Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-13

| IfhE AU.KLUX.KLAN
A VermOnter AssasSinated
John @. Dickinson, ESQ.,, Prob
ably Killed. .
On Thursday morning we received the
following telegram:
TALLAHAssE, FLORIDA, !
April 9th, 1871, !
John @. Dickinson of Marianne, Clerk
of the District Court and Republican
leader of West Florida, was assassinsted
by the Ku-Klux- Klan on Monday night
last in the streets of that town. Forward
to the Postmaster at Benson.
W. PURMAN.
This brings the dastardly outrages OF
this damnable khan directly heme to the
people of Vermont, and especially to the
people of Rutland county, where Mr..
Dickinson was we'll known. We have
read with horror the terrible deeds of this
secret band of murderers, and shuddered
at the recital, and wondered why these
gross outrages were longer permitted by
the President and Congress. Now Yer
mont has a personal interest to avenge
the probable murder of one of her talent
ed, brave, heroic sons, who after service in
defense of the government, has fallen q
victim to the hellish spirit that formed
the under swell of the rebellion.
This last deed will arouse the spirit
of the Green Mountain boys to avenge
the death of their brother. If need be
the President has only to sound the
tocsin and from our mountains and val
leys there will come forth with alacrity
to the standard a brave host, who will
assist in suppressing this murderous crew,
who with the assassin's blow strike down
men for their political opinions and Of
fences. Yea exterminate them from the
land. Why should Congress longer hest
tate or stop to cavil over particular forms
or methods of getting at this matter, let
them accept the spirit of the measure
proposed by Gen. Butler, giving the
President power to suppress this second
rebellion, and no longer stand quiet while
loyal men are being stricken down on
every hand throughout the South. Let
us have some indications that mean busi-
ness with these assassins. The spirit
evinced by the Ku-Klux is butt supple
ment of the spirit that was in the heart of
]. Wilkes Booth, when he murdered the
martyr, Lincoln, and he shouted, Sic
'Semper Uranus, and fed from the
theatre. Let the people arouse and de-
mand of Congress some action.
John @. Dickinson was a native of Ben
son, son of Isaac Dickinson, Esq. He was
educated at Troy Conference Academy, at
Poultney, and Middlebury College, and
gave early promise of ability and enterprise
In 1851 he was the Montpelier correspond.
ent of the HERALD, proving himself one
of the readiest and spiciest writers that
ever penned letters from the capital. His
ready wit and local hits at the peculiari-
ties of the members of both houses, con-
densation of the proceedings and criticisms
of pending measures, attracted large
attention among the members, and were
widely copied by the State press. His
letters from the field during the war
evinced more than ordinary descriptive
powers, and our columns have frequently
contained contributions since his residence
at the South.
He enlisted in Company G, Seventh
Vermont Regiment, Capt. E. V. n. Hitch
cock, and Was elected first Lieutenant
and for time acted as Post Quarter
master. After being mustered out he re-
turned to the South, locating in Mariana,
Florida, where he has since resided. He
has been engaged in various pursuits, in
the meanwhile studying law. On Tues
day we received paper from him which
contained a notice of his admission to the
bar. He was Secretary of the Senate of
Florida and Clerk of the Superior Court.
He had attained wide influence in the
political circles in the State of his adop-
tiop, ond was the acknowledged leader of
the Republicans in Western Florida. He
was man of marked ability and perse-
vering in every work in which he en-
gagged.
He leaves large circle of personal
frien ds in Vermont and elsewhere, who
will receive the intelligence of his cad
fate with sorrow. He was about 80 years
of age. We have none of the particulars
of his death, but shall be enabled to lay
them before our readers at An early date.
ANNIVERSARY SERMoN.-On Sabbath