Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-08-18
THE SOUTHERN IDEA.

We cannot do better than to refer to- it |
again for the purpose Of illustrating to
our readers the difference between the |
political freedom upon which American |
civilization is based and the mob rule |
here and there developed in the southern |
states. 1t seems that in Yazoo county |
a canvass was in progress for the elec-
ton of sheriff. The Democratic candi- |
date was man named Stubblefeld. The
Republicans did not nominate, but a
we'll known citizen. Capt. H. M. Dixon,
announced himself as an independent
candidate. The canvass proceeded, and
Capt Dixon seemed in fair way to be
elected by getting part of the white and
nearly all the colored vote. When this
became apparent, according to the SIM
pie narrative in the Yazoo City Herald,
A"the best men of the county-the mer-
chants, the planters, the farmers and
those engaged in other occupations
gathered together in town to the number
of several hundred, and, considering, as
they did, that the longer continuance of
the Independent party in Yazoo was
detrimental in the highest degree to the
interests of the county, seeing race Is
sue had arisen in consequence of it, a
committee was appointed to wait upon
Capt H. M. Dixon, the head of the in
dependent movement in this county, and
requested him to retire from the can
vass. The ''request'' was accompanied
by threats of death if he refused to COM
ply, but Capt. Dixon at first refused,
giving reason s, says the Yazoo Herald,
(which were not deemed satisfactory to
the great assembly of earnest, determined
men," He finally consented to quit the
canvass forever, and the able editor of
the Yazoo Herald rejoiced, saying: $50
the political canvass in this county may
| be considered at an end. The Demo-
cratic flag now waves over this glorious
old county uncontaminated and unchal-
lenged, and long may it wave" Is it
possibly that the southern people--any
considerable number of them-the ''best
men"-the planters, farmers, etc.
so foolish as to believe that single
northing state can be carried to sustain
that sort of political canvass The
Democrats of the North are as much op.
i posed to any invasion of human right:
as are the Republicans. They have ne
respect for any political power but tina
established by the will of the majority
Imagine mob of our "best" people col
Letting together to force the with
drawal of any candidate-no matter hov
humble or how ridiculous The fact is
that we have nothing of this sort through
all the great, growing, populous AM
, prosperous North, and the southern plal
is as offensive to Democrats as to Repub
licans. 1t is for this reason that north
ern Democrat, going South, finds tina
) he cannot affiliate with southern Demo
Gratis, or the southern dominant idea
5 which dehes every sort of liberation, an
r has only one system, repression. An
the South can never prosper until it fol
\ sakes these ways, and accepts the idea
e on which political freedom rests. Sla1
e cry was system of force, and it devel
oped-perhaps made necessary-mea'
\ ures of violence to sustain it. 1t was
b powder magazine. to be guarded frol
o sparks with unceasing vigilance. b.
C slavery has passed away, and its polit
y cal methods are no longer excusabl
d Every person who joined in that mob
J. force Capt. Dixon out of the canvas
d was violator of law and of the spir
l. of the constitution. Worse than tina
If he was wOfully ignorant of the primal
.e truths of free government. 1t som
l. times seems as though the curse of sla
d cry would never leave the South. N
le only do ignorance and intolerance ru
is its politics, but the natural results, pc
eff erty and decay, have set their seal
e. the region SO highly favored by natul
m 1t must grow weaker and poorer as t
ID North grows stronger and richer.
We can never again be dangerous ener
to the Union, for it is constantly q
creasing factor, and is to-day not b;
es so strong in proportion to the North
is it was in 1860. And, still growi
rs poor and weak, it is slow to learn t
at ideas upon which national prospect