid of the mil.
itary, and the State is subjected t.
enormous expense to subdue an In.
%surrection that the ordinary police
force of the county could readily
have suppressed at its inception.
The local officers likewise allegt
their inability to rcpress this turbu
lent spirit, because citizens wher
summoned refuse to assist them
Citizens fear 10 incur the enmity o
the rioters, and unless the penaltie.
that attach to their failure to assis.
the officers are inflicted, il is idle I,
expect them to perform this ungra
cious and it may be perilnus duty
Thus we have in these communitie:
where this mob rule prevails an IN
healthy moral public sentiment, ths,
in the event Of a disturbance permit.
the officer to neglect his duty, refuse.
itself to uphold the law, and wher
an offender is arrested, connives a
be fraud that packs the jury-bol
with his sympathizers and friends
making a mockery Of justice, and
bringing the State AMI its authority
into merited reproacb. Through
what agency can we prevents return
of these disorders, make the loca.
officers and citizens more vigilanl
and active, and dissuade them from
looking and applying to the Execu
tive upon every occasion Of an alarm
or tumult are questions to which
have given patient aud anxious
thought, and the following plan will
believe, afford o practical test o.
'he disposition and ability of a coun.
" 10 enforce the law and maintain
order within its limits. | recommend
the enactment Of q law empowering
the sheriff, whenever q riot or disor
der Is imminent, to apply to the
court of his county, and upon the
sworn certificate of said sheriff tba,
said riot or disorder is threatening
then the said court to authorize the
sheriff TO organize a constabularv
force sufficient to quell the disturb
ance, and to maintain them under BIZ
direction and control until there j.
no longer need for their : 7 ices. Tht
force so mustered should be paid and
subsisted by the county, while on du.
", and armed by the State. A tn.
mutt arising. the sheriff would then
have an armed, paid and subsisted
eorce to aid him in preserving order
and enforcing the process of the
courts, without taking citizens sud
denly from heir daily arocations and