Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-08
FRIDAY. AUGUST 8, 1879.
POLITICAL INTOLERANCE IN
THE SOUTH.

We had hoped to see moro uni
versal denunciation in the Southern
press, of the outrage in Yazoo
City, Mississippi, by which 81. Nj.
Dixon, an Independent candidate
for Sheriff, was forced to withdraw
from the canvass because he was an
Independent. He was forced by
Democratic mob to desist from OPP
posing the regular Democratic can
didate. The outrage has created
profound impression throug bout the
North, and will not add to the
strength of the party in that section.
Every one at the North knows
that the Democratic party at the
North is only a tail to the solid
South kite. We have always
charged intolerance against the
Southern Democratic leaders, and
time proves the correctness Of our
position. IF the Democratic news
papers of this section had raised
their voice against this Yazoo City
and similar outrages, it would have
been a point in their favor, but We
do not remember to have seen a
single word of condemnation in any
Southern newspaper. The New
York Times discusses the question
as follows:
"In periods of political excitement
1t is not always just to hold a party
accountable for every act of intimida-
ton and violence that may be perpe~
trated in its name. Injustice may also
be done to a community by hasty
judgment on the character of outrages
which local authority was unable, or
indisposed, to prevent. In either case,
however, the test to be applied is sim
Die. A party absolves itself of the re-
sponsibility when it promptly dis
claims the criminal acls, repudiates
their authors, and az far as possible
makes atonement to the sufferers.
from culpability when it demands the
punishment of the offenders, ire
spective of partisan alliances, and
guarantees to the person wronged all
the protection they require. The
Moth waits to see how far either
of these excul patoTy methods will
be carried. Many days have
elapsed since the occurrence OF
the outrage. To this hour. the leaders
and managers of the Democratic party
in Mississippi have neither disclalmed
the action of the mob nor in any way
sought to undo the wrong done Mr..
Dixon. 1t is known to the credit of
Mr.. Holt, the Mayor of Yazoo City
and q candidate On the regular
Democratic ticket, that, siugle-handed
ne tried to hold the mob in check;
but, with this exception, the proceed
ings were Wlnked at by the regular
leaders, who have since exerted them
selves TO shield the rutfians whom
they should have been the first to pun
ish. Not word has been heard from
them condemnatOry OF the rioting or
of the attack upon the leading hide
pendent candidate in which il culmi.
mated. They have not disclaimed the
proscriptive policy nor made single
overture to the Independents with
reference to the future of the canvass
The terrorism and violence that have
been systematizsd as means of sup.
pressing opposition to the Dem Ocracy
are still depended on to give the party
the majority it wants. Unless the
Democrats in other parts of the s att
reDudiate the doings of their brethren
in YaZoo county, the inference will
be that the notorious Mississippi plan
heretofore employed exclusively
against Republicans, is now to be di
rected against every organization, anC
every man, that does not accept the
nominees of the Democratic party.
stThe next question is, will the com
munity, as distinguished from tht
Democratic leaders and the Democrat
ic mob, look on silently while grea
outrage is mmitted, and make NJ
effort to set the machinery of justics
in motion? Among the independently
are many men whose position anG
personal courage forbid the supposi
ton that they will quietly succumb to
the threats of mob. Documents al
ready published show that they seeE
the help OF law, not only for the Ell.
foroement of their rights AS voters
but to lessen the danger to which lif,
and property are still exposed. Thu
tone of their communication to Judg
Morris is not encouraging. II indi
Gates hopelessness, not to say despair
And the Judges reply is equally un
favorable. Practically he writes
sour laws upon this subject are deat
letter and our judiciary dead system
because violence and fraud in cleo
tons. and fraud and perjury in cover
ing them up, have in too many in
stances been the chief instrumental
ties by which our public off
GERS have got into power an
by which they expect to retail
it." That Is to cay, the violence re
ported from Yazoo county illustrate
the Mississippi plan, on which rest tn
Government of the State and its judi
cial system, as now administered
Such an allegation, in such circum
stances, renders more imperativ
the duty of the citizens IL the