New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-07-18
False PretenSes.


The Democratic party in Baltimore adopted
the following as the first plank in their plat
form:
First: We recognize the equality of all ]
men before the law, and hold that it is the
duty of Government in its dealings with the
people to mete out equal and exact justice
to all, Of whatever nativity, race, color, or
persuasion, religious, or political.
This, as all the rest of the platform, was
accepted because it was thought that Repub-
leans could be enticed by it from their ale
glance to the genuine Republican party and
friends Of equal rights; not because the
Democratic party really mean to put into
practice this profession of recognizing the
equality of all men; for, if such were their
intention if they really desire no inequality
of rights based on race, color, or previous
condition of seryitude wherever they have
power to-day, they will use that power to
abolish distinction on railroads, in hotels,
common schools, in the jury box, and in all
places where cOlOred men and women are
degraded and ostracised because Of their race
and color. If the Democratic party wishes
to impress the country with its sincerity in
adopting the above plank, they will at once
in the State of Kentucky throw open the jury
box, the witness stand, and cease to drive
colored peor.e into prescribed cars, forcing
colored ladies to ride in company with the
lowest and most obscene men that can be
found in any community. Instead of making
it necessary for the National Government to
prosecute and punish the Ku-Klux Klans of
the South, they will take the necessary
measures for that purpose themselves. Now
is the time to begin the work.
Equal rights for black men is now consid-
cred by the Democratic party as negro
supremacy, and according to the chair
man Of the Baltimore Convention lex
Senator Doolittle) the union of Liberal Re-
publicans and Democrats is to break down
this so-called supremacy. Doolittle charges
that negro supremacy is upheld by proscrip-
ton and the bayonet. We suppose he means
by prescription the Withholding of the ballot
from traitors and rebels, and by the bayonet
the protection of loyal men from murder by
the rebels. Mr.. Doolittle's speech, and not
the platform adopted by the convention, sets
forth the real intention of the Democratic
party, and by that speech must the party and
its candidates be judged. What step has
been taken by the Government to insure
equality of rights that was not made neces-
sary by the Democratic party, and to which
that party to-day objects? What step has
the Democratic party ever taken to protect the
black man in his rights Can party that
looks upon the negro voting as exercising
supremacy over the white people, guard and
protect the negro in his right to vote? These
are questions for the colored voters of the
country to calmly and carefully consider.
Ex-senator Doolittle has ever been an
opponent Of the negro, his civil rights, and
ate his sad condition. He is an enemy of the
race, and friend of those who would, if they
could, destroy it. He opposed measures in
Congress, looking to doing justice to the col
ored people Of the country, on the ground
that if given the rights and privileges of free
dom the race would die out, that it could not
take care Of itself; predicting a war of races,
and a condition for them similar to that of
the Indian. His prophecies have thus far
failed of fulfllment, and wherever colored
men have not been abused by the Democratic
party and Liberal Republicans, they have
not only taken care of themselves but have
saved money; and a monument to their ca
pacity is to be found in the finest bank build
ing in the South, situated in Washington,
within sight Of the very place wherein the
negotiating ex-senator made the prediction
above alluded to.
Democrats, your platform reads and sounds
well! Horace Greeley makes tolcrably fair
fgure-head, but you must do work in accord
ance with both platform and figure-head, be-
fore honest men knowing your past record
can put any confidence in you. While you
prescribe colored people everywhere in your
power, while you denounce the Republican
party for shielding them from outrage, your
platform and your nomination of the ambi-
tious Horace Greeley will have all the ap-
pearance of the thinnest pretense and sham.