Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-08-02
Lawlessness North and South.

The riots in connection with the rail-
road strike have furnished an opportuni-
ty for the White League editors OF the
South and North, as they verify appear to
believe, to retaliate upon the northern re-
publican press for its arraignment OF the
Sosth for lawlessness. "See," they say,
',he blackened ruins at Pittsburg. the
mobs in New York, Illinois, Ohio and In
diana, and then boast if you can of your
better civilization and respect for law and
order as compared with the South"
Now while it is true that the North has
been visited by disgraceful and disastrous
exhibitions of lawlessness and rioting
within the last fortnight, 1t is also true
that the people of the North, the great
mass of the citizens, have risen against
the rioters, and with almost one voice de-
manded the suppression of the mob by
the most stringent measures and the res
toration of the supremacy of law and or
der in all parts of the country affected by
the mob spirit. With the exception of
Pittsburg. where for while the rioters
held complete control, every city in the
North has maintained fair character for
zeal and spirit in maintaining public or
der. The police did their duty bravely.
The militia with few exceptions behaved
with steadiness and valor. The citizens
enrolled themselves in vigilance commit
tees and armed and watched for the pro-
lection of endangered life and property
The consequence is that the strike is end
ed, rioting has ceased, the leaders are un-
der arrest and will be punished for their
crimes. Peace reigns and law and order
are triumphant. Lawlessness has been
crushed out. The rough element that ex-
lists In all communities has had severe
but useful lesson. which will not soon be
forgotten.
The difference between the North and
South in regard to lawlessness is that in
the former the law is sustained, In the lat
ter 1t is trampled under foot, and Might
not Right is exalted. The spirit of law
lessness has controlled largely in the
South since the rebellion. Mob law. riot
ing, numbering, beating, cheating the bal
lot-box have been the instrumentalities by
which State governments have been over
turned and majorities deirauded of their
rights. No political murderer or rioter
has been punished for his deeds of VIC.
lence In the cotton States. The blood oil
the Chisholm family still cries to heaven
for vengeance. The murderers are al
large and public opinion in Mississippi
dare not modest them. There is no law
in the South but the law of violence. Al
the North the universal demand is for the
punishment of the leaders of the mob; a
the South the mob leaders are placed il
the chief Offices and rule the Slate. Their
are lawless men in the North as every
where, but the community is far stronge
than they are and deals with them as thei
crimes deserve. We believe in the su
premacy of law and order at any cost O
law and treasure. But it is not so in tn
South. We see in the North Donahu
called to answer In our courts for being
leader of the Commune, but in the Soutl
we see Butler elected to the Senate o
the United States for leading mol
against negroes; and these two facts sig
nify a difference in civilization that shoul,
be of vast concern to all who desire th,
prosperity of our country.
The killed at Pittsburg. no, counting PhilAdel