New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-10-08
President Granl..His Loyalty 10
all the PeOple..The COIOred
Mans ssSuce Defence.'

Whatever may be the duty or interest Of
the white race in regard to General Grant,
we believe it to be both the duty and the in
terest of the colored population Of the South
to sustain him and his Administration with
earnest, united, and unceaslng vigor. This
belief is founded upon the firm conviction
that not only their political and civil rights,
but their very lives demand that they should
by all the legitimate means they can exert,
sustain the hand and strengthen the power
of the President.
While we think all patriotic and true
Americans should stand by the man to whom
the nation almost literally owes its existence,
colored men have an additional and stronger
reason for giving him their united and Jealous
support. Besides the motives they have in
common with all other patriotic citizens,
for sustaining the man who won such imper-
ishable renown, and secured such priceless
benefits to the nation by his achievements
during the rebellion, and has won such honor
for it since, they have the stronger one of
direct personal interest, involving every right
that has grown out of our victory over the re-
bellion.
If the colored people of the South will ask
themselves what would have been the result
of the recent instruction in Louisiana, and
what would now be their condition, if ''con-
sentative" or weakened, or timid and
time-serving Republican had been in the Ex-
ecutive Chair instead of General Grant-Mr.
Greeley or Gratz Brown, for instance, they
will comprehend what we mean by claiming,
that let white men do as they will, their dear
est interests require no liberal" indepeud-
ent, or halfway support of the man who has
ever proved so true to them as well as to the
country.
In his celebrated order to General Emory,
sand rebels in arms while his force amounted
only to six hundred, "Im dorn the rebellion
and report a/termaras," Gen. Grant exhibited
the spirit that alone can over awe traitors,
preserve us from another civil war, and pro-
tect the rights and lives of the colored race
South. That order, acted upon in the prompt
and energetic manner General Emory knew
he must act upon it, cowed the Louisiana in
surgents, and secured to our people there the
privileges the laws and the Constitution
guarantee them. But the danger to the
cause of civil rights has not passed. The
Southern rebels are only over awed by Presi-
dent Grants prompt and vigorous treatment.
They are waiting for another favorable chance
to strike another blow for the Lost Cause and
against the colorcd man. General Grant is the
only Lon in the wak With man in his
place Of less iron wifi Tess determined to en-
force the laws and pressd the people, black or
white, and with less keen sense of duty to
the oppressed AMI outraged colored race, Or
even with the slightest yielding to rebel
clamor by the President, they would fly to
arms again in a week, and the South would
again be deluged with the blood of slaughtered
colored men. Our people know this as well
as they know how true to them in every time
of need General Grant has been.
We may safely challenge the few colored men
who are laboring to weaken the confidence
of the negro in General Grants fidelity to
our rights, to name single man in all the
who has rendered US more practical benefit,
who has so uniformly recognized US as citi-
zens entitled to equal rights with all others,
or who would have more vigorously put down
the recent instruction against us. Nomore
terrible calamity could befall the colored
race of this nation than the death of General
Grant. No more perfect security to it against
the attempts of White League rebels than
President Grant, backed, as he is, by the
Republican party, could exist. While he
remains in power neither it nor the country
has anything to fear. The rights Of the one
and the peace Of the other will be secure.
1t is not alone that he has been 30 true to
us in the past and that We can rest so Sc
curely upon him in the future, that we should
80 unitedly and earnestly sustain his admin
istration, aud so promptly and unanimously
rally under his standard, should he again be
chosen to bear it aloft in a third campaign
against the enemies of Liberty and Justice.
He has proved himself as trusty statesman
in peace as he did patriot and hero in war.
His Administration has been one of the
most SUCCESSFUL tNat HAS cNcT pitoocu tnC
country. 1t has not only been true to all its
pledges, but is distinguished above almost
every other, by its achievements in domestic
and foreign policy, aud by Its rigid integrity
and strict economy. 1t has literally done
reu. 1t has been honest and straight for
ward. The public debt has been steadily re-
duced. Interest upon it has been regularly
paid. Revenues have been collected. We
have no more "of those unlawful rings"
which formerly existed. Taxes have been
removed and the peoples burdens greatly
lightened. Our credit has constantly gained
in strength, and foreign capital earnestly
seeks investments in our securities. All this
is due to the wisdom and honesty of Presi-
dent Grant and the party whose representa-
tive be is. What more do the people want !:
1t is true that we have occasionally differed
with General Grant upon some minor ques-
tons and have sometimes criticized the acts
of his Administration. But on all great and
vital questions, we have been cordially with
him, and to the best of our ability, have de-
tended his position. And we have in all hon
esty, and with an earnest regard for the best
good of our people, come to the conviction
that President Grant is the man above all
others, for the emergency that is upon US and
before us, az he proved himself the man
above all others in the emergency out of