New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-24
WHITE OR BLACKf

WHITE OR BLACK
Good Justice Sutherland, who rules in the Supreme
Court, may or may not have wart upon bis nose;
and wart on ones physognomy may be either
wellspring Of pleasure or blot OF dehlemen accord
ing a. the wearer thereof conyiviay or malciously
disposed. mole on an open oounenance has been
regarded rs proof of longlost brotherhood Of some
kind or other but we have never heard that wart or
mole were Growers proof that the spotted person had
committed murder, and deserved to die in ditch.
Remote country districts have been worked upon IN
ternay W the baeful squint of the evil eye; swine
and kline are said 10 have been dsPirited out OF all
flesh by the rolling sorcery Of this terrible optics but
we are not aware that the most "gloare-eyed" OF
voters has yet been challenged al the polls. Judges
have been known 30 grow red in the face and
talk objurgatiVey, but no one supposed that
they were Indian sayagcs. II is common for
epicuros tapsters rum-deaers and bibbers OF
long standing to swell blossom, sprout, and turn
all sorts Of colcrs gra,ui,ouy emotional provo
cation: but no one supposed that they were barrels,
or balloons sensitive plants or nuisances, unless ar
rested ior taking up too much OF the sidewalk and
no one has seen t 10 question their right to the fran
chse when they have carried their baggage and colors
yictoronsly TO the polls. Men have turned blue in
certain crises Of fortune, and dyspepiic5 yelowi but
the former were never accounted negroes, or the lat
ter muattoes. All sorts OF e1crescences have grown
on the human frame aud Aesh has been heir TO many
ills which are no part Of the natural constitutions
yet the man who has tumor on his leg, or
his nose ont Of joint, or an eye put out, or his
face in furnace of trial, may travel to
the polls and in very spite of his comfort and other
In m mt
down the Health law. man without scalp is now
and then in great request among prairie politicians,
and men without heads are always in demand on
election dag TO vote bad ticket There has been no
restriction Of the franchise regards that influential
portion Of our fellow citizens having bald heads the
story of the forty bears and the Constitution have
conserved for them alike the veneraon of the young
and the middle-aged. Hair long and black may be
taken AZ proof Of Indian or italian BIRTH hair crisp
curly NAV signify arisocrscy or yulgarty; red hair
/, said TO have been worn by Queen Eliza
beth. and Mary Queen Of Scots had great deal Of
hair that nav be said to have been wayy but neither
hair, or no hair at ALL can be rghtfally adudicated
As disqualification for the franchise In short, the
| human form and countenance have gone through all
varieties and shades of individual temperament and
emotion without eliminating its right to face the polls
II this we're not the case the Hon. John Morrissey
or any other man of psychological and physical power
might disfonchie voter by putting him out of coun'
| tenance. .-r
We hold these truths TO be as selfeyident as
that all men were created free and equal We be-
s7e TIA! RffslsEaa!2s ys: founded on taSmi an. and
We have gone to the trouble to stare 'hen 'nus ssii
ously at length, lest gOOdnatured Justice ofthe su
51fySh Court should rashy undertake to Decide on
personal INSPECTION of another persons hair whether
he is entitled to vote Le subject Of the Judicial eye
is gentleman denied registry eu'e NC a. "a
to be a negro the only suspicion whereofn 49,
tinet and somewhat delicate conception that he has
way hair. ( respectable and intelligent citizen
is thus doomed as other men have been saved by the
hair Of his bead; and grave question now perple1es
the head Of the jugs to the very roots of bis hair
whether the man i, white 6fDIa9s; The public may
well entertain natural apprehension of the Hsuit,
and all who have disordered hair be alarmed. a
straw has broken the cames backs hair might rad
caly alter the complexion of the Democratic vote.
The face Of the plaintiff has nothing, in TRUTH TO do
with the matter for as the case at present stands, the
supposed colored person is as white as any gentle
man Of the jury. But what Of that If
the Judge is resolved TO decide inspec.
ton, be may make bis victim turn almost
any color And it is much worse for the gentleman
who, putting so white a face on the matter, auda
ciousy contests his right to the ballot if he shows any
sign of bliousness. The plaintiff counsel Mr.. Gu
bert, denies that Board of Registry have the right
to look in mans face and decide that his complexion
is too dark" and so we say TO the Judge. We
quite agree with Mr.. Gilbert that, If man should
happen to be suffering from bilious attack it would
be singular thing If he must await the action Of
dose of medicine before registering his name" though
We can readily see how this plan might operate with
clean gain to the Radical ticket ir districts where the
Democratic ticket prevails like an epidemic.
Here, in short Is the case of a gentleman who, for
no ether reason than the gave OF bis hsr, has been