The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-08-01

to be incidental to mobism, is fire.
quently excusable. Who would care
to say that the patriots of 1776 were
not entirely justifable in their doings
yet they destroyed thousands Of dol
lars worth of property. Oh, but
they were fighting for liberty, we are
told. Not SO. They had at that
time no thought of striving to erect
an independent government, but were
simply rebelling against the imposi-
ton of an unjust but not very op
pressve tax. They arose in mobs to
resist their mobs became an organi-
cation, and from this sprang a new
government; but this latter conse-
quence was not intended by them,
and, but for the foolish stubbornness
Of the king, it would not have occur
red.
There aye on record many other
instances ofjustihable revolt against
governmental authority, and, indeed,
it is oftener true that nlobs are justi-
fable than that they are not. The
reason is clear. Men generally love
peace and will submit to wrongs
rather than incur the danger of seek
ing to right them. 1t is only when
the outrage is too fragrant, the op-
preston too severe, that revolt oc-
ours, and when it does happen it is
not until every means Of peaceful re-
dress has proved to be Intellectual.
Quietude is the normal condition of
human society, and anarchy a con-
sequent of some disturbance of the
social system, but it does not follow
that anarchy is, therefore, SO odious
that it should never exist. Nay, we
can imagine circumstances when it
would be far preferable to peace and
order.
The creator has furnished us with
examples in nature. Earthquakes,
| ightnings and tempests are as essen
tla| in the natural world as are SUM-
shine and gentle showers. They
serve to restore and preserve the
purity of the atmosphere. So, in the
social world, occasional disturbances
are as much needed as general peace
and order. They reinvigorate socie-
ty, restore a healthful tone to popu-
lar sentiment, and start humanity for
ward to the attainment Of greater ex-
cellence. Their occurrence is to be
regretted, their immediate results to
be deplored, just as the occurrence
and consequences ofearthquakes and
tempests are deplorable but the ul-
innate good arising from them is gen.
orally greater than the temporary
evil. The Boston tea mob probably
gave the world this republican gov
eminent; the Kansas riots lead to the
abolition Of negro slavery, and we
may hope that the existing labor le-
volt will restore the legislation, CON-
merce and industrial enterprise of this
country to their proper channels, in
stead Of allowing them to be con-
trol'ed by the greedy and unprinci-
pied for their exclusive benefit.
Let us be more careful to look be-
meath the surface of whatever CUES
tons we are called upon to decide,
and qualify our opinions by circum-
stances not readily apparent to the
casual observer. Let us refrain from
condemning UNNECESSARILY those
whose situations we do not under
stand, and with whose feelings we
cannot, therefore, sympathize. Above
all let us not forget. that the meanest
and most violent of the mob are still
Gods creatures, towards whom we
owe duties which we have not always
faithfully performed. When we glo-
nv in the deeds of the men of 1776