New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-17


ellis of the nation. The sounds of the bucl,.
and the drum were familiar to the ears OF
childhood, and the negro, as a slave, hated
by those who had wrOn@ed him, dreaded By
those who loved the Union more than lib
erty, crouched in his cabin and prayed for the
coming day.
The nominally free negro was in worse
condition: owned by no man, he was vet n
pariah; without testimony in the courts.
without the right of free transit, he possessed
only hlmselt-a poor possession, indeed,
where all else was denied. 1t was at such
time that the poet Indignantly wrote
"When first saw our banner wave
Above the nations counci-hall
l heard beneath its marble wall
The clanking letters Of the slave!
In the foul market-placc 1 stood.
And saw the Christian mother sold,
And childhood with its locks of gold
Blue-eycd and fair, with Saxon blood.
1 shut my eyes, | held my breath,
And gathering down the wrath and shame
That set my Northern blood afiame.
stood silent, where to speak was DEATH"
81 knew that truth would crush the lie.
Somehow, sometime the end would be-
Yet scarcely dared hope to see
The triumph with my mortal eye.'
Now, under the auspices of liberty, all is
changed. The mover of the District enamel
patton is the Vice President of the United
States; the successful leader of our armies
through the dread struggle is the able Chief
Magistrate. Washington is no longer the
camp as the able Winthrop describes it.
1t Is no longer reproach to Congressional
meanness. The tents have faded away and
the negro cabins have given place to stabler
structures. The city is no more the lest of
the foreign diplomat or the caustic writer.
Its spacious avenues and broad boulevar(ls.
It's public buildings and grounds, its private
palatlal residences make it worthy. under
the present policy of improvement, to rank
with the capital cities of the wOrd-witb
Paris, London, and Berlin. But there are
greater advantages than the material ones.
We no longer walk with timid step and down.
cast eyes, but with firm tread and inward
glance take our places in the body polite.
Sharing the simple duties of the citizen and
the more responsible ones of oflice-holders
and magistrates. In the courtroom. in the
Jury-boX, and in the departments in the
legislative halls and in the walks of trade we
are continually seen. Instead of the little
schoo-hOuses, barely tolerated before. and
III which a few, amidst discourapements
dious and even elegant structures are provided
for the rising generation, taught by colored
teachers and presided over by board COM
posed OF colOred men. Politically, we are a
power in this community such as no party or
parties may safely ignore. Socially, we COM
pare favorably with the majority of our white
tellow-citizens for the advantages we have
enjoyed. In thrift and industry the negro
who would starve if you freed him, who
would bask in the sunlight all day long if left
to himself, has laid by from his savings. the
modest sum Of four million five hundred
thousand dollars That same negro. who
would not and could not learn if given the
opportunity, graduates from Wonder uniyers-
ity in the arts, in medicine, in theology. and
law, and is already making his influence,
learning, and energy felt in the South,
among those who believe intelligence. re-
fincment, and culture TO be the prerogatives
of white skin. All this has happened
because
Tin the sun
free flag fiOats from wonder dome,
And at the nations hearth and home,
The justice long delayed is done.
Not as we hoped in calm of prayer,
The message of deliverance comes.
But heralded by roll of drums
On waves of battle-trOubled air.
Not as we hoped; but what are we?
Above our broken dreams and plans
God lays with wiser hand than mans
The cornerstone of Liberty"
"Rejoicc our Marah's bitter springs
Are sweetencd; on our ground of grief
Rise day by day in strong relief,
The prophecies of better things ~
While the events thrOnS our memories we
can never forget those old champions of
liberty, men of the nOblest purposes, of
the rarest courage and craftsmanship,
who walked these streets, Stunned
and despised often, or in wonder Capitol
Numbered apparently in vain their anathe-
mas and arguments against "the giant
wrong. We can never forget 'the old man
eloquent" battling for the right of petition,
sinking at last like another Chatham at hi.
post of duty. The intrepid GiGdings, who
prophesied emancipation, has been gathered
to his fathers. Staunch old Ben Wade,
sturdy and trustworthy as his own Ohio oak,
has passed from the active arena Of political
life. The gallant Hale, a mere wreck Of his
former noble self, walks amidst his granite
hills. Seward, much misunderstood, often
mallgned; but always true as steel, though
polite and diplomatic, rests in the church,
yard at Auburn. That noble specimen OF
American native ability-the poor boy Of
New Hampshire-the successful editor and
founder of "A great journal, the active philan-
thropist and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. our friend
even when most aspersed-is sleeping in bis
premature grave, gladly freed from the cal
umnies Of party strife and private misrepre-
sentation. The grand "old commoner"
Thaddeus Stevens, our anti-slavery Machia-
velli, Is also gone he who fought the ene-
my with fire, asking no quarter and giving
none carrying all the resources Of his gem
erous but imperious nature into the conflict
with slavery. All are not dead nor out of
the battle. Some are with US still TO stimu-
late and encourage, not so strong, perhaps,
in body, but valiant IN intellect.
The able Chief Justice, the dictator Of our
financial policy, whose early labors in Ohio
can never be forgotten. Gerrit smith still
10 pleading for freedom Of though, In matters
Of religion and for PROSTATE Cuba. Charles
Sumner, ''last Of all the greatest" is still
with Us to-day.
/ sat by his bedside few DAYS ago and
witnessed, with feelings can never describe,