New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-04-04
From the New York Independent
The COlOred Vote.

colored people of this country, though consti-
tuting in 1870 more than one-seventh OF the
whole population, were not deemed OF much
political significance. The comparatively few
who in the Northern States enjoyed the cleo
tive franchise were not sufficiently numerous,
as compared with the great body of voters, to
enter into the calculation of political parties
or make any considerable impression as to the
result. Politicians did not consider them of
consequence enough to be worthy any special
attention. Politics belonged to white men as
their exclusive right and privilege, while black
men were of no account.
This state of things has been wonderfully
changed by the destruction of slavery and the
reimbursement of the cOlored people. His
tory contains no record of so great a revolu-
ton on so large a scale and in so short time.
1t seems more like miracle than an event
transpiring under the usual operation of moral
causes. The victims of cruel prejudice and
long oppression suddenly, and without any
of those calamities so often predicted, stand
up in the full manhood of American citizen
ship. This is no longer " the white mans
government but, rather, the government of
the people, holding to each other the relation
of civil and political equality, immaterial what
may be their race or color. The principles of
the Declaration of Independence have at
length been Incorporated into the fundamen-
tai law of the land. The fourteenth amend
ment says that "all persons born or natural
lied in the United States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United
States and of the State wherein they may re-
side.'' The fifteenth amendment says that
''the right of citizens of the United States to
vote shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States, or by any State, on account of
race, color, or previous condition of servi-
tudc." This is a slightly different doctrine
from that of Chief Justice fancy, who denied
the citizenship of the negro, and declared that
he had no rights which white men were bound
to respect.
The next national election will be the first
in the history of this country affOrding to
colored men full opportunity to participate
as citizens in the choice of President and
Vice President. The colored race in 1870
numbered 4, $3.50 ,009, in total population of
IS, sos 1888, which is a fraction more than one
eighth of the whole. If we estimate one
sixth of this number to be voters, then, ac-
cOrding to the census of 1870, the cOlOred
voters will be Sl3, 1874. Their increase since
the taking of the census must bring the num-
Der up to about nine hundred thousand.
These voters are for the most part in the
Southern States. In Mississippi and South
Carolina they constitute large majority of
the voting population andin Louisiana their
There is hardly Southern State-if we ex-
cept Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and
West Virginia-in which they are not suffi-
GENTLY numerous to hold the balance of
power, and by their vote determine the result
of any election. Nor are they by any means
an Insignificant element in several of the
Northern States. In 1870 Pennsylvania con-
tanned 1924 colored people, which would
give l0,SS2 colored votes, to say nothing of
the increase since that period The State
of New York has about 10000 such votes.
Ohio has nearly $1,000 more. In Illinois
there are more than 5000, and more than
1000 in Indiana. New Jersey has nearly
5000, and Connecticut about 1000. In all
the Northern States, with but few exceptions,
the cOlored vote is large enough to make it
self distinctly felt as political power.
This vote ought to be entirely Republican,
from one end of the land to the other. Such,
as we cannot doubt, it will be by an over
whelming preponderance. DR.. Garrett, HIM
self a colOred man, and speaking in the in
terests of his race, designates cOlored man
voting the Democratic ticket as "black
fool" This race owes nothing to Democracy
except indignation and contempt. From first
to last, the Democratic party has been politi-
cally its sworn enemy. Allied with slave
holders before the war, and opposed to eman-
cipatiOn during the war, it did its utmost to
prevent the adoption of the three great amend
ments which have lifted the cOlored people to
their present position. Not one of these
amendments would have been ratified if the
Democracy had been the majority party in
this country. Every State controlled by
Democrats voted against all of them; and,
when they were proposed in Congress, the
whole strength of the party was solidly ar
rayed against them. The Democratic record
in this respect is much darker than the skin
of it's victims. This one indictment against
it, were there no other, ought to cOnsien the
party to everlasting infamy.
Republicans, on the other hand, have been
the friends of the colored race and, having
the power, they have so welded it as to Sc
cure to this race the legal status of complete
American citizenship. The constitutional
amendments, in their inception, progress, and
final ratification, are entirely due to the prin-
ciples and policy of the Republican party.
Having conquered the Shareholders Rebel
lion, it then determined that these righteous
fruits of victory should not be lost. Equal
civil and political rights are the law of the
land to-day because Republicans have ruled
the land for the last ten years. So long as
they shall remain in power this law will be
vigorously applied for the defense of all men,
whether black or white. Their liberty record
constitutes the very brightest page of their
POutlSdi NCuCldl GIlc ntDuD-
lican President, has been absolutely true to
the principles upon which he was elected; and
for this he deserves the commentator and
thanks OF all who love justice, and especially
the warmest gratitude of the eOlored people.
The law in his hands has been made terror
to evil-doers.
COngratulating colored men upon the boon
which they have received at great price,
and reminding them that they have nearly a
million of votes to cast at the next Presiden-
tial election, we exhort them, for the sake of
| their own interests, and on account of the
principles involved, to buckle on the anmor
for the approaching struggle, and do valiant
service in helping to elect the Republican
ticket. There will really be but two parties
in the field-the one Republican and the
other Democratic; and between these they
must make their choice. The one they can
trust, as its record amply proves; and the
other they cannot, as its record equally proves,
The success of the Democratic party at the
next Presidential election would be a great
disaster to the colOred race, especially to the
freedmen at the South. The constitutional
amendments are not self-executing and.
hence, they need to be committed not to those
who reluctantly accept them as a political
necessity, but to those who believe in them,