National Republican., 1876-05-31
AN "UNJUsT JUDGE


to the behests of the Democratic party was
not made a sine qua non to judicial preferment,
and when only men were selected to wear the
ermine who were honest and capable, and an
interference, either judicially or otherwise, in
party politics would have been deemed suffi-
cient cause for removal from official station.
That day has, however, passed, and Demo-
cratic Legislature has filed the positions, with
a few honorable exceptions, once occupied
by upright and conscientious jurists, with such
creatures that 1t would be slander upon the
bench to call, even by courtesy, judges. Prom
inent and eminently conspicuous among these
is an individual who disgraces the robes he
wears, and whose sittings are confined to the
city of Petersburg, where he exercises the pre-
negatives of judge by virtue of legislative
appointment only to do injustice to those who
happen to be of political faith other than his
own. The patronymic of this creature is
Mann-E. NJ. Mann-not a very good article,
it is true, if indeed the misnomer is not SIAN
der upon the race. Nevertheless, his name
happens.t be Mann, however much he may
be deficient in the better or even decent attri-
butes that belong to the descendants of
Adam.
The cOursey,sof this "Judge" Mann with
regard to the appointment of judges of cleo
ton in Petersburg has much to do with the
result Of the late farce of an election to which
we referred in THE REPUBLICAN of the Goth.
Hence the present article. Early in March,
in view Of the fact that the terms of the judges
of election had expired, the Republican city
central committee met, and after consultation
requested the chairman, Hon. ]. II. Van
Auken, to address to Judge E. NJ. Mann a
letter, asking him to appoint a Republican
judge en- each board, which was done in the
respectful manner:
PETERSBURG, VA, March Is, 1876.
Hon. E. N. Mann, Judge of the Hustings Court of
the city of Petersburg:
DEAR SIR: In view of the Importance of the
elections for the ensuing year, municipal and
Federal, and In view of the fact that you are
required to make your appointments of judges
of election at the April term of the court, the
party, through its organization, as
represented by the Republican City Central
Committee, of which have the honor to be
chairman, most respectfully ask of your Honor
the privilege of presenting to your considera-
tion the names of two Republicans from each
voting precinct in whom the party have entire
confidence as exponents of its principles, and
beg that 1t win be your pleasure to select and
appoint at least one Of these gentlemen as
Judge of election at each voting precinct in
the city.
hope you will mot deem it amiss for me to
say that the Republicans feel that they have
not 8 single recognized representative on the
present board of election judges in any pre-
cinct in the city, and they do now, most re-
spectfully, ask, that under aud by authority
conferred on you by section 8, chapter s, of
tl,a Tou1a Of 10, aJv vfe
the "practicability" of making such appoint
ments in accordance with the above request.
Should it be your pleasure to entertain this,
our petition, we shall feel a pride in recon-
needing to you the names of gentlemen
whom we believe to be above reproach, and
in whom men OF both parties will have entire
confidence. Hoping it may be your pleasure
TO send to me l favorable response at your
earliest convenience, l an, yours, very re-
spectfully, J. H. VAN AUKEN,
Chairman City Central Committee.
The following curt answer was received in
return.
PETERsRURG, March 90, 1876.
J. c. Fan A"ken, Esq, Chairman, &c, Peters
burg, "a:
SIR: In reply to your communication of
the 18th instant l have to state that in the ap-
point ment of judges of election l shall, as l
do in all matters connected with my office.
exercise my own discretion. Respectfully,
EDWIN NJ. MANN.
Upon the reception of this arrogant reply,
the Republican ward clubs designated to his
q high mightiness five Republicans from
each ward out of which to select one judge for
their respective wards, and urged their accept
ance as simple compliance with the law re-
ferred to in their first communication. He so
far forgot the part he was playing as to refuse
even to receive the petition. He did receiveit
however, with reluctance, but
paid no sort of attention to it. OF the charac-
ter of the judges appointed, and who were
needed to dc the dirty work accomplished in
that city on Thursday last, let the Virginia
Citize1I,s Republican paper published in Peters
burg, speak. Says the Citizen:
"Nine out of the eighteen are under in
dictmeDt by the United States grand jury for
frauds committed by them as judges at the
election1n May, 1874.
"Fifty per cent. Of that grand jury were
and the presentment was unani-
nous The evidence was overwhelming, con-
elusive, damning. No man who had the least
regard for his oath could escape presenting
them.
Zone of the pets, a notorious stool pigeon
for gambling houses, faro-dealer and string
game man, who was one of the judges in 1874,
borrowed ninety cents the day before the cleo
tion TO buy his dinner. A day or two after the
election he publicly, in the presence of several
gentlemen, displayed six or seven hundred
dollars, and said he made it out of the cleo
ton. He is one Of the indicted, and yet he is
reappointed.
Another one of the pets was discharged
from the Southside railroad for theft. When
Judge Mann appointed him two years since as
a Republican he was waited on by commit
tee of Republicans and informed of this fact,
and his appointment protested against He
is one of the indicted and reappointed.
Another fayorite, who was discharged
from the police force by Mayor Wood for steal
ing, is one of the indicted and reappointed.
Another one of the reappointed judges was
so poor the day before the May election, 1874,
that he couldn't buy jack-knife, though they
were selling at twenty-five cents per dozen.
after said election he commenced
building himself house"
And these are the men selected by a Vir-
ginia Judge (God save the mark y to conduct
an election; selected, doubtless, for the same
reason he himself was made q judge, viz to
do the dirty work of corrupt party without
scruple or hesitation. These judges, or, more
speaking, superintendents Of cleo
tion, ale appointed in Virginia for one year,
and from the character of these officers in Pc
tersburg, as portrayed by the Citizen-and
they are specimen bricks" of such officials
in every town and city in the eastern portion
Of the State--it will be seen with what Difficult
ties tie Republicans will have to contend in
the approaching Presidential election. This
of things is confined by no means to
Virginia. In every State where the Democ-
racy, by means of fraud or intimidation, have
obi aimed control of the State governments,
similar methods Of depriying Republicans of
the elective franchise have been and will con-
tinue to be resortee to until the strong arm of
he National poWet is resorted to and exam
pies made of those sTho thus violate the laws
and trample Ihemt under foot. There is no
greater trueism than hhat a Southern Repub-
ican has no rights which Democrat of that
ocality is bound to respect.
In the absence of military Interference there
S but one hope for the oppressed Republicans
IF that section, viz: Keeping fSs General