Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-25
The Case of Mary Jones.

Mary Jones lives in Portland, ore.
She has not hitherto been, but she is
from henceforth to become, a national
character. She is a mulattO woman
whom, for reasons which may or may
not become sufficiently obvious, our es-
teemed Democratic contemporaries on
the Pacific Coast introduce as IA cOlored
lady of high responsibility.
To become a national character Mary
must have a national grievance, Of
course. She has it, and she is making
the most of it by inviting the attention
of the nation TO herself as the repreSen-
tative OF a race which, in her person,
has been insulted by no less parsonage
than Mr. Benja min Harrison, President
of the United States.
To say that Mary is vOcferOuSly in
dignant hardly does the subject Justice.
She wishes the whole world TO know
that when she insisted on shaking hands
with Mr.. Harrison he responded by at
tempting to overlook her in a marked
Indianapolis way. But perhaps it is
better to let her tell the story herself as
she tells it in the Portland TelG1rdm:
have had an idea that | owed debt
of gratitude to the Republican party for
the freedom of my race. In my anxiety
to express my gratitude | have always
had a longing to shake the hand OF Il
Republican President
once extended my hand to General
Grant, and he gave it cordial shake.
| have shaken hands with Rutherford
b. Hayes, with President Garfield and
with Mr.. Arthur. had no idea that l
was doing an ill-mannered thing in
Offering my hand TO President Harrison.
But when l offered my hand to him
he drew it back, just as the Telegram
said. Thinking that probably he didn't
see me or notice me, again spoke and
said. Mr.. President, l want TO shake
hands with you" Like Douglas Of old,
he drew his cloak around him with an
air of scorn, and in the coolest sort of
tone said, Excuse me-" and then
looked the other way.
1t almost broke my heart, was so
mortified. And then, too, l had bought
a new bonnet and a new dress all for
this occasion. Ny husband says he is
going to vote the Democratic ticket
from this out, aud there will be good
many other colOred men who will do the
same thing. The cOlored people are ar
amiable race, but they know how TO re-
sent an insult.
Alas, Poor Benjamin. 1t is evident
that he didn't know Mary Jones was
loaded, or that she had husband with
a vote and race back of her that
"knowS how TO resent an insult" Else
the new bonnet and new dress bought
for the special occasion might have
taken some of the frigidity out of the
tone in which it is charged that he said:
Excuse me-"
But after all, Mary appears TO have
been guilty Of what may have appealed
to the indianapolis division of Mr.. Har-
riSon'S legal mind as contrbutory neg
ligence. She spread herself on new
dress and bonnet, but it does not appear
that she invested in kid gloves. Such
ignorance of the requirements Of the
Harrison circles of Indianapolis society
would be objectionable in anyone. If
Mary Jones were twice as yellow or
twice as white as she is; if she were
new from head to foot, and
yet lacked the essential of kid gloves,
no constitutional amendment, no civil
rights bill, no quality or tone of color or
previous condition of serytude would
entitle her to enforce demand to shake
the hand or any Harrison of the dynaS-
W. Mr.. Benjamin Harrison may en-
thuSe over force bills drawn to control
the Electoral College and Congress on
the Returning Board plan, but when it
comes to matters of kid gloves, plus or
minus them, 1.-The hand of Douglas is
his own"