New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-05-07
Can We Afford 1t!

Inc Republican party OF the nation Is, to
the colorcd man, the only political organiza-
ton in the land to which he can look with any
degree Of confidence to maintain and carry
out those principles and ideas through which
his freedom is secured, his manhood acknow-
lodged and his civil and political rights
respected. How careful then should every
colored voter be to do nothing to damage the
influence and power of this party--a party
that is to him erery thing in the way of pro-
noting his highest and best interest.
Can we as a people afford to have the
party disintegrated and destroyed? Ought
we by injudicious fault finding, impelled by
over ambitious desire for office, to create a
feeling of dlstrust in the minds of colored
voters againt the great Republican party?
We are now at that point where the ut
most care is necessary that we do nothing
wrong. We have not reached that full
strength that comes from years of freedom
and independence. We are poor, landless,
and uneducated. That which we receive is
given grudgingly and after much importu-
nings. We are in no condition to make or en-
force demands on any other political party. If
we break with the Republican party, and it
breaks from us, we have no where to go, and
by ourselves we are not sufficiently strong
to impress or to enforce any policy, no mat
ter how just, against the prejudice or the
Indifference of the two great parties of the
nation. We are consequently compelled, in
justice to ourselves, toIstand by the party
that has shown the strongest disposition to
accord to us our manhood rights. This
should be our test of party. When any party
is manifestly opposed to our highest interests
then should we cease to give it our support
While we arc pleased to see able and eff
cient colored men filling positions of honor
and trust, We would not make onr adherence
to this or that party, contingent upon the
support of colored men for office. There is
danger in some places of our people giving
way to the idea that Office holding is the one
grand step in the advancement of our race.
This is mistake. 1t is our duty to adhere
to the party that will protect us in the pur-
suit of happiness, wealth, and prosperity
precisely as all other classes of American
citizens are protected. If this policy can be
more effectually sustained by electing white
men to office il is the duty of the colored
voter to support the white man. If able and
eranest colored men are available, as is the
case in those Congressional districts from
which come the present delegation of colored
men in Congress, it is just and proper, in our
opinion, to support colored men. But let
not the adherence to the Republican party be
based on color or race. BY no means defeat
any man white or black who, in the present
Congress, has cvinced zeal in the work of
achieving Our complete freedom. We cam
not afford to make experiments. We are
crossing the stream and must not stop to
swap horses. Our people must learn that
the placing of mediocre men of either race in
Office is detrimental to any party, and to our
race more especially than to the white race.
Every colored man elevated to office by COL
ored votes is looked, upon as representative
man of his race and our people are judged by
him. Care should be taken that none, but
the best shall be placed in positi on from
which the whole race will be estimated. We
throw out these suggestions because we be-
lieve that extraordinary efforts will be made
this fall to destroy the Republican party, and
because we wish the colored voters to be vigi-
liant and exercise such prudence as not to be
led into any actions that will in the slightest
degree impair the success ofthe party of our
hope. We cannot afford to lose the Repub-
lican party.