The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-09-10

SOB OF Inc unpufcnaSeQ and unlntImluaLed
will Of the voter and it will inspire the con-
idenceof the country that equal and exact
Justice, under the law, is to be melted out
TO each and all. With this effected, then
It can with propriety be claimed that the
rights Of all are to be jealousy guarded
and not until then.
The Administr alton and the Colored
Vote.
Before Mr.. Cleveland assumed the duties
of President he expressed in interviews the
to enforce the laws impair
TALLY, and to so administer them as to give
to every class of citizens the equal rights
to which they are entitled. He was espe-
cially distinct and emphatic in his an
that the colored citizen
should be protected in the enjoyment OF
every immunity the Constitution and laws
give him, and that there should be no act
or policy sanctioned that abridged or de-
MED any of his legal privileges. The
country accepted this assurance, and
feeling of confidence was inspired that
uniform justice would be melted out to
every condition and class. A practical
test Of these fair promises was awaited
with some little anxiety. but generally in
confidence thatthey would be substantially
realized.
The first case that implicated the rights
of the colored people, was that OF Michael
Mullen, of Cincinnati. He was lieutenant
of police In that capacity, the evening
before the day of the October election OF
1884, he arrested l22 colored voters in the
streets of that city-some taken from the
seats of the carriages they were driving,
others from the employment in which they
were engaged, and all of them citizens OF
Ohio, entitled to vote. as much so as any
other citizen-and lodged them in lock-
up, prepared for the occasion, upon no
charge whatever. They were kept in this
confinement until the close of the polls
on the day of election, and then liberated
without any process of law or oy any 9th
er authority than Mullen's ownwill. The
purpose of this outrage was to keep them
from voting the Republican ticket. That
much was effected and the interests of re-
form Democracy promoted to that extent.
After the election Mullen was arrested on
complaint lodged with the United States
Commissioner for the violation of the
Federal law in relation to the election OF
Congressman. He was tried before Judge
Baxter, of the United States Court, and a
jury composed of Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, found guilty and sentenced to the
penitentiary for one year. Both his coun-
sci and himself virtually confessed the Of
Tense, and the Judge, in his charge to the
jury, dwelt upon the crime for which he
was arraigned as one calling for the Sc
verest punishment the law could infiict.
He served about eight months OF the time
for which he was sentenced, and no effort
was made for his relief, until the opening
of the campaign now in progress. A Pc
tition was then gotten up, Judge Hoadley,
the present Democratic candidate for
Governor, heading it, applying to the Pres
ident for the pardon of this man Mullen.
The petition was favorably considered and
the pardon issued. Almost Immediately
on being released from jail, Mullen was
appointed as delegate from the city OF
Cincinnati to attend the State Convention
of the Democratic party. held at Co.
lumbus. He attended and voted for
the nomination of Hoadley, who was
the first signer on the petition for
his pardon. He was also restored to
his position of lieutenant of police by
the Democratic authorities of Cincinnati,
and is now exercising the same degree
of authority that he did when he arrested
100 colored voters, confined them in an
improvised prison to keep them from vot-
ing, and released them after the polls were
closed.
Here was case in which was involved
the rights of the colored man. He had
been robbed Of his constitutional right to
vote. The crime had been clearly and in
disputably established. The case had been
carefully and judicially considered and de-
termined, and there was not a shadow of
doubt of the guilt of the officer who was the
self-appointed agent to violently deny the
negro his rights. These facts were all
known to the President, or were easily
accessible, and should have been known to
him before he exercised the pardoning
power Without hesitation he sanctioned
the fragrant outrage which had been com.
mitted not only against the colored man,
but against the laws and constitution of
the country. In obedience to party neces-
stiles and the demand of a few desperate
Democratic partizans, the great crime of
Mullen was condoned, the colored citizen
notified that he could be imprisoned, with
out complaint or charge, to keep him from
casting Republican ballot, and the party
guilty Of the outrage, after trial and
Judgment pardoned of his offence, restored
to citizenship and the official position he
had so grossly abused.
In the light of the assurance of Mr..
Cleveland, before and after his election
and since his Inauguration. the country
did not expect such a prostitution of the
power he possesses. In the light of the in
fiuence that elected him, nothing else could
have been expected. When it is remem-
bered that he received forty electoral votes
in the South, through the suppression of
the colored vote, the denial of the colored
man to exercise the right the laws and
constitution give him, in the way he de-
sired and to have his vote counted as cast
it is not surprising that he should wink
at and encourage similar wrongs in
Northern States, as It affects the coored
man. The principle and the policy are the
same, the crime against the law and con-
stitution are the same, and the effect was
designed to be the sane, in the ratio of
votes suppressed.
The negro is counted In the census re-
turns. lie is counted in estimating the
basis of representation in Congress and
the Electoral College, but when it comes
to the ballot box he is not counted. He is
either intimidated from voting. or the bal
lot he casts perverted from it's object,
and counted for what he did not vote, or
it is overcome by fraud. Yet if allusion
is made to this great crime against the