New-York tribune., 1872-07-19
CH1RITARIE JUDGEMENTS.


In Washington is printed The NeW National
Era, which is edited by Mr.. Frederick Doug
lass. This newspaper is the devoted friend
and supporter of the President, and is un-
commonly acrid i'll its opposition to Mr..
Greeley. It's warfare is waged in the paste
pot and scissors style; and it proves that Mr..
Greeley never was an Anti-Savery man by
showing from his own words that he never
was anything else. This sort of thing is so
easy to do that we wonder Mr.. Douglass does
not leave it to the third and fourth-rate clerks
in the departments. All that is needed to
carry on such work with great spirit is an old
file of newspapers, the tailor's tool aforesaid,
and little boiled -four. 1t happens, how
ever, 20 be style of controversy, which,
in the present peculiar state of public
affairs, tan be maintained by one side as well
as another. If the Grant men are greedy for
political "reminiscences, they can be easily ac-
commodited. Perhaps Mr.. f. Douglass, who
is so leaned generally in the history of con-
versions, remembers the time when his politi-
cal opinions were somewhat different from
what they now are; when, like his old friend,
Mr. Garrison, he thought it wicked to vote at
all, and considered the Constitution of the
United States to be "a covenant with Death,
"and an agreement with He'll" We observe
that The Ye,o National Era quotes as authori-
tative the opinions of Gen. Benjamin f. But
ler. How about Gen. Buffers record Suppose
he were nominated for the Presidency, would
Mr.. 7. Douglass think it necessary to hunt up
his old, bitter pro-Slavery speeches. How
about Gen. Grant, What is there about his
record on the Slavery question which makes
him altogether lovely in the eyes of The Ne'o
National Era? 1t is the same Gen. Grant who
supported and voted for James Buchanan, and
who boosted afterward of doing SO who sus
tained the policy of the President on the Kan
sas-Nebrasba question; who said carly IN the
course Of the Rebellion, 81 am a Democrat,
"aBd when / am convinced that the war is
"waged to prosecute the designs of the Abo-
"litionists, / pledge my honor as a soldier,
"that will carry my sword on the other side,
"and cast my lot with that people," and who
arrived at the opinion that the contemplated
reconstruction of the South upon the base of
"negro suffrage was an outrage upon all the
" "principles Of justice or craftsmanship and
"would eventually result in war of races"
Cut that out, Mr.. Douglass, and send it down
to North Carolina with the other elegant ex-
tracts!
The Grant faction, it cannot be truly denied,
contains pretty fair assortment of good old
"Democrats," including that most important
oiIice-holder, Mr.. George s. Boutwell,, who, in
stead of attending to the business of the
Treasury Department, is making electioneering
speeches for his chief in North Carolina. If
Butler and Boutwell, and the rest can honestly
acquiesce in the present sentiment of the
country toward Slavery, why may not all the
delegates to the National Democratic COnven-
ton accept this plank of their platform and
ours:
"First: We recognize the equality of all before
the law and bold that it is the duty OF Government in
its dealings with the people to mete out equal and exact
justice all, Of whatever nativity, race, COLOR or per-
suason, religious or political"
VIII it be believed that upon this plain,
catholic, and satisfactory statement of opinion
Mr.. Fred. Douglass could make 10 fairer COM
ment than this:
Equal rights for black mon is now considered by tho
Democratic party as negro supremacy, and, according
to the Chairman Of the Baltimore Convention exSena
tor Doolittle) the union Of Liberal Republicans and
Democrats Is TO break down this s0-called supremacy"
What Mr. Doolittle did demand in his speech
was equal rights to ALL men, white or black"
Well, is The Neu National Era opposed to
that7 Have White Men no rights which Black
Men are bound to Tespect7 Does MT Mr.. ID.
want equal and exact justice to all, of what
ever nativity, race, color, or persuasion, re-
" ligious or politicalp 1t seems to us that
when Democratic Convention can be brought
to demand this, it is quibbling without de-
cency and no more than an indulgence in
damnable innuendo" to assume that the Con-
vention cared only for the rights of White
Men. If there is no negro supremacy" then
there is no harm done; if there is such SUI
" premacy," is Mr.. f. Douglass to blame for
it If men cannot change their
opinions and recant their errors, what kind of
q "new National Era y are we likely to have J