New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-13
The Right spirit in the Right
Place.

1t does good to the heart of every lover
human liberty to meet with such an article
the following. We End it in that ablv.conduc,.
ed and influential paper the irish Repnb!c.
of New York.
MICHAEL SEAMAN. the editor OF the Ir5sd
Republic, has our cordial thanks for these
manly uttersnces.
Zone touch of nature makes the whole
world kin
TaE DAY OF Thursday, March So
being the anniversary OF the fifteenth smsnd
ment, which declared that "the right of N.
citizens Of the United States 70 vote shall nor
be denied or abridged by the United States. or
by any State, on account Of race, color. or reG
gion, or previous condition OF servituds," and
that Congress shall have power to enforce
this amendment by appropriate legislation"
was duly celebrated BY the colored people oF
the tuited States. That it was only celebrated
| by the colored people was no dlscredSt To them
for, while its immediate effects were felt hv the
colored race, all men participate in the ie,ls
ration. The fifteenth amendment was the fpll
measure of independence. for. while the Oh
Constitution grandly declared that all men
have certain inalienahle rights" life. liberty
aud the pursuit OF happiness, and 50 forth
the text was read by the iaundiced eve of III.
past TO mean all white men. The war struck
the chains from the slave. but left him IN slavery
with all white men who could vote for masters
The fifteenth amendment put the ballot iutn
his hand, and 10 . the doors of perfect freedom
were swung ajar, and the accommodating and
speculative Caucasian invited him in to full
citizenship.
Liberty, after all. is the great elevator She
meets the crouching slave, strikes the shaokles
from his limbs, breathes her breath into his
nostrlls and at once he stands erect. and
moves with the dignity of true manhood. Look
at the transformation ia the colored race within
the last three years. Behold those military
corps of black men celebrating the declaration
of their full liberty. How proudly thew carry
their heads manhood glowing in the dark eyes
their bodies erect. and they march with that
swinging gait which freedom alone can give
A ma Ority of those were chattels five or SIX
years ago, bought, sold and whipped-ignorau.
aud dispirited beings. The unbeiieviug world
prophesied the destruction Of our institutions
by the admission of these people to full Citi-
zenship. The world was not aware that lib
ertv draws men no, and that slavery pulls men
down. Slavery was curse that pressed the
black meO into the mlre, and dragged the white
doS~n also. Liberty has raised the black man
without lowering the white man. This is the
principle which the world was so long waiting
to see fully proven. that there is no race So low
that liberty cannot elevate, or none so high
that slavery cannot degrade. With this grand
belief fully impressed on tho world, it would
not take lneu long t. turn full faced 10 liberty.
Liberty is blessing, slavery blight. Lib
erty makes Us great, because IL makes our
brothers free. Being free ourselves, and hav.
ing slavery about ms, Is like healthy man
walking among lepers.
One of the greatest wonders of human pro.
gress is that OF the slave Of yesterday being
the freeman of 10 day. On yesterday be was
manacled and carried through our streets like 4
wild beast being returned 10 his master On to
day be Is free, with weapons ia his hand aud
fully understanding hs position and sppreci-
atIng his Importance IS man. lie is one OF
society, and, having an interest in society, re-
spects it. He is n citizen of the Republic. be
respects and obeys its laws, aud is ready to die
in its defense.
Such were the feelings no doubt, actuating
the colored people in their celebration of tho
fifteenth amendment, which was the key to the
imperfect arch of the Constitution.
The procession in New Y FORK was most credi-
table in numbers and appearance. aud we have
not heard Of single indiscretion on the part
of the colored people, nor a single outrage
thank Colon the part of white men.