New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-01
why COl0red Men should Stick to
Grant.

TRENTON, N. j., July %, 1872.
To the Editor Of the Nep National Era:
First. Gen. Grant has, ever since he took
up arms in behalf of the Union, been an i'm
movable and unfaltering opponent Of slavery,
and both by speech and despatch while in
command, maintained that to conquer the
rebellion you must first conquer slavery and
since the rebellion has been equally as per-
sistent in advocating the equality of all men
before the law.
Second. Gen. Grant has been the means
of achieving the liberties Of the colored man,
however unwittingly it may have been on his
part, and he has never since used any means
or influence to prevent their securing the
greatest amount of civil and political liberty
that the Government could bestow. He has,
also, since he occupied the Presidential chair.
given appointments of the highest grade to
men of color, and recommended to Congress
not to admit into the Union rebellious States
until they had agreed to ratify the 18th and
18th constitutional amendments, thus COM
pelling them to do justice to this class of our
population, contrary to their prejudices, feel
ings, and inclinations.
Third. Gen. Grant is consistent with HIM
sell, because, when he found that Democracy
was the hOt-bed of secession, that it was the
great bulwark and support of human slavery,
that it was the originator of that foul and in
famous doctrine of State sovereignty, and
that every department and ramifcation of
the General Government were infected by its
odious and unjust exactions and demands, he
then, like cool-headed, sensible, and honest
man, left the Democratic party and united
with the Republican party. Can any right
thinking, honest-hearted person do other
wise than commend him for his course?
Fourth. Since he left the Democracy and
joined his fortunes with the Republican party,
he has been thoroughly tempted and tried,
especially during Johnson's administration,
but his purposes arc fixed and immovable.
You know where to find him he is reliable
he has firmness and decision of character, the
greatest of all human qualities in man who
occupies position of honor and trust.
Fifth. A man who leaves his lifelong prin-
ciples to identify himself with party that is
the friend of the colored man, can be more
safely trusted than one who has left his life
long principles to affiliate with party which,
up to the last days of the last session of Con-
gress, voted squarely against the civil rights
bill "a wise and just measure) simply because
it conferred upon the colored man the same
public rights it did upon the white man.
Sixth. Granting that Greeley is the same
man he was before the nomination, (Which is
not admissible will he control the party or
the party control him? Even supposing he
will not be subject to the party's influence
and control-if choice is to be made-is it
not better to vote for man who goes from
bad to good than to vote for one who goes
from good to bad? He is certainly in very
bad company, and the very same aims and
spirit that characterized the party before the
war exist now, as their organs and legislators
and their violent and united opposition to the
equality of rights of the colored man clearly
indicate.
Seventh. The sole object of this Liberal
Republican movement is to get the General
Government under their control, and thereby
establish the authority in the State govern
ments to divest the colored man of the rights
he now enjoys under what they term central
lied power. Hatred of the colored man is
the prime cause of this movement; and,
above all, the well-expressed views of Horace
Greeley himself, January, 1871, "that he
will be far better fitted for President in 1872
than he was in 1868, and that he never has
been beaten and never will be-"
Yours for the right,
WIN. E. WALKER.