The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-11-18

As long as one is assaulted by men with
words, ofeven with blows, or II one is the
provoker of an assault then must he be care.
ful not to tTafsgfess the limits of using sufi-
cient, and only sufficient, resistance to protect
himself. But when the assasin's hand clutch
es your throat, and your life, or the life OF
those dear to you, or your property is in
danger, then does a higher law come into ac-
ton ; then is it your right, nay, your duty, to
prevent the crime, even though you slay the
criminal. Such a right is recognized by the
courts. 1t is a right of higher character than
any human law. @,.
In times of peace our country submits 10 be
ruled by the written constitution, the supreme
law of the land, but in times of war, in an
extraordinary emergency, when the assassin's
knife threatens the very life of the nation,
then a higher law prevails, and any measure
may he taken which may be necessary to pre-
serve the national existence. Our govern
ment had not the shadow of a right under the
constitution to make greenbacks or to email
cipate the slaves. Only as war measures can
be or have been such expedients declared
right 1t must be remembered that the con-
s~lilution and laws are creatures of society,
stroyers; and in times of emergency they
must be kept subordinate to the right of self
presel vation.
In the early days of Montana such an
4, ,r,r,, nv o,o,o l,o,o onI h,I n,,u ,,i\D.are
submitted TO the acts of lawlessness then COM
mitted, the condition of our Territory would
to-day be in a fearful state. But having borne
the violence as long as it could be endued,
and when law was poweEless to aid them, our
best citizens-men who deserve the gratitude
of every lover of peace and order-combined
hung or banished the as,assins, and
made life and property safe and secure. The
"Vi2ilantes of Montana was an order 10
which its members can justly I've proud of
belonged. Care was taken that no
innocent man should suffer, and if ever a
did occur, this IL thing can be said,
that less mistakes We're made than are made
by our courts of law. So thoroughly did they
purge the Territory Of evil doors hat three
years AGO it was not all thing to
leave doors unlocked and windows open.
Robbery was almost unknown. But within
:wo or three years there has been a change;
90 much sentimental sympathy has pervaded
he public and has even crept into the courts
md the press. If we must be sentimental let
rs express our sympathicS for those who have
their property or their friends, not for
criminals. Matters Eaya become too loose.
Life has become a sport and plaything in the
hands of unprincipled ner.
Wien Tar is OF so little consequence thai an
DID citizen can be brutdlly murdered dy q pre-
triead IN the heart Of q populous CITY
eciihin fire rods Of a building croUded ayih
persons and The murderer GU0ared 10 escape :
when five murders take place in about as
many days in different parts of the Territory,
when burglaries take place nearly every night,
hen is it time to do ava with all
lonsensical and foolish sentiment. The
MINER does not believe in Lynch law,
cut it does believe in the necessity of
Vigilance Committees at this very hour.
The best citizens are enrolled in them,
a more intelligent class than is possible to be
procured on our juries. Let a fair trial be
lad, but when once a man is found guilty let
MS punishment be speedy and certain. AS
+ong as there are hopes of getting clear by the
plea of insanity, by escape from prison, by
of juries, by pardon, so long will life
in Montana be unsafe. Let the punishment
70 the party convicted of guilt be sure and
and there will be less loss of life, less
cases involving the counties in debt,
more peace and order. "Let no guilty man