The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-03-03

1t is not to be believed that the sobel
second thought OF this community viii
sustain the high-handed resistance q
the process of the state witnessed in As
toria yesterday. The first duty OF Amer
lean citizenship is that Of yieldinG
respect and obedience to all forms OF
law. The papers produced by the mes
senger from Salem were In due form
and they represented on their face one
OF the highest and most important
processes Of the state The legality OF
the authority by whom the papers
were issued may. and indeed does. Sd-
nit Of serious question. but the only
appointed method by which such an
issue can be determined is through the
courts. The mere opinion Of laymen,
and even eminent lawyers constitutes
no proper rule Of conduct for any pa
triot or self-respecting citizen to fol-
low under such circumstances. So far
as extra judicial opinions are concerned.
just as respectable authority may be
quoted on the one as on the other side
of the controversy The question Of
whether the Davis temporary house
is a legal organization or not, Is a mat
ter too complex and too serious for
any individual to decide for himself
TO the extent Of justifying his Offering
forcibIe resistance TO the authority
- ~ ~ O., hae tH.,
exalted judicial officer OF the state Of
Oregon resolved the doubt in his mind
as to the legality OF that organization
in its favor TO the extent of leaving his
own appointed station Of duty and go
ing TO the place provided for its or
ganization and there performing the
solemn function Of swearing in its
members, affords sufficient color to its
authority to command at least the tenn
porary respect OF every peaceable and
Iaw-abiding citizen. When Il Is further
considered that the avowed purpose Of
the whole performance OF yesterday
was simply TO get the question Of Its
rightfulness before the tribunals which
are alone competent to decide 1t, and
that this eminently proper and reason
able endeavor was derided and defed.
and the regular and constitutional
forms Of the state spit upon and de-
spised. even by some OF those who are
sworn to defend them, makes the oc-
curTence Of yesterday far more repre-
hensible and lamentable than many are
prone to believe. The dearest and most
cherished right Of an American citizen |
is the right Of personal liberty, and for
the protection Of this right the grea;
writ of habeas corpus, like the Magma /
charta of the English peope, has been
engrafted upon every constitution and /
code of law adopted by every Amer |
fcan state since the foundation Of the 1
government. 1t is made the supreme
duty Of all judicial officers. under high .
pains and penalties. 10 issue such writs |
upon the demand of the humtlest CIT .
iZen who is molested or restrained IN
his right Of personal liberty. The cir .
cult court Of Clatsop county stood wide .
open yesterday with a fearless Judge |
upon the bench. fully panoplied to pro-
tect and enforce every judgment or le-
gal decree pertaining 10 his office, and
it is not TO the credit and VIII not add
TO the good reputation abroad Of CIat-
sop county, that some Of her best citi-
zens were congregated within the very
portals Of this court, counseling a course
and advocating an armed resistance
subyersive Of the very authority that
court is constituted to exercise. This is
revolution and anarchy, and sooner or
later there may be cause to regret that
an example 50 pernidous and danger
Gus was ever set in Clatsop county.