Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-13
have no Ambition to Fill a more
Honorable Grave" NJ
THE MURDER OF MR.. DICKINSON.
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS.

On Friday morning IL was our Palniui
duty to announce the assassination of our
friend, John @. Dickinson, by the Ku-
Klux-Klan, at Marianne, Florida, on Mon.
day night last. On Saturday another
telegram was received from Mr.. Purman,
giving more definite particulars in refer
encs to the sad event. The dispatch reads
as follows;
TALLAHASSEE, Florida,
"April Z 1871.
John @. Dickinson is dead. be was
instantly killed by an assassin. he fell
near his house while returning from his
office at nine o'clock at night. His body
will receive a public funeral in Jackson
Vile, Florida, on Tuesday next.
IN. J. PURMAN"
A telegram was sent on Sunday NOR
ming to have the remains forwarded to his
father at Benson. We were mistaken in
saying that he was son of the late John
Dickinson. His father, Isaac Dickinson,
Esq, and his mother are both living at
Benson, and are greatly weighed down by
this heavy bereavement which takes from
them much beloved son, and they desire
that his body shall rest with bis kindred
among his native hills.
Mr.. Dickinson's' life has been threatened
before, and he would have undoubtedly
been made victim Of Southern hatred
some two years since, but for illness. One
evening, Mr.. Dickinson, DR.. Finlsyson,
and Mr.. Purman had an engagement to
attend the theatre together. Mr.. Dickin-
son was taken suddenly i'll and was I'M
able to accompany them. They started
without him and before reaching the the
atre DR.. Finlsyson was shot dead upon
the street. Mr.. Purman, the next day,
was taken to the boundary line of the
county and told to leave and never to en-
ter the county again. Both were respect
able citizens, enterprising gentlemen, and
no offense was alleged but that
they were Republicans. No attempt was
made to ferret out or punish the wretch
that committed this dastardly outrage.
At the time Mr.. Dickinson wrote for the
HERALD very feeling tribute to the
memory of his friend, and vivid descrip-
ton of his tragic death, and in cendem-
nation of these wanton outrsges upon in.
offensive citizens for political opinion.
About the same time John @. Dickinson
wrote the following words, which now he
has fallen to fill grave for opinions sake,
are sacred legacy and should be in
scribed in enduring letters on his tomb
stone:
II wish to put on record the fact that
my political action in this State has been
upright and honorable, and that do not
regret single step that have taken,
and that while many citizens Of this coun.
ty have bitter political hate for me, be-
lieve and know that not one of them en-
terrain personal dislike or want of re-
spect for me, and hare no ambition 10 fill
more honorable Craze than that of a man
aohO falls for the sake of opinion or conduct
that he kraoeoS is right eUen though every
body else thinks ii a0rong."
These are words alnnost prophetic Of
the end. His ambition is accomplished
and be will fill the honorable grave of a
man who fell for opinions sake, and while
Vermont shall remember her martyred
dead, the name of John Q. Dickinson will
stand conspicuous among them. and as
thousands shall make pilgrimage to his
grave in the quiet hillside cemetery of his
native town, his name shall remain a
watch word for liberty and freedom of
opinion. God grant that from the lesson
of his life there may go forth an inspira-
ton that shall lead men onward in de-
fence of the pure principles for which he
fell as a sacrifice.
This is the crowuing act of infdmy of
this neiarious gang. Mr.. Dickinson was
the last leading Republican in county
in which sixty Republicans have been
killed in two years, for no other offenss
than being Republican and IN Office
holder. Has it come to this, that men
are to be shot down in the public streets
because of their political opinions. This
to be sure is but one out of more than a
thousand northern men In the South who
have thus fallen victims to the accursed
spirit of those fiends in human shape.
These men emigrated to the South to be-
come permanent citizens and identify
themselves with it's fortunes and the in
terests of the people, for the quiet pursuit
Of business, and instead of availipg them.
selves of their enterprise and industry to
restore their broken communities, while
in measure they met them as gentle
men, aud offered them no open insult, yet
simply because they differ from them on
political subjects, under the cover OF the
night, disguised in fantastic garbs, they
assassinate their neighbor and their
friend, and strike him down in death.
Such conduct has no parallel in all
human history. 1t is a shame to free
republic that it has not long since been
put to silence by an armed force Some
body is responsible, and great degree of
guilt rests upon their siders and abettors
at the North, the Democratic party, who
have, through their press, from the
stump, and in the very citadel Of the
nation, the balls of Congress, endea-
vored to palliats these offences and make
light of murder, by saying, in haunting
manner, these men are only "Carpet
Baggers' and have no business there.
No business there2 Tell US not that a
peaceable citizen has no business in any
civilized community in this free broad
land. This argument will not weigh
with the American people, even il backed
by the utterances of powerful political
party. Ten thousand Southern men are
to day settled in homes at the North.
quietly pursuing their daily occupations.
and who dares to say they have no right
l..