New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-06-06
The Nominations.

The Republican party ofthe nation, through
its appropriate agent, has now spoken, and
its will should be the law for all its menu
bers.
Unlike the Liberal" National COnven-
ton, held few weeks ago at Cincinnati, the
conclusions reached by the National Repub-
ican Convention at Philadelphia during the
present week surprised nobody. In the
nomination. of Ulysses S. Grant for second
term Of the Presidency, it has simply fulfilled
the just expectations of the noble and patri-
otto party for which it acted, and proved that
the sober good sense and loyal sentiment of
the people which saved our country from
disunion and anarchy during the last ten
years, are still strong, vital, and controlling,
and may still be trusted with the destinies of
the Republic. 1t is a singular fact, and
strong proof of the nations confidence in
General Grant, that, while no man has been
more bitterly assailed inside and outside of
Congress during the past year, no one has
been seriously named as his successor. First,
midst, and last, he has been the candidate
of the National Republican party for the
Presidency. Through all the dust and smoke
raised by the Blair Missouri Cincinnati move
ment, the people have steadily discerned the
firm figure of U. S. Grant as the true stand
ard-bearer of the Republican party and of the
Republic. Some men see in tllis--only the
stupidity of the pcople-their incapacity to
discern their truest and best agents others
see in it the control obtained over the people
by corrupt political rings; others pretend to
see in it the evidence of military power and
usurpation. But we see in it a wise deter
mination Of the people to let we'll enough
alone, to praise and approve the bridge that
carries them safely over. After the long
years of danger and alarm, this country wants
peace and safety above all things else, and
it knows General Grant to be a safe man.
The humblest citizen of the Republic may
sleep soundly and without fear for his liberty
or his country when he knows that this sin
gularly quiet, firm, and just man is at the
helm Of State. II is all mistake to suppose
that the people which knew enough to elect
Abraham Lincoln twice, and send Andrew
johnson to Tennessee at the end of his term,
have all at once lost their power of discern
ment. They have done nothing of the kind.
There is no organic change in the people.
Their Judgment is not less entitled to respect
in peace than in war in selecting Grant than
in selecting Lincoln. At any rate the Ma
tional Republican party has chosen its leader.
The question is no longer an open one.
The time for differences and preferences has
past. Individualism is no longer in place.
He is most true to himself who makes the
largest sacrifices of individual opinion and
feeling to the welfare of his country. He
who wishes respect for his opinions and
preferences should show an equal respect
for the opinions and wishes of others. Ma
tional self-govenment, the highest Of earthly
privileges, is possible only in the presence
Of disposition Of individuals to respect the
decision of the majority. Though the latter
may err the concurrence Of many minds in
any case affords strong presumption in
favor Of its wisdom and justice. Any other
theory leads to revolution and anarchy. To
all the disatfected we say, no grounds have
been thus far alleged against L. S. Grant,
which, after all, do not leave him incompar-
ably more desirable as President of this
Republic than any man who shall rely upon
the old Democratic party for election, and
who, if elected, will be sure to bring that
political element into power. In a word, the |
contest is now to be between Greeley and |
the Democratic party on the one hand, and
Grant and the Republican party on the |
other. In any and every conceivable case
the conflict is to be between the princi- |
pies of the Republican party and those of
the Democratic party. The Democratic |
party, in convention, may say one thing or
say another, or it may say nothing; but,
whatever it may say or do, or fail to say or
do, we all know that the votes relied upon |
to oppose L. s. Grant, are the votes of the old |
Democratic party, and that the contest, from
the nature of things, must be of this charac-
ter. There is no neutral ground. He who
is not for us is against us.
As for the "NEw NATIONAL ERA" it
shall have in the future, as in the past, but
one voice, and that is for Grant and Wilson.
What little influence it may have with any
class of voters in the country shall be faith
fully exerted from now till November for the
election of these worthy candidates to the
two highest Offices in the gift of the nation.
The considerations which will induce the
colored voters Of the whole country to sup
port and vote for Grant and Wilson are high
and imperative, and withal SO obvious that
the dullest can comprehend their importance.
Amy cOlored man who prefers liberty to
slavery, peace to war, life TO death, educa-
ton to ignorance, progress to stagnation,
social order and safety to violence and muir
der is competent to state the argument for
the Republican ticket, and to answer all the
abuse and sophistry which can possibly be
brought against it. Wendell Phillips is right,
when he says, mo colored man scAo ralues his
NE can pote for Greeley as against Grant"
The case IL put none too strong. While Mr.. |
Greeley himself has a knife for the throat Of
no man, while he abhors wrong and violence
not less than General Grant, he is still
likely to be the approved candidate of the
crowd which filled New York