Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-09-05
The YaIOO Murder.

The barbarity Of the Dixon murder in va
200 county Miss, is in no way lessened by
more detailed accounts of it, for it is shown
to have been simply the eliminating act of a
series of political prosecutions. 1t is not
case in which sentimental feelings can be
aroused, or one in which the Republican par
ty has Il sorrowful interest, for it is removed
from the BLOODY shirt" category by the fact
that Capt. Dixon was an anti-carpet- Dagger
of the most pronounced type, and as late as
1910, was at the head of band of night riot
ers, who made the country too hot to hold
those seeking political preferment, who were
not native, and TO the manor born. He was
an extreme believer in the right of the South
to be represented by her own citizens and,
rs need hardly be said, was an outspokcn
southern Democrat He believed, just rs his
folow-ctizcns profess to, that one party was
all that was needed but he seems to have
differed with them in thinking Chat a certain
small representation on the local ticket should
be given to class of voters who were nu-
merically in the majority, that is, the negroes.
The running out of the carpetbaggers was
agreed and executed on an understanding
that, when the country was wholly cleared Of
these disturbing elements, the meagre justice
of "A candidate or two of their own race
should be accorded to the colored voters, the
white electors, of COURSE making the nomin-
alton.
Dixon's dissension seems to have arisen
from the failure Of the party leaders to carry
ont this compact, which was certainly not
unreasonable as far as their party was con-
cerncd. by thus severing himself from the
regular party Dixon did not become n Repub-
hcan. Far from il he was no doubt an Ill
tra-Dcmocrt on all national matters, as he
had been when he was roasting the Radicals
out of Mississippi. The county political
movement, of which he became the head,
was styled Independent and was in Nazoo,
just as il has been in other parts Of the
South, the protest of the more liberal wing
of the Democratic party against the dictatori-
al and usurpatious course of certain partisan
leaders. 1t was a quarrel inside the party,
iii which Republicans, as such, were in no
way connected No doubt the white and
black Republicans of the South will be found
voting for the tickets prepared by the dis
senters, Just as the Democrats, seven years
ago, supported the nominee Of the Liberal
Republican presidential convention at Gin
cinnat but the fight. in its main principles
was, and Is, an inter party one. II will thus
be seen that none of the old excuses made for
KukluN outragcs will apply to this new spe-
cies of intimidation TO make out case of
cold-blooded and cowardly political assassin
alton against the Democrats Of Yazoo county
it is only necessary to connect them with
their instrument the fanatical Barksdale
This seems to have been done by the adnis-
sion of several persons. The murderer was
posted, for the purpose of waylaying his vic
tim, in the store of the chairman of the Dem
ocntic county committee DIR. Mccormick,
while number Of his friends were armed
and stationed at convenient distances from
the place selected for the tragedy for the
purpose of preventing IL possible failure in
the Milan Whether N ~ Iiynu Gr.1 frat IL
a matter of small moment for he could hard
ly fail to see that he was entrapped. and a
man OF his daring disposition would be very
likely TO do what he could in retaliation. 1t
is, however, noteworthy that the buckshots
which cost him his life were received in the
back which would hardly indicate, when it
is considered that Barksdale only fired twice,
a very deadly opposition.
The Nicksburg Herald says that Dixon had
used violent and abusive language in refer
ence to large number of the white people
Of Yazoo City. and that many of them were
so incensed against him that his doom was
sealed, and that, even If Barksdale had not
killed him, some one else certainly would
have done so. All of which. when put into
plain English, means, that, if political
speaker in heated canvass uses strong Ian
guagr IN dtnouncing his party opponents,
thu batter have no recourse but to assassinate
MN. we ri lht norm may consider our
selves fortunate that We live in section of
the country where such political ethics are
discrodtcd. A thorough fulflment of them
during our last State campaign would have
sent down to Hadcs many active men from
Denis kcarncy upward Dcuunciatiou &C
composites very little when falsely applied,
aud We imagine that those Southerners who
are 80 sensitive under ii have not always been
scrupulouSly impartial in speech. The Dix
on murder is likely to find its way into ma
tional politics rs AN indication of Southern
feeling. This year and next year the sober,
hw-abdng citizens Of our Northern States
will be asked to decide on the ACCESSIBILITY of
placing the control Of our national govern
ment IN the care of II party which is strongly
moved 10y Southern sentiments. Are they TO
be considered intolerant, it, judging of the
South by this political murder, they refuse to
trust their freedom to the party which she
represents