Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-04-22
THE COLOKED VOTERS.

How tho Ncwly Enfranchised En-
ioyed Their Rights at the Recent
Election in Cincinnati.
From the Cincinnati Commercial, April 5.
The election in Cincinnati yesterday, was
quiet, orderly and good tempered. The
feeling at the polls was one of keen interest
due to two facts; first that for the first lime
in the history OF the city, men whose veins
contained all shades Of African blood, ex-
ercised the full rights of republican citizen.
ship; second, the general understanding
that, more than ever before, strict party
lines were played out. Scratching tickets
Yesterday was process that every intelli-
gent voter attended to and enjoyed. The
weather was faultless-the sun shining
brightly all day, the sky looking brilliantly
blue and the breeze feeling as crisp and
bracing as if direct from distant coasts.
The coored people were filled yesterday
with Tranquil happiness, though they srag-
gled hard TO lock about as usual. The con.
tumely to which the negro in this country
had been accustomed, and the injustice
which he could resist only passively, have
made him wise as the serpent and harmless
as the dove. He is an acute obser, er, and
necessarily an accomplished diplomatist in
his humble walks. The colored voters yes
terday exercised the right to vote in q
straightforward, respectful, wholly undem-
onstra,ive manner. They felt secure be-
cause their warrant is in the Constitution of
the United States, and because their ulti-
mate protector, if need be, is the mighty
hand of national power. Their enemies (if
they have any now, which We are glad to
doubt m;de no sign, unless to snarl little
in their own squads. There was considera-
BILE stir among the colored folks on East
Sixth street, and up and down Broadway.
Groups were gathered all day on the sunny
corner of Sixth and Broadway, better dress
ed than usual, and given to quiet converse
ton and discussion. At the polls the col
ored knots stood some little distance away
from the main crowds, by far the most or
dery men there, and not the least intelli-
gent looking by any means.
The colored voters understood themselves
clearly in yesterdays contest, having stud
led out the situation thoroughly beforehand.
In general they voted as early III the morn
ing as possible.
The law of compensation, or something
of that sort, having planted large Irish and
negro communities together in the Thir-
teenth Ward, considerable interest was felt
as to how the association OF races therr at
the polls would result. The Hibernians
took ii "aisy" They scoded considerably
now and then, but with Celtic twinkle in
the eye that showed they were 90 knowing
to be crying over spilled milk. They chal-
lenged many colored men who were not
well known in the ward, making them state
their residence and other qualifications.
The mulattoes and full blooded Africans
of the ward turned out strong but on voting
instantly went away about their business.
Three or four of tie most prominent colored
citizens of the Thirteenth Ward were sta
toned at the polls. These acted as a sort
of escort to the nervous African. who rather
shrank from walking up through the gaunt-
let of unlriendly eyes.
Few negroes could help betraying some
agitation as they handed in their ballots,
and the great majority were "a lttle pale. f"
When it was all safely and happily over,
they felt good enough TO shout, no doubt,
but all emotion Of this sort they repressed.
The Irish politicians near at hand looked
on the dusky citizens with deep interest,
and were as friendly to them as they thought
safe. They are waiting for tie new variety
of facts.