The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-04-11


The Rutland Herald of Friday has the
following with regard to the death of
John Q. Dickinson who graduated from
Middlebury College in 1850, classmate
of our townsmen the Messrs. j. b. and
G. G.. Steele and well known in this
place.
On Thursday morning we received the
following telegram:
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA,
April 9th, 1871,
John Q. Dickinson of Marianne, Clerk
of the District Court, and Republican
leader of West Florida, was assassinated
by the u.Klux-Klan on Monday night
last in the streets of that town. Forward
to the Postmaster at Benson.
w. j. PURMAN.
John @. Dickinson was native of
Benson, son of Isaac Dickinson ESQ, Of
Benson He was educated at the Troy
Conference Academy, at Poultney, and
gave early promise of ability and enter
prise. In 1861 he was the Montpelier cor
respondent 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 pecu-
liarities of the members of both houses,
condensation of the proceedings and criti-
cisms 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. L. V. N. Hitch.
cock, and was elected first Lieutenant
and for a time acted as Post Quarter
master. After being mustered out he re-
turned to the South locating in Marianne,
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 notice of his admission to the
bar. He was Secretary Of the Senate Of
f Florida and Clerk of the Superior Court.
r He had attained wide influence in the
, political circles in the State Of his adop.
, ton, and was the acknowledged leader Of
, the Republicans in Western Florida. He
was a man of marked ability and perse.
vering in every work in which he engag.
=, ed.
He leaves large circle of personal
friends IN Vermont and elsewhere, who
will receive the intelligence of his sad
: fate with sorrow. He was about 80 years
D of age. We have none of the particu
lars of his death, but shall be enabled to
o Law them before our readers at an early
|. date.
t A later dispatch reads as follows.
e "TALLAHAssE, Florida, April 7tb.
< John Q. Dickinson is dead. He wa
: instantly killed by an assassin. He fel
J. near his house while returning from hi
t Office at nine o'clock at night. His body
n will receive public funeral in Jackson
Y vile, Florida, on Tuesday next.
d IN. j. Purman."
y About two years ago when several o
II his friends had fallen or been ill-treate'
r by this same nefarious organization, hi
e wrote these prophetic words:
81 wish to put on record the fact tina
my political action in this State has bee
- upright and honorable, and that l do no
regret single step that have taken
/. and that while many citizens Of this coun
!; - ty have bitter political hate for me,
70 believe and know that not one of then
~ entertain personal dislike or want Q
~ respect for me, and I kare no ambitio
y to fill a more honorable s~~oe ina" eno
,e -r,-.sJ..s 10 rfy,n rec
=, though everybody else thinks it acronq.
The Herald very truly adds: Sue
a conduct has no parallel in all human his
y. tory. 1t is a shame to free republi
" that it had not long since been put t
silence by an armed force. Somebody
It responsible, and a great degree of gull
II rests upon their aiders and abetters at tn
l. North, the Democratic party, who en-
n deavor through their press, from tn
b stump, and in the very citadel of the ma
re ton, the halls of Congress, have endea
II vored to ralliate these offences and max
s light of murder, by saying, in tauntinI
l" manner, these men are only "Carpe
&c Baggers" and have no business there. N,
l. business there Tell US not that peace
s. able citizen has no business in any civiliz
1T ed community in this free broad land.
: This argument will not weigh with tn,
e American people, even if backed by tn
y uttsrances Of powerful political party
d Ten thousand Southern men are day I,
settled in homes at the North, quietl
pursuing their daily occupations, and VIII
a dares to say they have no right in New
10 England? Who has ever disturbed on
i. of them, and are they not protected in al
t. their rights of property and person, ant
is in the pursuit of happiness. Men VIII
'e talk fippantly and lightly of the murde
% Of Northern men in the South, shout,
make the contrast and make the appli
IT cation. -----
~ France.