New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-07-16
stand by tHe Republican Party
and the Declaration of
Independence.

Ninety-elght years ago the founders Of
of this nation declared its independence of
Great Britain. After prolonged struggle,
the shackles Of oppression that bound the
colonies of America, were broken, and the
American people began to govern themselves.
The prominent idea of the American Decla-
ration of Independence is that all men are
created free and equal, with inalienable rights
to life and liberty, and to pursue course
that will tend to their happiness. This is
the fundamental idea Of the Declaration of
independence. How speedily this idea WAS
lost sight of and forgotten 4 study Of the
action of the government in the matter of
human bondage will show.
For the period of eighty-seven years, the
descendants of those who resisted the tyr
amy of the government of England and de-
clared their independence of that govern
ment, practised q tyranny more cruel and
barbarous than that of Great Britain towards
them. The nation that had shed its blood
for liberty, became the mos! tyrannical of all
civilized countries. The descendants Of men
who periodically and bravely took up arms
in defence of mans right to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness, were eager to
fight, bleed, and die for the perpetualion of
slavery. The nation that grew out Of Il sue
cessful resistance to tyranny, allowed lis pro
mockery.
The opposite of freedom Of speech, free
dom of the press, religious freedom, Justice
to mankind, gained strength and grew into
enormous proportions, as decade after decade
led the nation away from the period when
the injustice of Great Britain made the peo-
pie of America to learn that every man
was created free, with the right TO decide for
himself equally with all other men what will
best conduce TO his happiness. The plinc:-
plies discovered through this oppression, by
Great Britain. of the American colonies, and
which were so soon buried after inderend-
ence had been achieved, were partially ex-
humed and brought to view by the war to
strengthen American slavery. The tyranny
of England, in its efforts to strengthen it.
self in America, unintentionally aroused the
people to the discovery of truth that nerve;i
their arms to stronger resistance to oppres-
sion. The excuses of American slavery, its
treason, its shocking barbarities practised in
war in efforts to prolong its existence re-
awakened the larger portion of the American
people to the teachings of the founders of
the Republic. Eighty-seven years after the
Declaration Of Independence came the Eman-
cipation Proclamation, which was soon fol-
lowed by the elective franchise for the eman-
cipated.
The nation Is rapidly passing from the rec
objection of the terrible effects Of wrong
doing. The sufierings, the perils, the ankle
ties OF the war for the preservation of the
Union are being lost sight of, and forgotten.
The injustice and oppression which were the
cause of the conflict, though thought dead,
have still enough life in them to give their
nurses hope that they may yet be resuscitat-
ed. One political organization aims to keep
before the people the teachings of the found
ers Of the nation, and to have the govern
ment proceed in strict accordance with the
idea that all men are created free and equal.
This organization is actuated by patriotism
and love Of justice. The noble minded and
learned men of the nation are within its
ranks. Ii not only accepts the new cond.
ton Of freedom in the nation, but was the
organization that.perfected the work of re.