New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-29
From the Galveston Standard.
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Aus.6, 1872.

were an adtnlrlng anu Hf:lteiui PooPi" 49,
sensibly panied by the act Of an emlnen!
friend. than were the majority of American
people on Wednesday, July 81, 1872.
On this day appeared before the country
Mr.. Summers long-looked-fOr letter to the
colored men of the District OF Columbia, In
reply to one addressed to him, asking his
"opinion as to what action the colored voters
should take i'm the Presidential contest now
pendipg.n This letter was signed by A. I.
Augusta, NJ. D., VIM. WOrmley, Samuel Proc
tor, and other gentlemen of the District.
Mr.. Sumner has replied in an elaborate
and terse letter, admirable for its dction,
touching to a great extent in its pathos, and
doubtless full of conviction as to duty; but
oh for its moral expediency, its principle,
and its adaptation to good, for the sake of a
race for whom he has bled, and country
which he honors as one of its brightest states
men.
In the first place, let me say that Mr.. Sum-
ner has expressed himself in favor OF Horace
Greeley as the next President, and sets up
as his motto "the unity of the Republic,
equal rights to all and reconciliation" He
gives his reasons why in his opinion the
cOlOred vote should be given to Greeley and
not Grant, basing them upon the antecedents
and present position of the two men.
l propose in a brief manner to show that
does not prove, and this makes the original
usually false, as it is in this case.
l.-"HOrace Greeley was born in poverty
and educated himself in printing office.
President Grant, fortunate in early patron
age, became a cadet at West Point, and was
educated at the public expense" will ask
Mr.. Sumner and his adherents is this an ado
quate reason why Gen. Grant should not be
President? Ifpoverty and an humble voca-
ton are the muniments of title to eminence
or official place, is Mr.. Sumner in the Senate
in his right place, or should he ever expect to
fill the Presidential chair, which his friends,
having larger spirit than he has manifested,
declare ere long he must fill? Has not
President Grant paid the country hundred
fold his debt due to ii? He, as it were, mort
gagged his life in the perils of war, on the con-
dition that he would manfully and faithfully
fight in just cause and for his country. Did
not Vicksburg and AppOmattox Court House
amply pay all expenses incurred at West
Point? Consistency, thou art jewel"
1t is but yesterday that Gen. Grants poverty
and humble situation as the Galena Tanner
was urged by Mr.. Sumner against his fitness
for the denomination at Philadelphia. To-
day the same is urged by the same sooth-
sayer, as a reason why another man should
be President. Something better than this,
tiers.
''Horace Greeley" says Mr.. Sumner, "stood
forth as Refomer and Abolitionist. Presi-
dent Grant enlisted as a pro-slavery Demo-
crat." Granted. But to-day Mr.. Greeley is
pro-sldr1y political Democrat, while Presi-
dent Grant is Retormer, in the sense that
under his administration old things have be-
come new. 1t is far easier to construct an
English sentence, and WELD an able pen,
than to plan campaign in war or WELD
sword against an enemy.
Mr.. Sumner casts stigma at the Phiadel
phia Convention, when he contrasts it with
Cincinnati, by saying that in the latter many
there acted with the Republican party from
its organization. Was not Gerrit Smith at
the Philadelphia Convention? Is he not as
old as Mr.. Sumner in the traces?
Horace Greeley's nomination at Baltimore
MIR. Sumner calls conversion of the Demo-
cratic party. What assurance has he for
this? Day by day the Democrats say we
have not changed, our nomination is a means
to an end, and we fear to the colored people
it means the halter and the bullet. The
gravest of Mr.. Summers inconsistencies ap-
pears in the fact that the antecedents " of
Horace Greeley are a sufficient reason why
he should receive the colOred vote. Is it
possible or wise to look at Mr.. Greeley's an
If antecedents should govern, what are the
antecedents of the Democratic party? an
swer, the cursed institution of slavery, the
sale of human flesh as cattle, sleeping in dis
grace and endeavOring to keep forever in SER
vitude an innocent race of human beings
Denying loyal class of their civil and poit-
ical :ghts thirty days prior to the nomination
Of the representative of their present princi-
pies. These are the antecedents which Mr..
Sumner calls upon the cOlored voter to sup
port. He cannot do so, sir, consistently with
his own interest. l regard Mr. Summers let
ter as heated misguidancc to the colored
citizens OF this country. 1t is not Horace
Greeley nor General Grant that we seek to
preserve, but the Republican party. Can this
be preserved in the hands of a few of its
friends at Cincinnati, amidst swarm of its
enemies at Baltimore?
Mr.. Sumner will admit that until the col
Ored citizen is clothed with all his rights.
civil md political, he remains a part of a dis
tinct class. He cannot, as the white man.
enter the political wheel of fortune but must
adhere to that idea only which has brought
him from servItude to manhood and freedom.
II takes more than human crcdibility to make
a man once slave, having the scars of the
cato 'nine-tail on his back, or the man who
has been taken from his house at midnight
ASA N. M n.
believe that Democrats or the Democratic
party are his friends, and that he consults
his interests when he seeks to put them in
power. 1t is not the man Grant, nor Gree
ley, but he who can best represent Republic
can principles. 1t is impossible for Mr..
Greeley, though he be filled to the utmost
with good intentions, having so large an elc-
ment of Democrats at his side. It is then
the duty of every colored voter to cast his
vote in the interest of the elevation of his
race, the preservation of party which, with
all its shortcomings, has done him good SER
vice, and at the expense of Democratic hate
and persecution.
In closing, l would say that the time has
arrived when colored men have decided in
telligence TO vote without advice, else he is
a victim and prey to the designing and artful
politician. We have no personal battle to
fight beyond the interest of ourselves rs a
race, and the way is clear, and hope we
will have no more petitions, betraying our
weakness in judgment concerning our own
interests.
A genuine conversion Of the Democrats
ought to have given the victory to the Lib
erals at North Carolina, but no. we hear
nothing but Democratic triumph. To the
victor belong the spoils-. Or is it that the
Liberals are swallowed by the Democrats
ID. A. STRAKER,