New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-10-02

Washington. and does not include those en-,
plOyed in the city, in other cities, or in III
field, or in the various navy yards, or upo.
United States vessels.
In the Post Office Department there ar
employed eight postmasters-t lirst-class
three special agents, five route agents, ont
railway post-ofiice head clerk, two iirst-clas
clerks, and eighteen messengers and laborers
This includes mainly the employees of th,
Post Office Department n Washington. an,
not the employees Of the various post Office
throughout the country.
In the Department of Justice there are or,
clerk, one chief messenger, and six assistant
I messengers and laborers.
In the Department Of State there have
been appointed three Ministers resident and
consuls general, two consGis, ore chief mes
senger, and nine iaborers.
In the latter Department of the Govern.
meat. as in all others, no distinction what
ever is made as to color. aud in consultinn
the records to find the figures already given
great difficulty has been experienced, and
only partial accuracy reached because Of this
fact. 1t is to be remembered in this c9nucc-
ton, too, that many white CLERKS remain in
the service of the Government in the several
! Departments thereof who were employed
before the ciYii-servicc rules went into effect;
indeed, the large majority Of them. The
number OF coiOred men who have been given
official place since these rules took effect is
quite considerable; indeed, all things con-
sidcred, fair proporton-at once proving
TIE magnaniInity OF the party in this regard,
and the ability and skill Of tie coiored apNii-
Cants.
In this connection am reminded that GER
| tain colorea men Of your State claim that but
a single colored man resident Of Ohio, has up
to this time been appointed to Official place
by the Administration. This is by no means
correct. Ohio has been and is represented
in her colored element at Washington, in
official place, by at least ten persons, and an
offer, to my certain knowledge, OF no mean
position, with the prospect OF important and
desirable promotion, has been made to
another Of your leading colored men, This,
hold, ia by no means a bad showing either
for the cOlored men or the party. 1t Is true
that the number Of colored men occupying
high official position is small. his is to be
accounted for in part, certainly, in view Of the
fact that the class from which such persons
must be taken, class measurably qualified
at least, is among the colored people of the
country comparatively small. We have snr-
prised the country and the world by present
ing so many of our number, equal to the
tasks imposed by the official responsibilities
to which they have been 80 lately called
COLORED MEE NOT OFFICE-SEEKERs.
There is, however, three-fold reason why
a greater number of cOiored men has not
been given office. First, we are not, as n
class. as yet, office seekers. We have neither
understood the value Of Office nor the means
of getting office. In the second place, even
Republicans have not, as yet, felt especially
called upon to volunteer services in behalf OF
colored men, not seeking office. And in the
third place, as we have never known the
value of concerted endcavor to achieve any
end, we have never understood the value of
united, persistent effort to secure office. We
are just getting glimpses of the truthfulDess
of this latter statement and unlike wise men,
skilled in political maneuvering to secure
place, some of us talk not of adhcring to the
party, and thus, in its time Of need, serve it,
and after victory claim reasonable recogn-
ton, but, indeed, in the face Of the enemy as
it were, threaten, if not entire, partial deser-
ton.
DESERTIoN OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
WORKS FORFEITURE OF CONFIDENCE AND
RESPECT.
Any desertiOn Of the great Republican
party, partial or total, in any Of its parts, by
any OF its members, white or colored, ought,
as it does, work forfeiture of its respect and
confidence. 1t is my belief that, if the coll
| ored American continues loyal to the Repub-
lcan party, and reasonable and persistent
in his demands for official recognition cx-
allied and dignified official recogntion-he
will find, at no distant day, the party and
the Administration cordially responding to
aud Endorsing his claims. Colored Ameri-
cans, t.llOw-citizens, let us not be deceived
in this regard. Let us cultivate wise saga
! city and faith, such as achieve high purposes.
| The Democratic party, the Liberal Republi-
can party, promise US nothing, ana were they
to make promises they are impOtcnt to their
! fulfiilment.
| But let us always remember that the great
| Republican party was not organized to fur.
nish offices to any class of the people, and
ones allegiance to the party is neither to be
determined by its gift Of Office nor his with
drawal of allegiance by its refusal or neglect
to give place. Nor are we tC forget that the
promotion Of men in a country Ike ours,
whether It be political or other wise, is at
| tended by difficulties and trials hard to over.
come.
THE COMMON RULE AND PATH To INFLu-
ENCE AND PLACE.
1t is true that man may be, by some rev.
olutiOn or accident, thrown to the surface o.
society, or win, hurriedly, and with apparent
ease, place and influence. But the common
rule and the ordinary path are OF the char
acter indicated. We rise, if at all, in oui
| special locality, first in the county, then in
the State, it may be; and if we are fortunate,
by long, persistent, and earnest effort hav-
ing made reputation for ability and integ-
| rity, thus winning the confidence of oul
| fellow-citizens, we are called to high
official place, or elected to Congressional
| position not to serve our own ends, but II
achieve the good of the State. 1t is well
for US all that this rule knows no distinction
as to color, as it would make none as to the
honors sought.
! THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY TRCE 10 THE
COLORED AMERICAN.
| Whatever else one may charge against
the Republican Party, whether he allege
that emancipation was wrought by it as 8
military necessity" or the bestowmeni
of Acknowledgement and the ballot .'as pc.
litical necessity" it cannot be charged that
since the emancipation Of the colored Amer
| lean, his enfranchlsement and the gift Of po
litical powers lit has either been false to the
negro, in its professions or its practices, OF
| base, dishonest and corrupt in the admins
| tration of our state or national affairs. And il
must he apparent to every sagacious and I'M
partial American citizen that the stability o
our institutions, and the conservation OF oul
liberties, depead, as parties are now organ
lied, upon its continuance III power. Should