The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-08-07
Mississippi Freed ON.


says 'it requires no prophet to foretell that
we shall imbitter the people of the northern
states, and make them ''solid'' against us,
and that the laboring class of that and neigh
boring communities. will leave en- masse for
any where out of the state. The emigrants
from this state will find the river full of
steamboats, to carry the m away. The fertile
plantations of the Mississippi will be given
over to the occupancy Of briars and wasting
gullies, and the still more magnificent plan
tations of the Yazoo and Mississippi bottoms
will be retained to the dominion of alligators
moccasins and owls, and the still more de-
vastating inundation."
Last Friday riot occurred in Yazoo city,
which from all accounts seems to have been
entirely unpro voked and without shadow of
excuse. The Independent candidate for sher-
if, q man by the name of Dixon, was 5esieged
at his house by lawless mob, and made to re-
nounce his candidacy, under penalty Of for
feiting his life.
Recently an Independent party came into
existence in that county, in opposition to
new party is said to have embraced from a
fourth to a third of the old white population,
| all heretofore Democrats, the white republi-
cans having long ago been driven from the
county or compelled to keep quiet. The In
dependents were supported by a large ma
jority of the negroes, but its leaders and d.
rectors comprised the very best element of the
white population, lawyers, planters, mer-
chants, and businessmen generally. The
pronounced leader of the independent move
ment was Capt. H. NJ Dixon, confederate
soldier, who has since the war been promi-
nent planter Of Yazoo county and always
Democrat. He is a man esteemed among
those who know him for his courage, sobriety
and liberalty. In 1875 he took such a prom
inent part in removing repubica MS from Of
fee and installing democrats in their places,
that his party testified its appreciation of
his services by presenting him with solid
silver pitcher, elegantly engraved with the
following inscription ''To the bravest of the
brave, Captain Henry NJ. Dixon. Presented
to him by his Dem ocratic fellow-citizens of
Yazoo county as an humble testimonial OF
the high appreciation of his brilliant services
in the redemption of the county from Radi-
cal rule in 1876" No other testimonial was
presented to any man in Yazoo, or any 9TH
er county in Mississippi.
1t was on the 23d of June of this year that
the Democrats held their nominating COZ
vention and placed full tt cket in the field, |
all Of whom reside in the city, thus ignoring |
the more populous, weather. and equally |
deserving villages and rural sections of the |
country.
Dixon had been announced for over two |
months as candidate for sheriff, subject only |
as the announcement read ''to the will of
the people at the ballot box" From that
day forward the democrats commenced to
organize throughout the country, not into
campaign club, but into regular armed mill
tary organizations. When the registration
of voters commenced these military compa
MES began their respective tours of ''inspec-
ton" around the places of registration for
the purpose of over.awing and intimidating
voters. 1t was, however, very difficult to
over-awe and intimidate Dixon and such
other whites as supported the Independent
movement. And the armed and organized
mob which waited on Dixon on the 25th
would have been unsuccessful had Dixon
and his friends not been satisfied that in the
event of trouble, the power of every depart
ment of the government would have been
thrown over them and against the mob.
With the colored people it was very different.
AS rule, they are, non-combatants, especial
ly as against white men. Multitudes OF them
were deferred from applying, or if they ap
piled, were driven away from the registra-
ton. Still, it was very manifest that with
the whites and colored, who would inevitably
have registered and voted, Dixon and his
friends would have been overwhelmingly
triumphant.
Nothing, therefore, but to depose him and
drive him from the community, or to murder
him, presented any hope for the regular
Democratic ticket. Early on Friday morn
ing, the 25th, armed forces to the number of
about 500 men were assembled, under the
command Of Henry Stubble6eld, Democratic
candidate for sheriff, at the town OF Benton.
Such force could not have been assembled
but by means of an artifice. This was found
in the invention, now universally considered
to have been false, that Dixon was about to
assemble an armed force Of negroes at that
point. Upon the arrival OF the force, it was
formed on both sides of the road near the
village, the officers pretending to be waiting
the approach of the enemy. They had not
to wait long, but when the enemy arrived
in person Of Capt. Dixon, seated in his bug
gy and accompanied by only two friends,
with no arms in sight. the lying stratagem
stood confessed. Every man who was not
party to that lie was seized with disgust, and
nearly 200 of the mob disbanded and return
ed to their homes. Dixon remained for
only half an hour, when he and his two
friends drove back to Xazoo City, and he
returned to his family.
Very soon the remainder of this valiant l
army numbering about 300, followed him
into the city, and, forming in the street, de-
tailed a squad OF six, who under instructions |
of their leaders, went to Dixon and demand I
ed that he should leave the county, under an
armed escort, within twenty four hours, and ,
never return. or take the consequences. ,
This he refused to do,and they then demand
ed that he should renounce his candidacy,
and he finally consented. Similar honors
were paid also to Mr.. Bell, Independent can.
didate for clerk, with similar result.
Let it not be supposed that Mr.. DIXON :
himself, or any of his Immediate friends
were at any time touched with personal fear
Of this valiant host OF 800 against 8. The
odds in the courage Of the depressing forces
dissipate al! disparity in numbers. It was
not until parley of six hours had been in
dulged, and the gallant young Mayor, J. H.
Holt. nQminae of the Yazno Dapnoaraox for L b