Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-08-22
ahot.gnn Despotiarl.

IL IS fortunate tOr bnO country Jnab bue
despotism of the riHe-clubs and mob
law is now brought TO the serious con-
sideration of Greenback and Jndepend-
ent voters. The recent 0utragBs In
Mississippi were not perpetf..ted for
the suppression of Radicallsm or Re-
publicanism of any type. Mr. Dixon,
the candidate who was forced to retire |
in Yazoo County, was Democrat, and
formerly Confederate soldier, and
had been more active than any other |
man of that county in suppressing Re- |
publicanism. His crime was inde- |
pendence. His friends, who embrace |
many of the most intelligent and worthy |
citizens of the county, were Democrats |
also, but Independents. All over that
and other States at the South, the same |
weapons which were employed not long
ago to crush out Repubicanism, are
now raised to destroy Independent
movements and National or Greenback
organizations. The Corinth Record,
quoted yesterday, declares that the
inauguration of the Independent-Gr Green
back party must be " thwarted and
punished We must arouse from our
lethargy. and if necessary to the sue
party-the great party of the people
resort to desperate measures.
Arm for the conflict, and wage the war
to the bitter end. Let our
battle-cry be death to the traitors and
enemies of our people. Dixon,
Vasser, and their horrid crew of dema-
gogues, are more dangerous enemies to
the liberties of our people than the
worst leaders that ever marshaled the
hosts of Radicalism in our midst"
This is but sample of declarations
which appear in Democratic papers,
not only in all parts of Mississippi, but
wherever the Solid South finds its 500
lidity threatened by Greenback or Inde-
pendent movements.
Unfortunately, past events forbid us
to believe that these threats are to be
taken in a Pickwickian sense. Alto
gether too many men have been shot,
stabbed or whipped to death. 1t has
come to be we'll known that the Demo-
Gratis of the Solid South do kill people
who do not agree with them. They
talk fairly, as Mr.. Lamar has done.
They promise profusely, as Governors
Hampton and Nichols promised. But
when they promise freedom, they mean
freedom to vote the regular Demo-
cratic ticket or be killed. When they
talk of " death to traitors" they mean
assassination for those who stand in the
way of Democratic success.
The Greenback and Independent
voters have been much inclined to treat
this Southern despotism of the rifle and
the mob as a thing to which Republic
ans only object. To their disgrace, it
is true that men of other parties have
not objected. Greenback votes have
been given in Congress to seat men
whose only claim to seat was that
their supporters had been active and
efficient assassins. The Greenback
voters and the Independent journals
have refused to regard the massacre or
bulldozing of political opponents by
the Democrats at the South as an I'M
porUanu feature Ill our Nauonl dnalrs.
Perhaps they will begin to have more
Just views of the matter, since the vic"
tins of this most infamous of all des-
potisms happen ut present to be men OF
their own faith. The Republican party
has denounced mob-rule and political
assassination, not merely because Re-
publicans suffered, but because it is
treason to the Republic. Self-govern-
ment cannot exist where these things
are tolerated. Free institutions are a
mockery and elections are frauds when
band of armed men can force candi-
dates to withdraw, frighten voters from
the polls, and make their will supreme.
But that is the Solid South; it is war
against free government of every sort.
nd I'M
of the North, sooner or later, will be
compelled to realize that no question OF
public policy whatever, whether imam
cial or political, can be intelligently
discussed and freely decided, until the
Southern type of Democracy has been
stamped out. Before we discuss how a
free government ought to be conducted
we must first make sure that we have a
| free government. Men do not spend
time in dabating ethics, or moral
science, or the most economical mode
of conducting a fire department. when
| the house is on fire.
Put out the fire first; stamp out this
resistance to law and to the just re-
straints of free government; and we can
then consider in safety what principles
deserve the suffrages of free people.
The Greenback notions we hold utterly
mistaken and mischievous; but this is q
free country. The Greenback orator
or candidate is just as much entitled tC
protection as the Democratic or Repub
iican. There must be an end of shot
gun despotism in this country; that il
the first necessity. Then if people wisf
to vote for or against Greenback theo
ries, they can do so in peace and free
dom. 1t is disgrace to Greenbacl
and Independent members of Congress
that so many of them voted with the
rihe-club Democracy for the repeal o
election laws, the crippling of Fedora
Courts, and the removal of all restrain
from the lawless and revolutionary De
mocracy. The Democratic party makes
war upon free institutions at the SOutl
by force and in Northern cities by fraud
and it ought to be the first duty of al
citizens who care for free government
to meet and defeat that assault. Unit
the shotgun party has been stampe'
out, as a civilized community would pu
out fire or pestilence, there is littl
use in debating how the Government
ought to be conducted Y. Tribune
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