New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-25
PROSPECTUS
OF THE
New NATIONAL ERA.
FRED'K DOUGLASS, Editor & Publisher

The NEw NATIONAL Era will partake of two.
fold nature ofan Advocate and an Educator
As an Advocate, It will assert and maintain every
right pertaining to the American citizen, indie.
pendent of race, color, or accident of birth 1t
will demand the recognition of these rights
wherever the Constitution extends or the na.
tonsl ensign waves. As an Educator, its col
ums will be an especial medium for the effective
diffusion of right principles and much needed in.
structlon, and for the incubation ofthose habitsof
industry, economy, and selfreliance which con.
duce to independent manhood, and. give vitality
and energy TO free government, insuring in return
blessings to the governed.
While the editors ofthe NEw NATIONAL ER.ar.
colored men, and the contributors will be mainly
colored, yet the columns will be open for the
discussion OF all questions of vital Importance to
the country by any of its citizens Communica
tons suitable for publication in these columns
are solicited from our friends in all parts Of the
country, especially in the Southern States.
THE POLITICAL DEPARTMENT.
Upon all questions involving the especial inter.
ests of the colored American citizen, the simple
rule OF equal justice for all men will govern the
policy ofthe NEw NATIONAL ERA twill demand
the recognition Of no right for one citizen which
it will not freely accord to every other. 1t will
oppose any attempt to confer privileges upon
class, that are withheld from the humblest citizen
IN the land 1t will demand for every citizen
equality before the law, and full protection of
person and property in every State aud Territory
of the National Union
The NEW NATIONAL ERA will take high ground
upon all public questions, aud labor to inspire
oneness of purpose and encourage unity of
action, especially among the newly .enfranchised
people OF the Reconstructed States. Remem.
bering the past history of the Republican party,
and recognizing what it has done for the colored
people OF the nation, the New NATIONAL Fra
will give its hearty support to that party without
reserve. This pledge of fidelity to the Republic.
can party is given under the conviction. and
with the assurance, that in the future, as in the
past, that party will be the steadfast and naexi-
BILE support Of those principles of justice and
liberty which have now become a part of the
organic law of the land
THE EDUCATIONAL. DEPARTMENT.
BY education the people of a free Government,
such as ours is intended to be, are better quail.
fed to discharge their duties to the State,
and to one another The nation will ever find
its surest safeguard in the intelligence of it's
voting masses, and the journal which would pro.
mote the highest good of government and people
must lend its energies and its power to the work
of educating that people. Especially is the
agency of the press needed by that portion of
the people, colored and white, who, either
i'll slavery or under the ban of its bighting in.
| fuences, have been deprived of the opportunities
enjoyed by their more favored brethren of the
free States.
The Freedmen Bureau had under its charge
during the past year, as shown by the last annual
report, ia, 523 Colored pupils in the day schools
and 89,73l in the Sunday schools, employing
$3.50 teachers. About l9O, 900 Of these punils
were slaves at the commencement of the war,
The educational department of this paper will
contain matter prepared and selected with spe-
cial reference to the capacities and needs of this
large number of pupils and teachers, thereby
making the New National Era valuable as..
Hilary in the scheme Of education.
THE INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT.
The industrial interests Of the colored people
will claim and receive a large share of our nj
tention. We adopt the following extracts from
the address promulgated by the Colorsd Labor
Convention held in this city in Deceu Der last, as
indicating the views and policy of The New Ma
rIoYAL ERA on this subject:
"Eor our own good and the welfare of our
| country III all things pertaining to her material
and moral well being, we seek better and
/ broader opportunity to gain knowledge in the
! fields of agricultural, mechanical, commercial,
artistic, and professional labor, and this knowl.
| edge We would energse, direct, and make more
largely effective through the enlightenng and
sanctitying influence of education. Our notices
are liberty and labor, Acknowledgement and edu.
cation! The spelling book and the hoe, the
hammer and the vote, the opportunity to work
and to rise, place on which to stand and to
be and to do, We ask for ourselves and children
| as the means in the of which, under God,
| we to compass these achievements which
furnish the measure, the test, and justification
of our claim to impartial treatment and fair
dealing.
"1hat this end may be reached, we ask, first
Of all, that trades be opened to our children,
and that they be given the benefit of just and
equitable system of apprenticeship; in the SEQ
ond place, that for every days labor given
be paid full and fair remuneration, aud hst no
avenue of honest industry be closed against US;
and thirdly, since we believe that the iutelli-
gence, the elevation, and happiness of all people
depends in no small degree upon the diversity
of their Industrial pursuits, ask that we
may work in the printing Office, whether private
or governmental, in the factory, the foundry, the
workshop, upon the railroad, the canal, the
river the steamboat, in the warehouse, the store.
wherever labor is to be done and an able and
faithful workman is wanted we conceive that
we may claim a place without distinction as to
our color or former condition, since all that can
be demanded by the employer is ability, faith
full performances of the contract made, and the
employee reasonable treatment and the compen~
sation promised. Hence, while we condemn thss
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