LYNCH LAW.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 184, 11 August 1870, Page 2

LYNCH LAW.

Three are offences to which law cannot reach, and which are as great an outrage as many comprehended in the provisions of Acts of Parliament. We commend respect for law and order, but there are occasions when the violation of both are a sign of healthy public sentiment. In this conviction, we sincerely and heartily rejoice in learning that the man Preston, lately prosecuting in the " specimen stealing " case, has come within the grasp of Judge Lynch, and been subjected to a " tarring" by a section of the miners at the Thames. Many, of course, will affect to believe that in this the . miners exhibited a sympathy with " specimen stealing," and it will be used as a fresh means of pandering to the passions of those who charge their own ill-luck in speculation, to the pilfering propensities of the miners. As a class miners are lawabiding and honest to an unusual degreee, and though, doubtless, claimi have been robbed, we have no hesitation in saving that the great body of miners, with esprit de corps, repel dishonesty as destructive to that good faith between man and man, " mate " and " mate," without which gold mining cannot be prosecuted. But this is not a question of sympathy with fraud. If Wilson stole specimens he deserves rigorous punishment, and Preston in informing against him, though his brother-in-law, did the duty of a good citizen. But there is a something in Preston's transaction of the whole affair

—his consultations wi;li his brother-in-law—his promising to get the specimens crushed for hiitl —his taking note of the dates of his interviews—his writing to the legal manager, offering to inform if provided with a situation as "night watchman, or captain of a shift"—his concluding the details of the bargain for the sale of his brother-in-law's flesh and blood— his beating his wife for her interference— bis bringing his wife to bear witness against her own brother —his endeavouring to drag in his poor old mother-in-law b: insinuating that she had gone up to Auckland to sell the stolen specimens, and all to get a situation as " night watchman." There is something here against which our common humanity revolts. There is not a man with honesty, and a spark of manliness in his breast, who, if he spoke out his real sentiments regarding the " lynching" at the Thames, would not say " served him right!" We should regret to see the American institution take a footing on our goldfield ; but, in this particular case, judging from Preston's own statements of his connection with the charge, and of further circumstances of which the public have a settled conviction, we re-assert that the ebullition of popular passion which resulted in Lynching at the Thames is an evidence that the popular instincts are right; and sincerely as we love law and order, we have no patience with the namby-pamby ism that affects a pious horror at what everyone secretly commends.