New-York tribune., 1886-04-24
THE BOYCOTT MUST FAIL.

Thdailurc of the boycott In this country II
areada fOregone conclusion. The American
peoplare so inlbued with the spirit of tolera-
tion tit they do not quickly rouse themsely es
to rent even abuses. The respect for the
freedn of the individual is sometimes carried
so far to have the effect of encouraging in
vasion of public or private rights. The gen.
eral dpOstlon and purpose is to allow every
one II utmost liberty compatible with i'm
munitfrom license, and though there are some
miscaiages in the national policy, it is carried
out badly to the advantage of the country.
The Hcott Is so foreign and undemocratic an
invenbn, so opposed in principle to American
doctries, that when the attempt was made tu
introdce It here the public was not prepared
for thu novelty, and at first probably failed to
realizdts scope and meaning. But this state
of heltation and doubt did not last long, for
| the bccott has at least the merit of explaining
itself,,nd the simplest citizen after watching
its opration little while must arrive at full
comprehension of what it implies.
II sn effect an attempt to establish in this
free cuntry a tyranny and slavery wholly in
cOmpsibe with the survival of democratic in
stitutins. Such machinery never could have
Originted here. 1t belongs to an entirely
diffcrot state of society, politics and ciyiliza
ton. The conception is ancient, but wher-
ever ithas been applied it has been the instru-
ment Of barbarous Oh despotic power seeking TO
coerce aid to intimidate in defiance of any doc
trins Of equal rights and individual liberty.
Such a method is as much out of place in this
Republic as the thumb-screws and the rack
would be. TIE right to apply such coercion to
or Amaricap ;o1 hro
mental principles Of government. The Con-
sitution of the United States, and those of all
the separate States, declare in their bill of
rights magma tharta which excludes the boy
colt. The ignorance of our system of govern
ment exhibited by those who have had recourse
to this prohibited survival from barbarsm and
despOtism is indeed their only apology fOI 50
mischievOus an experiment. A free community
cannot and will not permit such process to be
established. And the moment public opinion is
to the meaning of the attempt it rises
against the boycott with prompt indignation,
and Quashes it.
There is no danger that this unassimilable
exotic will ever attain formidable proportions
among u.s. Foreigners may bring all manner of
crude and mistaken notions with them, but
they will have to discard them, and to conform
10 American principles. They will have to
earn that Americans refuse to allow others to
lictate to or dragoon them, just as they refuse
20 dictate to or dragoon others. No doubt it is
lif1icult for those who have lived only on
under despotc governments to real |
ze the necessity of conserving individual lib
'rty and right in country where the people |
re tho rulers; bnt they must learn that the
maintenance of national freedom depends upon
nsistance on this, and they will comprehend
he trlth in time. While they are learning
That freedom is, however, they ust be pre-
ented from the kind of blundering the at
empt to introduce the boycott among us in
Olives, and public opinion is already giving
hem some salutary lessons. Agitation and
rganization are free to all, provided they are
Dndueted within law full limits. No man here
assesses any rights which infringe those of his
eghbor. That is the secret of ordered lib
rty, and the boycott is fragrant and insuffer-
bic invasion of it. Sooner or later, and the
,oner the better, the boycott must go.