The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-10-15
THE TEMPER OF THE SOUTHERN De
MOCRACY.

MOCRACY.
The following extract from work lately pub
lishee, the author of which is Albion w. Tour
gee, author OF that remarkable and widely read
book, A Fools Errand," recalls to the mind OF
the reader an affair that attracted good deal
of attention at the timo OF It's happening. 1t
exhibits a phase OF Southern civilization OF
which Northern people have but a slight con-
ception. The genuine Southei nee has been fos-
tered under system OF domestic education
that proscribes all labor OF . manual kind as
beneath the gentleman. Labor, they have been
taught, was degrading, and those who worked
for their bread and butter were to be prescribed
socially and politically. No degree OF culture
or personal worth could remove the stain labor
put upon them by the olgarchs who subsisted
BY the toll of the disfranchised colored man..
The Southern mother taught her child to hate
and despise everyone who loved and cherished
freedom and opposed human slavery, IS the
Scythian mother taught her son to hate Rome
and Roman civilization. AS the Scythian hats
of the civilization OF Greece and Rome was the
result of centuries of fostering, so is the South
ern hate OF freedom and free institutions the
result OF the fostering OF five or SIX genera
tlons. But to the extract:
Z" 1t has been thought by some that the cal
lousness attributed in "A Fools Errand" to the
murderers Of John Walters, in admitting his
murder but indignantly denying the imputation
of having stolen money from his person for
their personal benefit, and boldly claiming that
it was used solely and sacredly to promote the
interests of the party with which the murderers
acted, was beyond the limit and range OF even
the most hardened and distorted human ma
ture. The incident is closely paralleed in the
noted case of the Yazoo election for sheriff.
The facts OF that case are briefly these: In
the campaign Of 1875, there was an extensive
"White League raid made upon the Repubi-
cans OF Yazoo county, Mississippi, some OF
whom were L lied and others driven off. Among
those who were killed was a member OF the
Legislature named Patterson, who was seized
and hung by Ku-Klpx gang, having on his
person at the time of his seizure q large sum OF
money which was never recovered by his family
or heard OF in fact until 1879, when one OF the
leaders of this murderous gang became can
ddate for sheriff, against the regular nominee
OF the Democratic party. AS soon as he did so,
DIR. j. p. Mccormick. who was chairman OF the
Democratic committee OF Yazoo county IN 1873,
published a card, declaring that Dixon was the
leader OF the mob which hung Patterson, and
that he converted TO his own use the money
which was on Pattersons person when seized.
TO this charge Dixon replied through the col
umns OF the Yazoo Herald, in which il appeared
as an advertisement, by the following card:
CARD TO THE PUBLIC
Owing to certain reports now in circulation
that Patterson, member of the Republican
Legislature, who was hanged in the eventful
campaign OF 1875, had considerable sum OF
money on his person, and that said money was
used for my own benefit, 1 feel in honor bound
to vindicate myself although deplore to refer
to the past, as it will bring before the public
many of our best citizens. will briefly state
that said money and larger sums, we're raised
and used to defray the crrrent expenses OF the
campaign, and to stuff the bslot-boxes, il nee
essary, to purchase certificates OF election for
two officers now holding offices OF trust and
emolument in our county. 1 have In my pos
session the necessary proof, and il called on
Will furnish it. II. M. DIXON.
To this DR.. Mccormick responded evasively,
declaring that the constituted authorities OF
the Democratic party had nothing to do with
the raising Of said money or the use made of
said money"
To this Dixon again responded by another
advertisement in the same journal on the 9Th
Of June, 1879, as follows:
"EDIroR HEBA' D In response to the card
OF Dr.. j. p. Mccormick, that appeared in the
Sentinel, will state that did not assert in my
card that the constituted Democratic authori
ties had any connection with the Patterson at
fair, nor did charge that the ballot boxes were
stpffed.
d again say that the supposed Patterson
money was used to defray current expenses of
the eventful campaign OF 1875.
:" l further state that 5000 was paid as q
bride to have the ballot boxes stuffed, If neces
sary, and to issrc certificates Of election to the
Democi attic candidates; that DR.. j. p. McCor
mick was chairman Of the Democratic execu
tive committee at the time, aud was party to
the contract. have III nv possession the nee
essary receipt to show who received the $4,000;
also the false key to the ballot-boI.
81 consider that my conduct throughout the
canvass Of 1875 was fully Endorsed by all Dem
ocratic citizens, and L do not fear that my char
acter will suffer by any cowsrdly attack made
for political purpose.
Respectfully, II. NJ. DIXON"
1t will be observed that the charge OF murder
is treated as OF very little moment; that the
taking Of the money from the body OF the muir
dered man is politely termed "ralsing" money
by both, and that the charge OF having applied
it to secure unlawful and corrupt election re-
turns is openly made and only evasively ans-
wered.