New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-05-14
An Important campaign.

The time is fast approaching when the
active members of the Republican party must
buckle On their armor and prepare for battle.
The coming campaign will be an important
One-in our opinion the most important one
since the triumphs of the party have enabled
it to accomplish so mnch good.
The feeling, which is becoming prevalent
among many of our people, that there is gen.
eral acquiescence in the results ofthe war and
with.the reconstruction measures of the Re-
publican party on the part of the Democracy,
is gaining too much strength without SUBJ
stantial basis. The effort of the Democratic
party to get into power is being regarded as
merely growing out Of desire for Office and
its emoluments, and some Of our friends
argue that no harm can come to the negro
were the Democratic party again to come
into power. This feeling, we fear, may cause
the defeat of the Republican party next fall,
and it is therefore the duty of Republican
leaders to keep the people enlightened as to
the true attitude of the Democratic party to-
the defeat of treason. The cOlOrcd voter
must not, through lack of information, be
allowed to become the dupe of those Demo.
Gratis in the South who, through their Repre-
sentatives on the floor Of Congress, profess
to have respect for the rights of the negro,
and yet declaim loudly against the Civil
Rights Bill as an unconstitutional measure.
Wewarn the leaders of the Republican party
against much reliance on the instincts of the
negro leading him to vote right; the instincts
of the negro in this direction do not differ
from the instincts of the white man and if
the negro can be led into the belief that
Democrats in the South will respect his man.
hood rights and the progressive measures of
the Republican party, and that their desire
for office is simply desire for the loaves and
fishes, the work of the disintegration aud
destruction Of the great Republican party
will have been accomplished. We feel that
there is still a commanding necessity for
maintaining Republican supremacy in the
House OF Representatives, and to that end
We shall exert ourselves. to keep before the
readers of the New NATIONAL ERA the all
important duty Of colored voters standing by,
and supporting undoubtedly, the Republican
candidates for Congress next fall. The un-
wise. aud IN no degree economical, abolition
of the franking privilege takes from our
friends in Congress the means to disseminate
instruction and-especially to the colored
voter-useful public documents containing
full record Of the attitude of the two parties
Of the country in regard to the vital interests
not only Ofthc black man, but of the whole
country.
Some Of our Northern Republican friends
affect to disposition to let the party in the
South take care of itself, and do not seem
willing to lend helping hand in assisting TO
strengthen or maintain it, seemingly forget
ting that the party cannot afford TO lose its
Southern Republican delegation in Congress,
IT it is at all desirable that the party should
have an existence at all. The colored voters
in the South are to be warned against dema-
gogues, black as well as white the colored
demagogue, often put forward by designing
white men, must be shown up as well as the
crafty white corruptionists behind him in
order to check and destroy the corruption
which has been successful only through de-
luding cOlOred voters. In this work our
Republican journals can be of much service.
and they should receive the support of the
party leaders. We are determined to be
vigilant. aud to do our full share of the work.
We only need the encouragement and sup
port OF the earnest laborers in the Republican
cause. We have had to pull along with vsy
little assistance from the party, but have
endeavored to do as full duty as those who
receive its patronage and aid; in this
we do not feel that we have been treated
fairly; and, while expressing the hope that
a change for the better in regard to our efforts
may be made on the part of party leaders.
we will take occasion to urge the necessity