New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-18

Address Of h. +. Butler-Present Conditio,
of the ColOred Race-yvhat IL Is TO Accom-
pifsh.

Address OF h. +. Butler-Present Condition
of the Colored Race-yyhat IL Is TO Accom-
piish.
BosToN May 8.-Geneal L. r. Butler ad
dressed the colored citizens OF Boston this
evening in their chapel in North Russell street.
After referring to the differences which have
existed between the Republicans on the cues.
ton of the day, he said
1t is now food tide With the Republican
party. Everywhere our prospects have bright.
ened. The people are arossed to the fact that
the issues raised by the war Ere not yet settled
that the embers of the rebellion have not been
quenched that its baeful Tres still shoulder
there, ready to burst forth whenever thew NAV
do so unchecked and that there is the same
necessity now that all true, rood, and loyal men
should stand together for the preservation of
the nations life which mad, the country rise
up as one man in 1861. The ties which bind
Republicans together are tghtened, not loos-
ened. We have become again soidifed as a
party; discussions have ceased. Minor cues.
tons have taken minor place and the united
Republican party again marches onward to do
battle for right, justice, and The country. The
voice Of Connecticut has oilterated all des-
pondeDcy caused by the failure of New Hamp.
shire, and the future of the Republican party
and Its administration was never than now more
hopeful, more prosperous, Or more glorious
10 you, my fellow. citizens, who have called
me here, and those of your race the few weeks
past have been q most interesting epoch.
Scarcely at any period before were your inter.
ests more In jeopardy or had you more at stake
A neglect to enforce the fifteenth amendment.
which gives you equal protection of the laws,
involves the failure of the rights and powers
required by the fifteenth amendment, by which
you can assert your manhood and citizenship.
The ballot is no protection against the bullet
when he who holds The ballot is unarmed.
homeless. and landless. The vote is a great
safeguard against encroashment upon rights
among equals, but is no privilege to a depend.
ent or serf Within the past few weeks the
great question has been setled whether, under
the Constitution of the United States, there was
any power in Congress to maintain by law the
colored man, or indeed the white Republican
of the South, in the use Of the ballot to protect
himself.
What did KuK lnx organization mean? IL
meant simply that the rebellion, failing to
wrest the power from the Government to erect
an independent empire whose corner stone was
slavery, now by stealthy midnight assassina.
ton tries to attain that purpose which it lost
on the open field of battle. Ii meant that the
negro, having been emancipated and raised to
the citizen, is to be hindered by force, fraud,
and murder from enjoying the rights guaran-
teed to him by the Constitution Of his country.
1t meant that he should be reduced to state
of peOnage worse than slavery because, having
the birthright of freedom, the ballot, he is to
be coerced in its use according as his oppres-
sors DESIRE even for their elevation to power.
A few weeks ago the Democratic press, both
North and South, was discussing the right, nav,
the expedency, of declaring the fourteenth and
fifteenth articles Of amendment to be void and
of no effect and men were threatening if ever
the Democracy came into power every footstep
of freedom should be retraced. Mr.. Blair. the
late candidate for Vice-President, had not re.
tracted the doctrine of the Brodhead letter.
declaring all the reconstruction acts of Con-
gress void, and that the State constitutions
framed in accordance with them, giving equal
suffrage should be changed as the interests of
the Democratic party might dictate. Since the
legislation against Ku-kluxsm by Congress.
both North and South! 1t recognizes the
power of the Government to protect its citi.
Gems and enforce il laws. 1t sees that the
people will tolerate no change of the funda-
mental rights settled by the war and althou Oh
the Southern heart desires the abroration of
the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments. as no
one doubts, yet their newspapers are compelled
to declare they are willing to yield to the me-
cessities of the Northern Democracy to enable
it to carry States sufficient in number to bring
the Democratic party into power, while the
entire Democratic press OF the North 10 offering
with one voice that, if the people will rein
state that party in power, the amendments
shall not be disturbed.
Let no man be deceived. If the Democratic
party shall come into power in 1872 by ma
jority strong enough to maintain itself, Just so
surely, by force, by fraud, or evasion, ali bene.
fts Of those constitutional guarantees will be
taken away from the colored man. Unjust and
shocking to every sense Of right as this action
would be, yet it win not lack attempts at justi-
fcation. We hear now even, coming from