Year: 1879

In Yazoo county, Miss, the democratic
vided, and certain prominent democrats
headed an independent ticket Thereupon
the Yazoo Bourbons, as the Vicksburg
Herald calls them, bulldozed these inde-
pendents, and finally coerced their leader
into abandoning the movement. There is
to be an election this fall in Mississippi
and this Yazoo mob formally opened the
campaign, as in the North and in most of
the other Southern States, it is formally
opened, with a speech.


One wonders what these Mississippi
Bourbons are made Of? What sort Of saw
ages are they? And what sort of man is
Governor Stone, who seems to sit still in
Jackson while stupid and brutal mob
breaks the laws of the State and deties his
authority? The people OF Mississippi COM
plain that they are poor, but do they
imagine that in this nineteenth century
law-defying community is anywhere any,
thing but poor? They cry out that their
real estate is unstable. Are they SO fool
ish as. to think that the Yazoo mob is





draw into their community any settlers
above the grade Of tramps? They groan
because their State is in ill odor all over the
Union, in the South as we'll as in the North.
Do they imagine that this Yazoo county mob
is going to make it respectable?


This Yazoo violence has been going on for
some weeks; and not one of the men who
represent Mississippi before the country
and who are supposed to have great infu-
ence in the State has spoken out against
the disgraceful and cowardly proceedings.
We should like to hear Senator Lamar's
voice on such an occasion rebuking vio-
lence and lawlessness and demanding
peace and equal rights; but he is silent.
We should like to hear that Mr. Singleton,
in whose Congressional district Yazoo county
lies, had promptly gone there to gather the
law abiding citizens together and help put
down the mob but he, too, is silent. We
should like to hear General Chalmers
voice and General Hooker's; they have a
great deal to say about liberty and equal
rights in Congress; they are men of great
influence among their people; but they,
too are silent Is it because they do not
feel the disgrace, the stain, which rests upon
their State when such things are tolerated I?


There is just one exception to this gen.
eral and disreputable silence. The Vicks-
burg Herald, courageous, and more than
that sensible, journal, does what it can to
save the good name of the State which it
sees dragged in the mire by the people Of
Yazoo county. 1t appeals to the people
and the authorities in this language =


The Yazoo Bourbons rejoice over the fact that the
democratic flag now waves in that county "unchal-
lengcd" 1t is the duty OF the conservatives to pro-
claim to the world that they do not want any more
such victories. victory won ut the ballot box
before ballot is cast in the way the Yazoo vctosy
gained, will surely result in evil The present
is the opportunity OF the conservatives The, must
prove to the whole world that they do not
tenance bulldczng and that they will not permit 1t
IN the iuture. Our laws must be maintained and
our officials must see that all are protected in
their rights. Look at tho evils that will follow
il bulIdozng Is permitted. Ii it is good
in Yazoo it is good for all the counties Suppose
Warren, Kinds. Madison. Claiborne and other coun-
ties follow Yazoos example; suppose all the coun-
ties the State resort to it. Would not this be
absolute refusal to allow two parties TO exist in the
State? Yazoo has already declared in effect that
there shall be opposition to the democratic
ticket. II any county should do the same thing next
year would be the the State doing it. Does
any man believe, under these circumstances
the electoral votes OF state Presluent could
be counted? Cannot, will not, the patriotic, thought
ful men of this State where drifting and
put tho brakes before it is too late?


That is sound and true; but where are
the leaders OF the Mississippi democrats !?
How can they show their faces in Washing
ton next winter if they remain silent now
and tolerate this invasion OF private rights !?
How can they look decent and honorable
men in the face if they have not courage
and public spirit enough to resent and re-
sist this Yazoo mob in their own State?