New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-05-02

ton, while they are denied ACCOMMODATION
at public inns, kicked out of railway cars,
and their children are turned away from our
common schools solely because OF their
color. The Convention was, as it was meant
to be, vigorous protest against caste. This
was its first and main purpose, and the
second was like unto it, reaffirmation of
confidence in our present Republican Admin
istration and in the Republican party; but this
was done with less force and effect than
could have been the case had the Con-
vention been assured that Supplementary
Civil Rights Bill would pass the present Re-
publican Congress.
While the Convention failed to indicate
by positive resolution its preference for
Presidential candidates-and preferred to
leave that work to the unbiased action Of
the Philadelphia Conventional was mani
fest that the whole power of the individual
delegates will be given in support OF GRANT
and CoLFAx--the ticket almost certain to
be nominated by the regular nominating
Convention at Philadelphia. The factious,
deceptive, mischievOus concern now pro-
ceeding' in Cincinnati, which originated in
Missouri, and resulted in defeating the Re-
publican party in that State, as it now aims
to do in the nation, had no open adherents
in the Convention.
While no place could have been selected
in the whole South where the delegates to
the Convention could have been more hos
pitably entertained, or where they could
have convened with greater personal safety
than in New Orleans, the political atmos-
phere of the place was in some measure
mfavorable. There is in New Orleans, as
all know, bitter strife existing between the
Warmoth and anti-Warmoth men; and it
was difficult for those attending the convention
to keep their fingers out of that local strife,
though evidently such was the course of true
wisdom. Our business was to neither mix
nor NEEDLE with it, but to preach the inn
portant duty of union for the sake of COM
mon cause in the great Presidential struggle
now at hand. If Warmoth goes to Cincin-
natl let him 60, but let him go alone, or with
only the Democratic party of Louisiana at
his back, by whom he is every day de-
nounced as the vilest scoundrel that ever
crept into political power. Let no colored
man be found in that following. 1t would
be a shame, scandalOus and damning
shame, if, through the divisions in that State,
Louisiana should fail to record her vote for
GRANT and CoLFAx, or whatever ticket
shall be nominated by the regular nominal
ing convention at Philadelphia.
While in New Orleans we were the guest
of Lieutenant Governor P. B. S. PINCH
BACK, and it is due to him to say that he
was too much of gentleman to impose upon
us his supposed Wamoth predictions, or
to commit us for or against either faction of
the Republican party in the State. His sole
aim seemed to be to make our visit to the
Crescent City useful to our common cause,
and every way pleasant to ourselves; and it
it is not too much to assure him from this
distance that he admirably succeeded in both
particulars. Mr.. PINCHBACK is a colored
man, but only colored enough to be thus
classed by the most skillful disceners of
prescribed blood. Anywhere outside of the
United States he might pass for Spanard,
Frenchman, an Italian, or an East Indian,
but here, where color is made more import
ant than character, he is easily and quickly
coupled with the hated race. In person he
is about the medium size, symmetrical in
form, neat and trim in his apparel, perhaps
a little dainty in respect to the latter. He
is neither fat nor lean, and is Of that "make
up" from which we may safely expect sus-
tanned, protracted, and energetic action,
courage his history not less than his appear
ance fully proves. No man less courageous
than himself could have talked and acted in
Louisiana as he did during all the war and
held his ground as he has. He was captain
during the war, and has been prominent
politician in the State since the war. His
bold words and measures have fixed upon
him much of the smOthered wrath of
the old regime, but he moves about freely
among men ready for any emergency, and
with an air of repose which comes of manly
courage and conscious safety.
We heard very little of Gov. PINcHBACK in
the way of speech-making in the convention :;
but we heard enough to convince us that he
is cool and clear. headed debater and a man
of real power among men. Many and bitter
things have been said Of his early career
The moral atmosphere of New Orleans has
never been noted for its purity and freedom
from vice. Like most young men who have
spent their early manhood in that city, he
has probably been addicted to habits which
he now regrets and which he has now wholly
abandoned. He is said to be an ambitious
man, and the charge is doubtless true, but
we believe that he would as soon cut OFF his
right arm, as to prove false to the cause of
the colored people Of Louisiana.
There was much in the talent and charac-
ter exhibited among the members of the New
Orleans Convention to confirm our oft-re-
peated conviction-that the South will pro-
duce its own colored leaders. The colored
man from the North who goes South expect
ing to find himself head and shoulders above
his Southern brethren, will soon have that
conceit taken out of him. He may for the
time have the advantage that experience and
at the North has given him, but
this advantage will speedily disappear.
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