Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-21
TIE CONVICTION OF THE ANARCHISTS.

The conviction of the Anarchists Of
Chicago has been had under the ordinary
laws for the punishment Of crime. These
men eonspircd to assail the Government Of
the Republic for its overthrow. to establish
the principle that the individual is su-
preme, that all government by the State
is tyranny, that the State is the enemy of
the individual, OF the family, of personal
human right; that, in short, the State is
despo:isnl, and should be oyerthrown.
In furtherance OF this doctrine these
men assaulted representatives OF tae State
acting in official capacity in presei wing the
public peace They used weapons in that
assault; weapons TO work deadly effect,
and which caused the death of citizens.
The act being unlawful, the weapons
deadly, and the use purposeful, the assail-
ants must be presumed to have intended
the results that followed, and were there
fore guilty Of the unlawful killing of hu
man beings.
The State with which they entered
into conflict has now tried these
men according to the methods
appointed for the trial and punishment OF
ordinary offenders against Sts laws. The
penalty for their crime ought to follow as
in the case of ordinary murderers The
State has, as against their theory vindi-
Gated its supremacy. individuals organ
lied into society have proven the capacity
of government to preserve Itself, but the
lesson viii be lost upon the Anarchists.
Their devotion to principle, were it moi
so infamous doctrine, would inspire re-
epect.
Unquestionably these men are ready to
become sacrifcial victims. They entered
upon their crusade against society fully
conscious OF the results Of failure and pre-
pared to accept them. II they continue to
\ retain the courage Of conviction We shall
! see them die like men. If they are i'm
posters and unequal to the maintenance OF
their preacliings, they will die like cow
rds IN either event the effect upon So
ety will be to strengthen the confidence
Athe people in the laws and i'll republic
IN institutions For the trial and con-
elton Of these men has established the
ct that existing laws are equal to the
nishment OF this class of offenders that
limitations OF liberty are found at
line drawn by the statutes Of
self-governiug; that Individual
rdom Is circums2ribed by the
= sender of Individual rights crys-
talized into laws Of restraint up
on the vicious. The conviction estab-
fishes The flct that without censorship of
the press, or diminution of the right OF
srce speech, or interference with con
. science, the State is capable of maintain
ing itself and of protecting its members
ind of enforcing its DEGREES.
\ Had 1t required extraordinary measures
upon the part Of the State to reach and
:. punish these conspirators; had the State
< them discovered adversaries 50 hedged
put by guarantees of the State that it
cotSnl rot invoke its existing laws in its
own defense. then the Anarchists would
have achieved Q triumph over society that
might well I've deemed the forerunner of
its ultimate downfall. This was what they
anticipated They hoped to lift their
cause out of reach Of statutory law and
place it within the guarantees of re-
ligious and political tolerance. Fail
ing in this, the fabric of their theory has
received such wrenching that some new
y lines of action must be resolved upon.
Ne they viii seek to lay in the blood
of the victims to their folly, and by insid-
Gus teachings build upa sentiment so strong
that the State cannot prevail against it.
But this they cannot accomplish. In
this free government, where every mans
! opportunity IS matter Of his own cfoice;
where the laws are dependent for their
yigor. upon the hearty sympathy
Of the governed; where revolutions
2 can be Effected peaceably, ard the
resort to,arnls can never be against a rul-
= ing power, Anarchism can gain no secure
foothold is foreign to our soil--the
outgzaH systems of government where
IL II the governed is not the
authority. Where indi-
Gidual freedom is limited only by the ne
cessities for protection of the rights of all
individuals, the doctrine of the destruct-
ionists cannot secure a footing.
We may be annoyed by Anarchists. they
may poison the minds of some, rally the
discohterted and vicious to their standard,
embrcil US in riots here and there, cause
the deatho of peace officers and chosen vic
Tins Of their fury, but they cannot, by
o. dynamite, by street harangues or
circulation of infiammatory documents,
themselves above the grade of ordinary
mails or exempt themselves from the
that ordinarily apply to murderers,