New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-29
From the Irish Republican,
The S!cassfisSss:ess Of The GaEGresi
EGt..

| In this hour of our political history, big with
the shifting and recrcancy Of so many leading
| men, distracted by tho confusion of men Of all
parties separating hurriedly, rushing around
| wildly for positions and running together
| blndly in most unnatural union-whch be-
ing unnatural, cannot have stability-the
steadtastness and calmness Of the colored peo-
pie arc remarkable. This steadlastness has
more depth than any mere political education
could have given, and more solidtv than could
be acquired in the schools. 1t is a sublime
faith in the power which brought them cut of
the land of bondage. Men NAV rant about
education, and all the refining Influences
and namby-panbyism toO--which accompany
it, but there is that in the souls Of the natural
men-men from whom all light but that which
flowed through unseen channels from God
which remains pure and strong, being on sure
foundations, when the faith of the schooled
man and the higher races gives way like shift
ing sands.
We would ask our readers to bear with lis
while we point out the greatness OF the col
ored race in their untaltering devotion to
truth-the truth which made them free. If
this race, on whose limbs are the seams from
the shackes Of slavery; this race around
which civilization drew u ring of darkness so
dense that the light from heaven alone could
rance, yet scourgcd into that ignorance; if
this race, lately eniranchised and flung with
out preparation into the privileges of freedom,
remain true to the instincts of their soul. re-
main steadfast in their faith, while those who
led them out of the darkness have unaccount-
ably returned to the darkness themselves. il
proves that men may be educated too much,
until the soul becomes school dust, in which.
while rancor and ambition and revenge may
flourish, truth and faith and love perish.
year ago, and Sumner and Greeley and
Lincoln were associated in the minds Of the
colOred people. These three names were set
up in letters Of light in every colorcd home in
the land. They were the names that shone
years before in lighting the race out of bond
age. Look to-day and the names of Greeley
and Sumner burn like funeral tapers, while
the name of Lincoln, purified by martyrdom
and intensified by the darkness of the other
two, burns with tcntold brilliancv.
Well would it have been for Sumner had
he persisted by the hand of the Southern bull
ly; well would it have been for Greeley had
he, too, gone with Lincoln ere he quenched
tho glory of his life in the cess-pool of politi-
cal treason.
Mr.. Sumner and Mr.. Greeley, in forsaking
the Republican party, and clasping hands
with those whose lives have been devoted to
the destruction of the Republic and the pre-
servation of slavery, reasoned falsely, their
reason being cOlorcd by their own passions.
when they built upon being able to direct the
colored people backwards with them. The
most ignorant as well as the most intelligent
colored man recognized a higher power in
their emancipation, and knew that Mr.. Sum-
ner and Mr.. Greeley were but soldiers in the
army of liberty. They knew that the ark of
the covenant was not in the keeping of any
man, and that the Republican party, under |
the providence Of God, was the power which |
gave them liberty. Therefore, when Mr.. |
Sumner goes over to the enemy he calls in |
vain for the colored people to follow him;
when Mr.. Greeley tears q fragment from the |
banner of Republicanism, and, waving it over
his head calls on the colOred people to fol- |
low him, they respond with regrettul silence, |
but .aith mistaken in their party.
We know how much such men as Frederick |
Douglass must have suffered to sunder politi- |
cal associations with Sumner and Greeley. !
Gratitude, love, and all the finer feelings |
must have tugged at their hearts and pleaded /
with olden voices, sweet with glorious and
sorrowful memories, to follow! But God.
the God that gave them liberty, made the
spirit mpregnable, and the colored peonle
Lriumphed. Duty is higher than the aflec-
lions, and people who tiy from duty to fol-
low the affections into error cannot be kent
rec.
Not alone have the leaders of the colored
race been true to the party to which they
owe everything freedom, and that without