New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-05-28
Our Friends in the U. 8. Senate.

The colored citizens of the country have
every. reason to be satisfied with the Re-
publican members of the United States
Senate. With one or two exceptions, they
have faithfully, and we may say grandly,
maintained their high devotion to the princi-
pie of equal justice to all the citizens of our
common country. In passing the Supple
mentary Civil Rights Bill in face Of every
appeal to popular prejudice and passion, and
in face Of neril to the future of the pepubli-
can party, Tic =: - ,ourage and
unhesitating logical consistency. Their
conduct is another evidence that the Re-
publican party is the party of progress and
enlightenment. Whatever may be its other
defects, there is no unsoundness here. 1t
has bravely asserted and maintained every
logical inference from the idea that we are
regenerated and free Republic. So far as
Republican Senators are concerned, the last
vestige of slaveholdng barbarism is
brushed away, and all citizens of the United
States have the same reason to love, honor
and defend their common country and nation.
The old scandal that the boosted liberty Of
America is restricted by race and color is
now set at rest. Character, not color, is
now the criterion by which men are to rise
or fall. A moral and intellectual standard
has been adopted in place Of course and
vulgar physical one, and America has been
placed in line with the most advanced civili-
cation Of the nations of Europe. For long
years, owing to our slavery, America bore
the bad eminence of being the only great
country which treated color as crime. While
an American negro in Europe was freely
admitted to all the rights and privileges
accorded to other men in all public institu
tons, in his own country the negro was
brutally insulted and debarred even on tie
common highways. So far as the Senate Is
concerned this will be so no longer. Now,
let the House do its duty-let it despise all
selfish appeals to party fears, and keep step
with the Senate music of justice and liberty,
and we may soon see a peaceful Republic
free from the last reproach and shame of
by-gone slavery.
Among the leading spirits in the U. S.
Senate to whom we are indebted for this
benefcent action, we know of none to whom
we are under higher obligations than to
Senator FRELINGHUYsEN. Senators HOWE.
boutwell,, CONKLING, MORTON, PRATT,
ALcoRN, HAMLIN, and EDMUNDs nobly
sustained the measure, but the New Jersey
Senator had charge of the Bill; and we NAV
say, that from first to last, he justifled in the
fullest measure our highest hopes. His
mission was not by any means an easy one.
To take up the unfinished work of Charles
Sumner, and to succeed where that great
and lamented Statesman had failed, required
clear head, sound heart, courageous
spirit, an equable temper, a persuasive elo-
quence, and a persistent determination.
Mr.. Frelinghuysen has shown every quality
required by the occasion, and has secured to
himself the sincere gratitude of the colored
citizens of the Republic.
1t is worthy Of remark that this great
measure of common fair-play in the race of
life received no support from what is called
the liberal Republican Senators. Carl Schurz,
the learned Senator from Missouri, whose
admirable Grafton on Charles Sumner, few
weeks ago, won applause and admiration
from the friends of freedom in all parts of the
Union, had neither voice nor vote for this
the last will and testament of the deceased
Senator. In his course, the colored citizens
Of the country may well enough see the wis.,
dom Of their refusal to follow Mr.. Schurz in
bis efforts TO break up the Republican party
two years ago; and they may also see what
was meant by the high-sounding phrases
about liberty used by the Liberals at Gin.
cinnati. A word TO the wise. sc.