New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-09-11
Out or Their Own Months They
Stand Condo mned = Reaurnsns
Sense-The National RePubitca"
Agaiast IiseIf-virgtnia versus
the District or C0ium bia.

Just as We go to press We observe with
astonishment the editorial which we PRINT
below from the Republican. This journal
which, by its hasty cancellations and iorced
deductions, gave the Virginia Conservatives
the cue to raise the cry OF "biack man 5
party" and argued so logically against COL
ored men banding together for their rights III
the District, now finds, as we predicted, that
these mischieyous falsehoods return to
plague the inventor" and thus repents IN
sackcloth and ashes. We hail with pleasure
our new convert, acknowledging, however,
our surprise that it should change its tune so
soon.
Our readers will please compare the Re
publican of August a5th, and September 10th,
1873. We are satisfied"
| I'll. Equal Right. League
| 1t seems that there is a number OF colored
| politicians, cnlOred otfice-holders, and cOlored
| aspirants for office in this city who have
formed what they call an Equal Rights
| League" the avowed object of which is to
nominate and support black men for office.
! The purpose of this party, its organization
and intentions, will be found in other columns
this morning. The names of those who figure
| in it are familiar to the people of this city.
/ In one shape or another we have known them
| for years-now throwing themselves in oppo-
! sition to the city authorities again as fol-
lowers Of the Liberal Republican party in the
| last campaign as the agtatOrs for mixed
schools, and as the supporters and advocates
OF every measure calculated to stir up bitter
ness and strife between the two races, and
throw the colored people backward in the
struggle which they are making for advance
ment, morally and politically. With few
exceptions these men are the curse of this
community. During the last few years they
have introduced more turbulence, more dis
order, and engendered more ill-feeling among
our citizens than any other class of our
people. If they were the sufferers by this
species of agitation, we could rest perfectly
satisfied; but the consequences of their DEM
agogism are visited upon other and unOffend-
ing parties who have no sympathy whatever
with them, while these chaps climb into office
on account of their supposed prominence and
Importance.
As told in our columns this morning, the
object of this gang is TO make color dis
tinctive issue in the coming campaign in this
CITY. Black men are by them to be nomi-
mated and run for office-simply because
they are black, and not by reason of Their
fitness or peculiar qualifications. In other
words, as far as they can do it, it is proposed
to make of Washington sort of IIayti, where
black men alone shall rule and hold office
The whole idea is morally and politically
wrong. 1t is unrepublican and contrary to
to the spirit and genius of republican insttu-
tons. As we do not want to see in any
section of this country white mans party,
so do we not wish to see black mans party
1t is a blot upon our civilization and upon
|, the century. If there were any reason why
a party should be organized on this basis in
this CITY we should not probably object to it
But there is no reason, no justification what
ever, for it. The black man is deprived Of M
rights to which he is morally, politically, ana
legally entitled. Udnything, he has more than
his share Of the offices. In the eye Of the law
the white man enjoys no privileges that the
black man does not eni Joy. He has a pro-
portionate share of the school fund he is
!, represented upon every municipal board and
in every department of the local govern
ment. What, then, is the object of this
equal Rights League ~ Whence the ne
cessity for black mans party?
This whole business is all wrOng-wrone
in principle, wrong in conception, and wrong
in politics. 1t is fraud and crime. The
ambitious schemers who are the head of the
movement are simply ende lvoring to use
their colored brethren for the advancement
of their own selfish interest, and we war;
: the colored people of the District that the,
, cannot afford to be made the tools of thi:
colored people of this city have made won
derful progress socially, materially, and pc
liticaly. We desire to see them make still
, greater progress. But it cannot be done
; through any such agency as this "Equa
Rights League"