New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-10-16

IL has not been demons trated that the ne
gro cannot progress and be all that any other
race is in this country, especially those races
that have found here an asylum and refuge
from oppression abroad, If like them he Is
allowed peaceably and undisturbed to take
advantage Of the lessons of civilization and
enlightenment with which he is surrounded.
That he has thus attempted the laws making
it penal ofense for him to possess book
or to be taught to read the Bible abundanty
testify. We all know, the divines at the
Evangelical Alliance included, that the i'm
mense power Of the United States was
brought to bear to prevent the first essential
of manhood in the negro, viz: Liberty, with
out which neither he nor any man or race of
men can advance or successfully cope with
those having this superior advantage.
The Rev. Moses ID. IIoge, ID. D., says of
the negro that nothing but the conserva-
tive power of Christianity can secure them
against the evil influences which threaten
them. Nothing else can bring them happy
future" We would ask the reverend Doctor
what kind Of Christianity is il of which he
speaks Is it that Christianity and ciyliza-
ton under which the negro has lived for two
hundred and fifty years or is there to be
another Christianity which recognizes the
humanity and brotherhood Of man? Is ii a
Christianity that teaches to love your neigh
bors, and that all men are created of one
blood: We are of opinion that not only a
happy future, but happy present can be
had for the negro if the learned divines
assembled at the Evangelical Alliance, and
their followers, will teach and respect the
principle quoted by DIR. Hoge from President
Grants address to the Board of Indian Com
missoners 81 do not believe our Creator
has placed the different races of men on the
| earth with the view Of having the stronger
| exert its energies in eXterminating the
weaker" The enemies of the negro hope
for his determination, and heap upon him
persecution to that end, finding aid in, and
justfying themselves by, the teachings of
such divincs as lloge, who prate of the
inability OF the negro to cope with the "supe-
rlor energy of the white race" that energy
being exercised in direct opposition to the
| teaching that Whatsoever We would that
men should do unto you, do We even 50 unto
them"
| Not word do we hear from such divnes
as the Rev. IIOge as to the snfulness Of the
treatment accorded the negro by the civiliza-
ton of the United States. No; the negro
stands in need of Christianity, argues this
reverend Doctor, we infer to enable him to
endure the bitter persecution that comes
from the superior energy Of the white race.
We may well ask Is this man Hoge a rep
resentative of Christianity, and can find no
word of rebuke for the national sin against
the negro, no word to encourage him to adj
vance in the attainment of knowledge, who
satisfies his conscience by saying of the negro
"there is before him the hope of moral and
spiritual progression of greater worth than
any that is merely mental"
We ask of Christianity and enlightenment
to do something to relieve the negro from the
weight of oppression under which he strug-
giles before deciding that the negro is hope
lessly inferior make him free, give him the
same encouragement as is accorded to the
| oppressed from other lands who seek a refuge
here, surround him with the same protecting
care of the law, and then If he fails there will
be some justification in decrying him as an
| inferior.