New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-10
The New Citizen and the Rings
WASHINGTON, ID. C., April S, 1873.

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We are an humble member of that class
which rejoice- in the birth Of every movement,
,acuiated to do our people good.
From the ashes Of the Cc!crei CdiEen the
Ne,c citizen has terminated. We welcome
the sheet and trust that all those interested
in human progress, and especially in the well
fare @: the cniranchised American, will sus-
tain those who have undertaken so noble
work.
But 10 digrcss a moment. We stood by
the Co,orci Cii-cn as long as there was VIZ
talitv in il. We were never very san2uhe
about that sheet, for in our humble opinion 1t
lacked Trains 1t was troubled With bad
orthograrhv, and miserable grammar, and
had too rrueh weakness for ladies' toilets, as
though everything depended upon the cut,
III. and makeup of a body, or skirt follow
ing 4 wornan's heels four or five yards. If
We are not very much mistaken, Mr.. Guppy,
character in one Of Dickens works, is ac-
credited with saying that what man
thinks before breakfast is one thing, what he
thinks after is quite another" Applying
this to our editorial friends Of the Colo,ed
citizen, they always left the banquets and re-
ceptions so full Of the good things under
which the tables groaned, that as a return
FOR courtesies, they were forced to write up
everybody, and SO lost their paper and wasted
their sweetness upon the desert air.
But we have do disposition to disturb the
sleep Of that sheet. Gabriel has promised to
rouse up everything, and as he understands
his gamut, and can blow a buglc better than
We, we resign the job to him.
The Mar Citizen comes to ill vacuum
We happen to know its editor, and can safely
say that all the essentials which contribute
TO make an editor are To be found in him.
The introduction in the first number of the
Mar Citizen, among the good expressions,
gives Us to understand that the paper is not
to be the organ Of any clique or ring. Now
this is clever, and we feel better.
The Coioret Citizen was given to rings, to
extolling, TO cringing, simply to get smiles
and invitations and last, but not least
death.
If our little friend of the Ne,r Citizen sticks
to the text, and keeps certain parties away
from him; that is, escapes their influence, he
will accomplish something.
There are several rings in this District.
Those who make them are sharp and shrewd.
The more gratuitOus attention they eXpend
upon you, the more fried oysters they set be-
fore you the more receptions to which they
TO no 10 10
under obligations and these exert a con.
trolling influence.
A man Of Sherwood Forests once observed
to 4 friend who expressed surprise at seeing
so many sturdy fellows shooting at the butts
"there are butts everywhere" so with rings
they are everywhere. You will find them in
the private house, in the universities, and the
banks. The members compose a class which,
under no set of circumstances, represent our
people, in fact the people don't know them.
They have no weight or status, but they have
a large amount Of impudence, and if they are
10 be accredited with any intelligence, they
hide it under a bushel basket, and use it only
for selfish and ring purposes. They are al.
ways first at public meetings, occupying the
highest seats in the synagogue, their bald
heads prominent and shining, reminding one
Of the submits of tall mountains which first
catch the rays Of the morning sun. They
are sharp at deyising ways and means to ex.
tort contributions from the pockets Of other
people, and they never say pay once, if they
are to he included.
Tboy lo,-o tho cnup1 Of fin,hro1 opl horn
and flute, and horn, and violin. We have
seen them tripping artistically through the
may dance on the light fantastic toe, and
then we have seen them glide noiselessly out
into the upper room with their sweethearts
and wives, and, surrounding the solids and
riuids, eat and drink, and drink and eat, and
thanking God that they were not like other
men, while their guests in the dancing hall
were thirsty and hungry and ready to faint.
We have no fight to make with those who
strive TO advance by legitimate means this
is all right and commendable; but the idea
Of these kid gloyed coxcombs, smelling like
an entire perfuinery shop, whose antecedents
mo fellow can find out" they, followed b,
a few old barnacles, who are too mean t.
die, because it would cost them something t.
pay funeral expenses these, undertaking t.
impress people with their Importance these
shaping, fashioning, controlling, giving tone
setting the metes and bounds OF society
BAH Don't you feel sick at the stomach
Our little editor must be exceedingly care
full; these rings go about seeking whom they
may devour; in fact, they murdered the ed
itors of the Colored Citizen.
Let us have 1--we, healthy paper in tn,
Near Citizen fearless for the right, and no
pandering to the tastes of those who woul,
have il exist merely to enhance their ends
The problem as to whether we are fit for tn
political condition in which We are, is not We
fully and satisfactorily solved. There ar,
those who vet question it, and they have in
nucnce enough left to seriously retard on
progress.
Friends we have on every hand; they cal
and will assist but we must ourselves dem
onstrate that within our own limits We hav,
the element, the intellectual levers which
are to lift us to higher place, and the Ma
Citizen, properly manipulated, will do its por
lion Of so holy work. Who can fathom tn,