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Show CARTER'S VERDICT. In all save in the.rnomentuons funda mental underlying; principles under which Carter acted, the offense, the capture, the trial and the verdict, are all almost farcical' by reason of the diminiutve nature of the scale upon which all were carried forward and the results following. Raising an army, levying war, capturing government property, have in every age in all lands and under all circumstances been considered con-sidered acts of hostility, and when performed by a citizen, treason. Carter is a citizen, the members of bis "army" aie citizens, the engine they appropriated appro-priated is government property, or at least property in the hands of the gov eminent and for which the government govern-ment is responsible. So then there is not a single circumstance left out which might be needed to make a clear case ot treason, contempt, armed hostility, or indeed anything else necessary nec-essary to make this a celebrated case with fringes and trills of an exceedingly exceed-ingly dangerouB and unhealthy nature. Yet this government is just strong enough to play with Mr. Carter, epank him gently as one would an erring or a wayward boy and then turn him loose again the object of the ridicule of even his comrads, and the amused and laughing crowd of idle and scarcely interested in-terested by-etanders. There is a complimentary l3Bon to us as a nation in all this, but yet there is danger in it also. There is a vast horde of these industrials in the nation. na-tion. Indeed there is a mighty host of them and while we now lightly laugh and lightlv punish, just aa sure as tomorrow's to-morrow's sun rises these things will je followed by blood unless indeed the government either acceeds to the requests re-quests of the huge mob or relieves, in its wisdom, their dire distress in some other and better way. We cannot do as the emperors of Germany, Russia and Auetria do sit by in silent unrelenting unre-lenting derision and permit the people to grumble, starve and die. We must heed the vigorous cry already come up to our ears. The masses of the poor whom the times distress have a right to grumble, have the undoubted right to petition in their own way. A petulant "pish" or "pshaw" will not do. It is unhealthy to attempt to put aside an evil of such magnitude in thiB light and carelesp way. It is true Carter is in durance and otherwise punished, but he, or rather his cause, lives in millions of hearts. It is not sufficient to say that !he committed treason and otherwise violate! law. The people excuse him, however the government may look at his acts. We care not a rap for Carter, but we do care for what the people think. If we do not, we are in a fair way to have our attention recalled to the subject at an early day and in a very forcible way, we fear. The Carter verdict logically Bhould settle the whole matter, but we know it will not. Then what are we going to do about it? While enforcing the law, which is right in and of itself, yet we must reflect that the grievance Carter complains of is a real one. It matters not that he is a fantastic holiday holi-day Eoldier decked out in flaring re gimentrls and personally cuts but a sorrv figure. Yet the univeisality of the complaint he speaks for and the vast number behind him, entitles him to consideration. Our humble suggestion, now that the tariff bill has failed, would be to go at the silver question and make one earnest, faithful, determined and patriotic effort to evolve a law which would afford present relief, and without unnecessary delay. Something must be done,and this as well as any other. |