II.

AFTER having said thus much respecting the cause of the excitement upon the subject of slavery, and the origin of the propensity to violence that now prevails, one important feature of the Lynch Law system ought not to be passed over in silence.

All who have been conversant with the subject must have observed that in most cases of late, the law breaking, or proceedings of Judge Lynch has been carried on in the most systematic manner, with all possible regularity and solemnity. The proceedings is on this wise. A meeting of citizens is called, at which care is sometimes taken to have a large number of boys and drunkards, enough to constitute a clever mob who are ready to set up a roar of laughter, cheering, hissing, or yelling at the signal of their leader; when this class attend, every thing is carried by them, and nobody observes whether the voices come from the rabble, or from respectable citizens: of course the proceedings are ascribed to respectable citizens. The most inflammatory speeches are then made, and the rabble understand well that their duty is to act according to the spirit of the speeches, and not according to the letter of the re

quest is purchased at too dear a rate when we have to give up every thing valuable in life to obtain it.

solutions, because these being matters of record must necessarily be more temperate. It must before have been observed that the officers of Judge Lynch never act in discharge of those inferior obligations which we owe to the constitution and the laws, but only of the higher obligations which we owe to society.

After the public mind has been excited to the highest pitch and the rabble have become phrensied with rage and desperation, so that they are ready to rush madly upon whatever design the chief mover has in view, in order that the design of violating the laws of the land and the rights of citizens, may be accomplished in the most genteel and unsuspicious manner, a committee consisting of a large number of citizens, (some drawn unconsciously into the snare) is appointed who advance with professions of pacific intentions, either preceded or followed by the rabble to the spot where the violence is to be committed, and after having communicated their message, if the rabble do not yet seem disposed to second their views with a sufficient degree of fury and madness, another inflammatory speech is offered. by some one of the committee, generally by the chief mover, in which the rabble are taught in this wise; "Fellow citizens, (order! order!) we are the peaceable citizens assembled here to show our indignation at the vile and unpardonable insult which has been offered us (by some notorious drunkard and rioter; "yes, we are the peaceable citizens.") "These occasions will find a law for themselves," I hope there will be no violence used, but if there

should be, Fellow citizens, we are not responsible ; we came here as peaceable citizens, upon the heads of those who have insulted us be all the blame e; They have been so foolhardy as to brave public opinion, and they must take the consequences : (by the rabble, "yez, squire's spressed our minds 'zackly; they must take the consequences, they are responsible, hoop! hoop! hussle um out! hussle um out! damn um! down with the hypocrites and fanaties! tear um! string um !") At this stage of the proceedings the air resounds with continued yells, and the authority of the committee themselves feigning an effort to be heard, crying " order! order! we are the peaceable citizens," is completely nullified.

After the Lynching is finished, the committee return to the meeting that appointed them, followed by their constituents, "the peaceable citizens," and report their doings; the chairman congratulates the meeting upon the accomplishment of their object in a peaceable manner, with as little violence as was to be epxected, considering the excited stateof the public mind, and although some little disorder ensued after arriving at the place of action, which the committee were unable to prevent, yet the committee do not hold themselves or their reputations responsible for any mischief that was committed; the infatuated wretches who had been thus signally dealt with, had brought this mischief upon themselves, and the preservation of their lives and their persons from further injury, they owed solely to the interference and exertions of the committee in their behalf;" (by the mob from all quarters, "yez, dam um! they'd orter be

thankful that they got off so well, three cheers for the committee !") Here the mob set up a stamping and yelling which makes the earth itself tremble beneath them. Whereupon the meeting after conferring certain discretionary powers upon its officers adjourns, and while the "committee" retire to their homes and are industriously engaged in preparing communications for the public journals in order to forestall public opinion, the "peaceable citizens" assemble together in small squads at the groceries in different parts of the city, where orders are sometimes given, by some higher in the scale of being than they, that intoxicating liquors shall be dealt out to them in large quantities without money and without price. Here plans are concerted by the leading ones who themselves take the precaution to keep sufficiently sober for the transaction of business, for a nightly session of the Terrific Tribunal, and it not unfrequently happens that a terrible scene of devastation and bloodshed follows the footsteps of its officers. When matters have progressed thus far, the pacific intentions of these "peaceable citizens,” are seriously distrusted, and an appeal is made to another class of citizens less peaceable, less patriotic, less virtuous, but who have property and character to preserve; sometimes the chief movers of the "patriotic and peaceable committee" offer their assistance to protect the lives and property which their conduct has placed in jeopardy, but this is usually rejected with disdain, and here the proceedings end.

Sometimes a few of the principal officers of Judge

Lynch are called to an account by Judge Law, but their bond of indemnity is brought into requisition and their fines are instantly discharged, even in case the latter judge should be so fortunate as to find that his chief officers have not superseded their functions by an appointment under the former.

If the people happen to suspect the honourable the committee of any participation in the proceedings, their sins are laid upon the heads of the " scapegoats," which immediately run away into the wilderness, and are seen no more, until a similar occasion calls them forth from their hiding-places.

We have seen the principal features which distinguish the calm, peaceable, and deliberate system of law-breaking of the present day, and by taking care to keep them in view hereafter, we shall be enabled to detect the fallacious pretences with which it is too frequently excused or palliated, and to discover its authors from beneath the cloaks with which they are covered. But it must not be forgotten that it has been reduced to a complete system; that its perpetrators have acquired great tact, and that their designs are usually involved in a degree of mystery, which will require the utmost vigilance of the friends of order to develope them.

It would be strange indeed if the abettors of violence should act openly, especially those who desire to preserve an influence in the community; and it would be equally strange if a considerate mind should judge a man to be honest, because he is covered with a mask. He would look at causes, and their necessary consequences. In judging of a man's