Year: 1861




From the New York Commercial Advertiser.


LYNCH LAW IN THE FREE STATEs.-Some of
the Eastern States appear desrous of riyalng
Florida and Arkansas in their Lynch law proceed
ings. This Judge has just been holding court
in the Bay State. Our columns Yesterday record
ed gross outrage perpetrated at Hayerhill, Mass
achusetts, upon the person of Mr.. Ambrose L.
Kimball, an editor of secession sympathies. At
the bidding OF an excited crowd he was forcibly
taken from his house. covered with coat of tar
and feathers, and ridden on rail through the
town. The local authorities made an attempt to
protect him, but failed, possibly because they
were not in earnest Finally on his promising that
ne would never write or publish articles against
the North and in favor of secession, the poor fe
low was liberated.


We blush to think that such piece of barbar.
ity could be perpetrated in Massachusetts,, the
State which justly boasts so highly of her relig-
ious and educational institutions of her literary
and scientific attainments.s Haverhill has placed
itself on a par with the most ignorant community
in Mississippi. Shame on i'll


With secession in the abstract, or rebellion in
the concrete, we claim 10 have as little sympathy
as any person living. But however false or alb
snrd the doctrine, however wicked the deeds of
our Southern insurgents, the fact remains that
any many has right to defend secession princi-
piles if he chooses either through the press or by
word of mouth. he has also right to criticise
the conduct of "the North, or the General Gov
eminent, if he sees it The day, indeed, will be
a most calamitous one, when our people will not
permit the utterance of opinion in opposition
to the will OF the tyrant majority. If there is to
be suppression OF free discussion at all, let il
be done by some spiritual or secular autocrat-
some Emperor, King or Pontiff-not by the peo-
pie themselves. We can not afford to bring our
selves to level in this respect with the rebels,
and crush out freeioom Of the press, as has been
done in South Carolina We can not do evil that
good may come.


1t is true loyal citizens feel indignant that news
papers should openly manifest sympathies with
rebels and traitors, many of WON seem to be
devoid of the first principles of humanity But
the Haverhill crowd have pursued fatal course
10 get rid of the nuisance. THE law is open"
and why not resort TO il, as has been done in this
ctyf Can not Massachusetts, grand jnry indcf
a newspaper proprietor, il guilty Of giving aid and
co mort to the enemy. as well one in New
York; If there has been nothing actionable in
his articles, can not loyal paper undo the mis-
chief IL conducted with abilityf II strikes
that an intelligent editor could desire no bet
ter vantage ground than that he enjoys as an up
holder Of the Union, the Constitution, and the
laws If he can not spike every gun in the hands
of his opponents, he ought to give way TO those
who can WELD the pen to better advantage. III
he can. there is no mob violence needed 70 secure
the public condemnation of those who advocate
the claims of Jefferson Davis Let us never for
get the wise maxim of Thomas jefferson, Error
may be safely tolerated so long truth is left
free to combat It." The people of Concord, Ban
gor, Haverhill. and lastly Of Chester county,
Pennsylvania, would seem alike destitute of faith
in the power of truth. and Of the first principles
of toleration. Nav these be the last outrages
committad at the North, which il win be our duty
tn chroniclel