New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-12
SH0EGTN DENPOTLSN.


potism of rife-cubs and mob-law is now
| brought to the serious consideration of Green
back and Independent voters. The recent out
| RACES in Mississippi were not peTpetrated for
! the suppression of Radicalism or Republicanism
of any type. Mr.. Dixon, the candidate who
was forced to retire in Yazoo County, was a
! Democrat and formerly a Confederate sol
der, and had been more active than any other
man of that county in suppTesslng Republican,
ism. His crime was Independence. 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 wee employed not long ago to crush
out RepubliCaniSm, are now raised to destroy
independent movements and National or
Greenback organizations. The COrRH Record,
quoted yesterday, declares that the inaugu-
"ratiOn of the independence reenback part"
must be " thwarted and punished. We must
"ar0use from our lethargy, and if necessary
to the success and vlndication of the Demo
cratic paIty-the great party of the people
"resort to desperate measures. Arm
q for the conflict, and wage the war to the
" hitter end. Let our battle-cry be
death to the traitors and enemies of our
"people. Dixon, Vasser, and their
"horud crew of demagogues, are more dan
gerous enemies to the liberties of our people
" than the worst leaders that ever marshaled
" the hosts of Radicalism in our midst" This
is but a sample of declarations which appear
in Democratic papers, not only in all parts of
Mississippi. but wherever the Solid South
finds its solidity threatened by Greenback or
Independent movements.
Unfortunately, past events forbid us to be-
ieye that these threats are to be taken
in a Pickwickian sense. Altogether too
many men have been shot, stabbed, or
whipped to death. 1t has come to be
well known that the Democrats 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 Democratic 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 thing to which Republicans
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 a seat was
that their supporters had been active and eff
fcient assassins. The Greenback voters and
the Independent journals have refused to re-
gard the massacre or bulldozing of political
opponents by the Democrats at the South as
an important feature in our National affairs.
Perhaps they will begin to have more just
views of the matter, since the victims of this
most infamous of all despOtismS happen at
present to be men Of their own faith. The
Republican party has denounced mOb-rule and
political assassination, not merely because Re
publcans suffered, but because it is treason
to the Republic. Self-government cannot ex-
Ist where these things are tolerated. Free
institutions are a mockery and elections are
frauds when band of armed men can force
candidates to withdraw, brighten voters from
the polls and make their will supreme. But that
is the Solid South it is war against free gov
eminent Of every sort. The Greenback and In
dependent voters of the North, sooner or later,
will be compelled to realize that no question
of public policy whatever, whether financial
or political, can be intelhgenty 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 debating ethics or moral science, or
the most economical mode Of conducting u
fire department when the house Is on fire.
Put out the fire first stamp ont tins rcsis-
lance to law aud 10 the just restraints of irce
government; aud we can then consider in
safety what principles deserve the sufragcs
of a free people. The Greenback notions we
hold utterly mistaken and mischleyous; but
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