New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-19
Response to the Tribune.

The following thrust is too much in keeping
with the highly dignified and decorous tone
that distinguishes the 7iftme-we do not
mean the old Republican Tribune, but the
private organ of the present Democratic cam
didate-as to surprise anybody. 1t says:
awe regret to see such handle given to
the enemies of the negro race as the exhibit
ton of british ingratituile which is seen in
every number of the Neg National Era. Mr..
Frederick Douglass, during his whole career,
has received the most signal evidences Of
friendship and regard from Mr.. Greeley.
Even since the beginning of this canvass he
has met with entirely civil and kindly treat
ment from us. Yet in few papers in the
United States is Mr.. Greeley bounded with
such foul and malignant blackguardism as in
the paper of which Mr.. Douglass is the editor.
These attacks are too vulgar to quote and too
fiimsy to answer. But no friend of the negro
race can read them without pity for those in
herent vices of nature for which slavery is
alone responsible"
To this we reply that Frederick Douglass
has always fully appreciated Mr.. Greeley's
friendly sentiments, and up to this day duly
appreciates the valuable services which Mr..
Greeley has rendered to the cause Of the ne
gro, and that he has frequently expressed
himself in this sense in the columns of the
NEW NATIONAL ERA from the time when he
became its editor in the fall of 1870 till the
spring Of this year. Even when Mr.. Gree
ley left the Republican party and joined the
Liberals, the ERA-a short time before the
Cincinnati onyention-cOmmented on Mr..
f,voolnv.c lof,c4;p,, Will, Ian,
cribed it to an error of judgment rather than
of heart-the consequence Of his excessive
desire for the Presidency--and expressed tie
confidence that after the bursting of the Gin
cinnati bubble, Mr.. Greeley would return to
the ranks of his old allies. Little Gid Fred
erick Douglass then dream that Mr.. Greeley
while constantly arguing the eminently Re-
publican character of that movement had al
ready consented to be the Democratic candi-
date. Little did he or anybody else dream
that Horace Greeley, the editor of the first
Republican paper in the country, as early as
at a time when the Liberals had not even
organized as party, had without any provo
cation On the part Of the Republicans, con-
Guided treaty with one Of the arch enemies
Of the negro and of Republican principles
generally; the man who in 1862 indirectly
encouraged resistance to the draft and gave
passive aid to the riot, during which unof-
Tending negroes were hunted and shot down
like wild beasts a treaty whose chief object
was the ruin and defeat of the Republican
party. II was to be stabbed and slain, not
openly by its declared enemies, but from be-
hind by the hands of its pretended friends
and the Tribune accordingly kept up the dis
guise OF Republicanism for several months
longer. Er9y,ehae outside of the Liberal
Democratic party such action is stigmatized
as treacherOus and perfidious yet the
1riJunc charges Frederick Douglass in par
ticular with ''brutish ingratitude," as if even
such obligations, as according to its assertion
he and the colored people are under toward
Mr.. Greeley, were forever binding, though
the former friend should himself renounce
his allies and attempt to undo the good work
lie helped TO do. If this is Mr.. Greeley's
and the Ir.Jaae's principle, they do not fol-
low It IN practice; for although they admit
that the whole of the American people owe
gratitude TO General Grant, the Tribune as
sails him every day in the most virulent
manner. 1t brands the ERA's criticisms as
foul and malignant blackguardism :" vet
they have never degencrated, nor ever will
degenerate into personal attacks but have
been limited to Mr.. Grecley's public cllarac-
ter as an editor, politician, and orator, while
the Tribune INDUCES in strain Of unprece-
denied personal abuse, not only Of the Pres
ident and of his official surroundings, but
even Of his children, AMI descended so low
as to employ n sneahish correspondent TO
spy out the number and value Of the dresses
and shawis that the Presidents daughter
bought in Europe, and to report about them.
Perhaps the Tribune has two codes of morals,
one for itself and another for other people,
or, one for whites, the other for blacks. This
wenld be peculiarly Democratic.
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