The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-14

|
the same sort OF u smile on his face, as
on the homely countenance of this
happy freedman.
Enter the second. This middle-aged
negro deliberately takes off his mittens,
removes his hat, runs one hand under
his vest, produces a little package, un-
wraps the rag around 1t, and at last
hands in the paper treasure.
"Oh, the devil, be quick" says the
Judge rapping irately on the window.
Put on your hat, uncle-that humili-
ty's played out" says one of the chal-
lengers with a laugh. But the voter
has his own views as to that hat. Per-
haps he stands uncovered to the ballot
and not to men. His ticket drops into
the box, and he stumps off, irradiated.
The third! Another George Washing
| ton." Another vote, too, and another
chuckle. The fourth! The name of
this one can not be found. "Go to
headquarters of registration" says the
judge, "if your name is there they will
give you a certificate enabling you to
vote" 1--WE been thar" sorrowfully
rejoins the applicant. "'Tain't thar"
"Sorry," says the judge, "make room
make room" Now ask you to watch
ing sick at heart. A bright mulatto
takes him aside, and inquiries into his
case. 1t Is hopeless-name not regis.
tered at all. The disappointed darkey
wanders around for ten minutes, then
he quietly falls again into the rear OF
the line, to be repulsed again and again,
| when he reaches the window. Hope
that his name may have been over
looked dies out at last, and not without
the sharpest pang his simple, emotion
al nature can feel.
Enter, the fifth. "My name is Henry
Clay" IAN right, Henry, you can
where were you born?" "In Ken
lucky, sir; Henry Clay, of Ashland.
was my father" And the tall, hand
some mulatto bows and makes his way
out. The SIXTH This is another of the
persevering kind. He gives his name.
'Be off," says the Judge. "You have
been here already half dozen times.
You say you are not registered"
"Well, sah;" replies the sorrowful ne
Rro,. ."I'se been hyah evah since Tues
day trying to vote at one place or
nuther, and hasn't had bite to eat,
and 1 can't vote, and Use got to walk
twelve miles to git home" The red
nosed, crosS.looktng Judge takes a
biscuit from his pocket and hands it to
the negro, with "Here, make room,
now" One of the challengers says,
"Boys, the Conservatives have the
name of being generous. Let's give
this hungry nigger a dinner" The
speaker draws his pocket book and
transfers some currency to the object
of this kindly impulse, who takes it
with a "tankee," but a vacant look.
1t is a vote he wants-not a meal.
So the slow procession moves slowly
on. If you wish to determine how
much the negro's heart is in the eIec.
tion, watch his face as he comes away
from that little window. His vote once
| in, every feature blazes with Joy; but
his vote rejected, sorrow and dismay
are expressed even in his attitudes.
Watch the anxious but resolute sooty
| faces in those waiting their turns. Is
all this emotion due the duplicity of
Yankee adventures Can the "carpet-
| bagger" thus sway the very soul of the
| black man to reach his own selfish
ends7 Is it for possible mule and
forty acres of land that the negro is
thus profoundly stirred; that he braves
hardship, the ill-will of his employers,
and, maybe, starvation itself? No,
| friend Conservative. The slave you
once owned, Ignorant as he is still, and
| lowly in social rank, feels, as he casts
that ballot, the throes that liberty
awaken, and which, unchecked by re-
newed oppression, will give his man
hood rapid and generous growth. l
| do not seek to conceal his ignorance
about the technical duties OF citizen
ship. An old black fellow came, as
stood near one of the polls, and prof.
fered me his vote, asking, "Are you de
| DOSs = LhS 4ueSLlOu lSt uOtS tue ldCk
of such technical knowledge unfit him
for useful and honest citizenship?-
There have been periods in the history
of our country when loyal heart, an
honest, incorruptible nature, were
worth more than ten thousand OF the
most choicely cultivated intellects on
the national roll of the rich, the power
Iul and the gifted.
If the constitution fail, how far
will the failure be due to prescription
The negroes very generally have like
| disregarded threats and entreaty. a
few thousands have been kept away
| from the polls by peculiar friendships
for their employers, by the fear OF
losing choice places. and in some cases
| by artitice, such as misleading them as to
the polls, and having their votes thrown
out on account of discrepancy be-
tween the way their names are regis
| tered and the very uncertain manner
in which they pronounced them. AS
far as my observation has extended,
! no physical intimidation has been re-
sorted to. 1t would have been useless
and extremely dangerous to Introduce
that sort of argument. Til moral
intimidation has been active and bitter,
particularly toward the poor white
men who have voted. Such men will
henceforth be looked upon as social
| outlaws. Their names have been pub
lished as a black list, and whenever
| they 20 on the streets they must en-.
counter sneers and aggressive dis
dain. 1 have heard OF a few me-
groes turned adrift. saw one
discharged by his employer as he
stood in line waiting to hand in his
tickets. The poor fellow grinned, look
ed down, said nothing, and voted. 1 do
not believe many negroes will be pro-
scribed. The fact Is, they can better
stand such prescription than the whites
can afford TO employ it. Lucky, very
lucky for the former that it is so.
To carry the constitution, over nine
tenths of all the registered negroes in
the State must vote. This fact alone
| indicates that defeat is q probability.
The returns are meager, and, SO far
| as they go, are not favorable to the
constitution. By the time this letter is
printed, the result will probably be
known, and can be better understood,
l trust, for the light 1 have herein en-
deavore:l to throw upon the issues.
The Conservatives assume to think
that Congress will declare the constitu-
| ton ratified in any event.
In conclusion, 1 rise to a question of
privilege. 1 Itelegraphed you last Mon
day, that, in a certain event, ga full set
of Radical officers would be elected in
Alabama. The types made it read "Gn
GtlfuL set of Radical officers"
My hide has thickened very much on
the subject OF typographical errors, but
is notsthis one trifle ehigh-flavored?
J. w. NJ.