The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-08-16
rup YAzOO AFFAIR,
-. True Inwardnoss Explained.

Yazoo county, and to persuade all the news
papers to come down "like thousand Oh
brick" upon the late Yazoo movement
We are sorry that the Herald is inconsoi~
ohlo. still we cannot find it i'll our hearts
or in our sense of duty to rise up IN Juag'
ment against a people whose unfortunate
situation and surroundings compelled 'hen
N choose between two evils. In any case,
MA oonld not do this with clear con-
science without at least taking into the ao"
count the palliating circumstances OF inc
case Our sense of right would compel a
fair consideration of the causes which inns
PEELED the action
The COMET is rs far from endorsing
bulldozery as the Herald can be, and mas
as little sympathy for partizan violence as
that paper can possibly show. But the
case of Yazoo is exceptional. The people
there--we mean the law-abiding white PEG"
nle-saw themselves menaced by an outlaw,
welding vast ignorant mob, srouslng
their passions, rekindling the fires OF their
hate stirring up bitter antagonisms, ana
opening the way TO anarchy and an ineV'@
table clash of races. They saw that the
dreful issue was certain to come under this
miscellaneous and lawless training-that they
would. sooner or later, be compelled to
meet violence with violence, and either
maintain the mastery Of the good and law
abiding citizens by force of arms, or SUD
NIT to the mastership of a brutal MOP lea
by an INSCRIPTIONS and vindictive bull
dozer who does not hesitate to announce
his readiness to pack jury to acqult a
friend, aud who, perhaps, if all accounts
Of him are true, would not scruple to put
an important witness in criminal trial out
of the way--a man said to be covered up
with indictments and charges for homicldes
and attempted killings, and who Is openly
published for distinguishing himself IN the
dark DAYS of 1878 as the chief rope-bearer
for hanging niggers'
If the issue had to comeit certain tur-
| DllkeDL ana VluuICtlNS IAAOh WShS NNSsS~
to force it-then it had to be met, and the
sooner the better. Would the good people
of Yazoo wait until the Observation-Disclosures
had matured their plans OF hostility, Or
psnized their forces, and entrenched them
selves in their strong-holds, before they
acted? Or, would they, when the necessity
for action was made manifest, oct prompt
". act at once, and effectually, and thus de-
strov the power of the strife>breeders
before thew had time to work up the satur-
MALTA that would drench the county IN bloodr
It is too much to ask law abiding mon to
invite anarchy, or to submit to the rule OF
vicious outlawry. II is too much TO expec'
} them to stand with folded arms and quietly
mark the subversion of their civilization,
the perversion of their tribunals OF law
and machinery of government, and the
destruction of their property, peace, and
hopes for the future.
This Yazoo trouble is not merely po'
Gtical episode 1t is monstrous lnlustlce
J to that people to thus present it. There If
t something, we fear, immensely deeper anc
} more startling than that il it. II 1t nae
0 been the mere ebulition of party animosity
4 prompted by nothing more than the deslr'
: to remove a political opponent out OF TIL
C race for Office, we could not find one wore
o of naliation or excuse for it. But that wa
: not the handspring OF the eztraordinar.
a movement on the 18th of July Tina
movement was inspired by the instinct o
self reservation--the same instinct tina
would prompt q man to pull down his gun
y if he had one, upon the assassin whom N
Z saw stealthily creeping upon him with tn
u cleaning knife in his hand and the deadl.
purpose III his eye.
1t is preposterous to suppose that larg
i and peaceful community of honest peopl
like those of Yazoo county-a people as ia
- advanced in civilization and intelligence
~ and as ready to conform to lawful author
ity as those of any county in the Unite
States would quietly consent to aurrende
:, their county government and their dastln
! TO the hands of turbulent, lawless ant
hitter enemy, with an immense hord
of infatuated savages at his back. And
there is an element in that county ready
rally to the standard Of such an outlaw, an
~ do his bidding, it means mischief to ii
=. better classes, it amounts to conspirat
against society and law, and must be
/, met and treated. II may force upon goo
- and true men painful choice Of evils
that of destroying or being destroyed,
" We do not blame men for wanting ofhc
~ and we recognize their full right to see
IL Office, and we are unqualifedly Oppose
'io toanv interference whatever with this rlgh
al But the right to run for office does
carry with it the right to destroy the pea
l" of community. A highwayman and mu
derer cannot come into county, nnnoun'
himself as an independent candidate +
o. Office. and thus obtain immunity for plyll
az his vocation, The cloak of candldatu
he gives him no right to overturn society al
ld provoke a war between classea ana if he
is checked and made to stop his mad and d
tic slructive career, it cannot be truthfnlly sa
on that politics did ii.
lot If the so-called Independents Of Yaz'
nd want to reform the politics of that count
and change the rule there, let them put
led men who have character for peace, integr
bly, and devotion TO law, and not those who
lpt VIGOROUSLY dangerous to the peace of
The county. and whose administration would
lev a standing menace TO law and order
The then conduct their canvass in a spirit
IN frankness and fairness themselves. If Il
will do this, we venture to say they