New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-12-11

q Nfhas W OhA OgbIhNts Al Aha7
markable association Of the progressive and
conservative qualities OF humanity will De
found the elements Of good citizenship. and
the cause Of our remarkable progress in the
last ten years in the acquisition Of wealth,
education, and all the virtues that adoru the
American citizen.
The manner of our dciiyeranrc was peculiar
and unauucipated Even the most >augu'ne
friends Of human liberty did mol expect to
emancpate and eufrRnchise us Immediately.
As in the instance of the British West Indies
it was expected that we should pass through
a tutilage before We should be prepared to
enjoy personal or political liberty.
How strangely
GOD INTERPoSED ~ OR BEHALF
" in way stronger than our fears and better
than our hopes" \ people who, for gene
rations, cheersd by the INNER light of free
dom, had hoped against hope, but neverthe-
less, in their simple manhood, possessed the
elements Of good citizenship, were suddenly
made "men and BRETHREN" and to the
extent Of a million Of workers, and more
than hI.t a million Of voters, were permitted
to enjoy the rights, and charged with the
duty to assist in protecting the interest and
integrity of this great Government.
Our conduct as people since enirauchisc-
ment has made that an actualitv which oar
tendencies and the providence of Got had
made "A possibility. As workers we have
been industrious and frugal, seeking to &C
quire education for orr children, and homes
for our families. Free. We have not been
licentious, and, in many States of the Union.
powerful, we have not been oppressed; no
! white man has ever lost a personal or politi-
cal right when we have made the law. nor
been abridged in the exercise Of the same
when we have administered them. A. citi
zens, thoughtful of the rights of those who
politically differ with US, we have been irUt
to the great party of progress who have con-
tributed so much to our redemption and
growth. The colored voter, though uncdu-
Gated in the schools in many instances. has
been diligent in acquiring the political inDrr-
nation necessary for sclt-protcction, and hlN
diligence has been crowned with hopeful
I success.
1t was said OF the colorcd soldier in hi
| initial battles, that the CoioyeI troops
fought nob!y," and so it may be said in the
past and in the future, when some great polji-
zeal crisis shall be upon the country that
the Colorcd citizen voted wisely. 1t was
supposed, like the missletoe cnging to and
drawing its life from the oak, that we as a
people were parasites, having no root in our
Sniyrs Int InpnpIipn
civilization of the Caucasian for our life
The unequalcl advancement and progress of
the past ten years have shown that we are
self-sustaining people, strengthened rather
than wasted by attrition with our white fell
low-citizens, and rapidly multiplying in vigor
and all the utilities that make people happy
and prosperous.
Gentlemen, we have met in national con-
ventiOn to mcmorialize the National Con-
gress to
GIVE Is PROTE, TIoN
in our civil rights " Federal statute surh rs
offered by Senator Charles Sumner, or its
equivalent, in law that shall make citizen
ship TO the colOred man mean what it does
to the white man. In obtaining favorable
consideration and action by Congress there
will be no lack of argument for acceeding 10
our demands. The industrial, political and
social elements of our race make an aggregate
Of forces too large for the American people
to afford longer to deprive this race of any
rights enjoyed by any other Of her citizens.
But you will no doubt find hestancy, arising
in some instances from prejudice, the growth
Of nearly three centuries Of wrong. We must
not, therefore, either weary or be inpatient
If the pre- JUDGES of a century are not dissi-
pated in day. Timidity in our law-making,
as we'll as prejudice, has delayed the bestDw-
ment Of tho protection we seek When they
have somewhat of the moral courage and
trust in God that the martyr President,
Abraham Lincoln, had, when he freed four
millions and half Of people, without prcce-
dent and without guarantee, that they would
form so important an element in the nation,
we shall be accorded in the national statutes
fully and freely, all the rights and privileges
belonging to and en- dyed by the most highly
favored citizens Of the Union.
To yitalize our efforts 10 secure civil equal
ity and political influence we must improve
our condition in wealth by frugal industry,
our intelligence by study, our moral force bc
fidelity to truth and to principle, and by the
express and steady purpose to help those
who help Us, we will find that, instead Of
seeking recognition, ii viii secl; ne, and that
parties viii court cur support after first ar-
cording our rights. We must do not ou!y
well tor ourselves, but rcly on ourselyes.
The poet la. well said, THAT we do OF
seekfrom others the help that is in ourselves"
Our success needs not 50 much an occasion
Of strength from abroad as the dcyclopmcu,
Of that which is within
AFTER EACH EEII1.sE
aud reverse In our efforts 10 posses and en-
JOY our own we must draw fresh inspiration
from tho-e first great principle Of truth and
right, from which all desirable succc.. cman-
ates, and return to the strife brayer and
better men, conceding justice to all and de-
manGIng Justice IN return.
!. Considering our claims numerically and in
diyidual!y under the Constitution. NC an
Z proach the honorable body, who alone. under