National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-08-02
BULL-DoZlNG IN MISSISSIPPI.

We few days since gave place to an
extra from the Yazoo Herald, stating that
the best men in Yazoo County had called
upon II. NJ. DIXON, the Independent candi-
date for Sheriff, and demanded that he
should withdraw from the canvass. The
following circumstantial account Of the
affair, from the Cincinnati Commercial un-
doubtedly gives the true version of it, and
shows that it was n brutal case of Southern
bull-dozing, evncing that the rights of no
man are respected in that State unless he
wears the badge and uniform of Bourbon
ism:
VIcKsBURe, MISS. July 2s-Quite an ex-
tensive riot occurred in Yazoo City, Yazoo
County, on Friday morning, the 25th inst,
some particulars of which were brought here
by the passengers, crew,and others on the Yazoo
packet which arrived this morning. Henry
NJ. Dixon, wel.known citizen of Yazoo
| County, has been for some months an lndcpen-
dent candidate for Sheriff of that county, sup
ported by portion of the whites and large
majority of the negroes, in opposition to Stub.
blefeld, the regular Democratic nominee
An armed mob from all portions of the
county assembled on the street, near BarSs-
dale's store, and sent committee Of six
to demand on behalf of the mob that he should
Immediately quit his canvass and leave the
county or die. lie replied without hesitation
he would not quit. The committee returned to
the mob and reported.
By this time the young Mayor, Joseph II.
Holt, appeared in front of Dixons house with
a gun in his hands, and speaking to the mob,
said: "The Sheriff of this town is with you
"and will do nothing, but |, as Mayor of this
town, will kill the first man who attempts to
cross this threshold"
The mob were for a while appalled, at the
determined and unexpected action. Mean
while the greatest CONSERVATION spread through
out the town. Mr.. Dxon's wife and six small
children were in the house at the time
A parley of six hours was INDUCED, the mob
continuing to increase, when finally Mr.. Dixon
sent out the card which Is included in tho
partisan report of the affair in an extra issued
by the Yazoo City Herald.
Thus were sacrificed at the behests of q
lawless mob " of the best men" of Yazoo
County, the dearest rights Of an American
citizen. Mr.. DIXON had committed the
offence of offering himself to the people oi
his county for their suffrages for the Office
of Sheriff, and he had done so without the
consent or advice of the Democratic party.
This was his grave offence, and for this he
was beset by mob, who gave him to UNI
derstand that unless he withdrew from the
canvas or left the county his death would
pay the forfeit of his refusal, He was be-
leagured by this threatening multitude
while in his own house, surrounded by wife
and children, and he only yielded his rights
and surrendered to the brutal and threaten.
ing crowd to save his own life and his fam.
lily from the dire prosecutions which would
follow their bereavement. What picture
this of the society of Mississippi, where the
public mind is constantly fed upon the sedi.
tious teachings of JEFF DAVIS, SINGLETON
and BARKsDALE, trinity of traitors who
e have already too long cheated the gallows out
of it's dues. 1t appears that this outrage i'm
M ediately followed the appearance of SIN
GLEToN and BARKsDALE in that vicinity
and was, no doubt, the result of their in
elements. What a lesson of reconstruction
paciflcation and loyalty to law and right
this incident teaches. 1t Is Mississippi 10y
alty-respect for the law and regard for
the rights of citizenship, 1t shows wha
desperate and unprincipled characters seel
and enjoy the honors of position and tn
emoluments of place in that brutal, barbar
Gus and bloody State. Is it n Republican
. form of government, under which sucl
f scenes of wrong and outrage can be enacte
e with impunity? 1t would be well enoug
= for the law officer of the Government to ex
1 anime that clause of the Constitution whic
guarantees TO each State in the Union Re
publican form of government, and see !
S the bill il filed when such assault
1 upon the dearest rights of citi
J., zenship are made in open day, and violence
usurps the functions of law with no alter
: native but submission or death. 1t woul
seem that If the landmarks of civilization
are to give way to barbarism, and the lay
: of right is forced to yield to the bohosts @
/ an impassioned and brutal mob, in Missis
sppi, or any other State in tho UnioI