The Osceola times., 1874-12-12

he fcsponslUie uutics vi '"e ""' Wy
he leading citizens aud tax'pay' Ts
If yicksburg held u c"nssl'au Or
Ind appointed COMMITTEES to watt
anon the Sheriff and request hirS
to resign. This they did, and
handed has rcsgsa,ion
xi,h.ut murmsr. The next
thing heard, was that one Cardozs
a foreer, n thief and penitentiary
csnvict, who 10 mula,to and
sort Of leader among the b.
issued the following pr ~
msr,o with tho Sheriff, n.,
,ached to it:
CITIZENS OF W .snsS r,orxr,
Republicans black And white.
una"r protest ! haze been com
pc''.ed 10 rcsige my Office of shcrltl.
/, ia justice - myself, my friends, to
the party TO which, by The dictate,
OF reason and by the instinct OF
selfpressrvntion, / naturally be.
long--l must explain tas outrage,
which in tho face ot law and in
open violation of tic constitution, !
have been forced to submit. In
view of the confidence and trust
You have reposed in me, laval
myself of the earliest opportunity
" assure yon iha! my resignation
was only ransed by tompuision-
the result Of base coercion Oh tho
part af an armed mob oi the most
bitter and relentless OF our enemies.
1t was useless to resist under the
circumstance. Islood alone, single
and unarmed, in the midst of SIX
hundred of the most determined
and heartless political banditti tl.a,
ever disturbed the peace of any
community and by which rutfians
was Commanded to resign my
office. | mad no alternative but
death. No one will question the
peril OF my position. ! do not
write this simply to elicit sympa-
thy, nor do l do SO to justify the
step | took only STATE the facts,
they speak ior me-. 10 stubbornly
refuse 10 comply with their COM
mand, who will question the result
The bloodstalned record Of this
abominxble party is too we'll known
to the people OF the country, to tho
world, for the result 10 be IL matter
of doubt. 1t has no parallel in
history. l yielded, | resigned, to
whom! lOa court OF competent
jurisdiction! No, To mob law.
But no well.rcgu!atvd court IN the
country would or could suppot, 1t.
The act WAS plainly illegal; f; viewed
in the light Of u contract, Il /. ro;d,
tor any one familiar with Common
law will know that any contract
into which coercion enters Is void,
and this forced resignation Of mine
is certainly in the character OF y
contract, and no one will doubt
the coercion when ! state that ]
openly ret4sed TO resign before the
committee that was sent to mc-
most empha,ically y refused. While,
therefore, by force si circum.
stances, ] have been compelled to
resign, l do here most solemnly
pledge myself 10 contest this most
unJustltiabie and illegal usurp. ..t,On
vi my office by the persons ho
have deposrd me. enter my
most solemn protest against the
whole proceeding For what am |
charged ! What otense have !
committed that should be thus
Gated? Is il because | am N
Republican! Because | have,
since my torn OF office, tried to
deal out Justice equally to ally No
more. challenge ANY Of my ma
llcieus enemies to prefer y charge
OF iishorcsty, supported by owl
dence, against me. ! have always
tried faithfully to fulfill the duties
OF my Office in accordance with The
requirements OF the Law, doing
Justice to all. For the ramr, now
appeal to oil fair minded men, |
earnestly call tor the support OF
my irisuds, Shall ! call in yam !?
think not. We have joined issue,
now let us fight the cause out on
It's merits, by any and all means
known to the constitution aud laws
of the State. Citizens, shall we
submit TO such violent aud imwless
iniringemenls on our rightsy No.
Let us with united strength oppose
tins common enemy, who, by all
the base subtrriuges OF political
,ricksters, and the audacious mem
|, dncity OF heartless barbarians, are
trying to ruin the prospects and
tarnish the reputation OF every
Republican, colored or white, who
asrires to ill any Office Of promin.
: ence, and who are daily deiying
, the constituted powers Of the law,
and insulting those charged with