New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-28
Letter from VIM. wilmer.


To the Editor Of the Ne,c National Era:
The claim recently set up by many poll.
ticians that the colored citizens of this nation
should be represented in the Cabinet by one
Of their own race, and complexion, finds nc
authority in the Constitution and laws of the
Republic, and none against exercising the
rights of citizenship on account of "color,
race, or former condition of scrvitude."
Therefore every citizen of whatever color,
race, or condition DESTROYS of civil advance
ment, should rest his claims on some other
foundation than those that have already been
rejected by the fundamental laws of the land.
1t is the interest of the American people,
and the duty of the National Government to
promote the general welfare; reconciling
special interests that arc frequently antag-
onistical, by choosing for its representatives
those only who are by educational qualifica-
tons best fitted to promote the objects to be
attained.
Every citizen who may be DESTROYS filling
certain public positions should first feel
within himself that he possesses in a very
eminent, if not in a superior degree, the
qualifications necessary to execute the trusts
committed to his charge in the interest of
the public welfare. The statesman requires
as much special and practical education as the
lawyer, the merchant, physician, architect,
or navigator, and it would be equally unsafe
to place an honest and educated farmer at
The helm of the Ship of State," as it
would to place him in the command of a
nautical vessel to plough the raging main,
when the property and lives of our fellow
citizens were at stake.
Now that the principles have asserted
are abstract truth, few will deny, and still
fewer number will assert that in the history
of the Government they have been faithfully
observed. 1t is universally known that the
colored citizens, in the past history Of these
United States, have been denied by educa-
ton and opportunity the privilege of &C.
curing that knowledge of craftsmanship
necessary to enable any of them to become
fit representatives for a position in the
Cabinet of this great Republic. 1t will be
their interest as we'll as their duty to first
struggle to obtain such inferior positions as
they are prepared to fill, and there become
practically educated for the fulfillment Of
higher duties when called by those in au.
thority, or the voice of the people. 1t is
perfectly absurd for them to lay claim to that
equality which is the common product Of
education, science, and civilization for ages
If we could justly claim equality with the
white race in education and culture after
ages of oppression and barbarism, then
slavery has not been the crime for which we
have arraigned it before the bar Of the civil
lied world. If we attempt to prove such an
assertion we must first explode every anti
slavery argument, and arraign every anti
slavery lecturer as common slanderer. II
is fatal mistake to suppose that the laws
of nature, the conquests of civilization, and
the monuments of ignorance and barbarisn
have been obliterated by the thirteenth, four
teenth, and fifteenth amendments to the Con
stitution. If we desire promotion and adj
vancement we must not rest our claims or
such sandy foundation.
We have been oppressed as a class, and We
must rise as such. Glass interests have
always been recognized in one form or an
other in our Government, and will continue
to be. 1t has been asserted that as clas'
our votes decided the great political battle
and made the Republican party triumphant
AS citizens we claim right to share in tho
administration of the Government, thu
emoluments of office, as well as the right o
voting to sustain it, pay our taxes for it,
support, and bear arms in its defense. WheI
we rest our claims on educational fitness WI
| abandon the whole ground to our forme
rulers. Let us not forget that we were blac
men before we were American citizens.