New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-01-15
Sound COpartnership.

The colored people have never faltere d in
their trust of the Republican party. Amid
all the haltings and delays, the hesitation
and uncertainty which have attended recon-
struction legislation, the colored people have
put the responsibility Of every obstruction
upon Democratic shoulders, and given credit
for every fresh start or new triumph to the
great party of Emancipation.
There have been some men, claiming to
belong to the Republican party, like Mr..
Morrcll of Maine for instance, who have OPP
posed civil rights as we understand them,
but we have never held the party response
BILE for his short comings. We have cheer
fully turned from the contemplation of a
character which seems to pay more Difference
to a piece of parchment than to the claims
of humanity or the demands of republican
ism, or to the survey of the broad platform of
equal and exact justice laid down by the
Philadelphia convention. We have had no
occasion to bother ourselves with the doubt
ing Thomases Of the party, who will not
| believe that there has been resurrection of
freedom out of the throcs of death in ma
tional struggle, and who will not accept the
doctrine Of complete and unconditional re-
demption for every citizen of the republic.
We have rather sought out our known
friends-our firm and tried friends, and tried
to make them feel that they had our fullest
trust-our completest confidence. Why have
we done this? Because the failure to give
US equal opportunities in the school-room,
the jury-bOX, and in every other place of
vital interest, involves the death of the Re-
publican party even more surely than it in
wolves our continued prescription. There
may be men in the East who, because they
seldom see either negroes or grangers, care
western representatives understand that
there Is potencyin the voice of both which
demands attention, and which in the end
will secure redress of grievances. Our
oppressed people cannot appeal in vain to
legislators who themselves have risen out
of the condition of oppression. Just de-
ma,,,ls cannot be ignored in popular Gov
eminent, when the man who is asked to do
Justice has been himself victim of the evil
complaint. The white Republicans of the
South know that there is no hope of con-
tinued supremacy while the negro is held as
pariah. And if the sound policy of the
best Republicans does not prevail, the politi-
cal aspirations of the Southern Democrats
will influence them to go farther than Re-
publicans have ever gone to secure and re-
tain the colored vote.
This being the case, it seems there can be
no occasion for the delay in our complete
acknowledgements. We look confidently to
our friends in both Houses of Congress to
give us such a bill on civil rights as will set
for ever at rest the cavils about constitution.
ality, and as well stop all quarrols about race.
Every amendment to the Constitution adopt
ed in our interest was declared to be uncon-
stitutional till it was made part of the Con-
sttution, yet, from tho hour of the adoption
Of each, they were acquiesced in even to the
extent Of our strongest opponents, seeking
the advantage Of them, as the case of the last
election, when the Democrats did all in their
power to secure colored votes.
- "AAs w Aouuu SAut tu0 uCklO WILL ubSc
no more cordial friend than the children of
Democrats and Democrats themselves when
it is found that the authority of the United
States put black child in the common school
and black man in the jury-box.
We have man in charge of this bill
Gen. Butlcr-whom We have every reason
to trust. His services to our cause have been |
incalculable; his fidelity is unquestioned, and |
his ability unsurpassed. We look to him to |
do his part-which is always an important
part on the committee. We think we can
trust the judiciary Committee. 1t has done
we'll up to this time, and We cannot believe
hat it has had the bill recommitted with any
REV Of emasculating it. We look for it from
he committee in as good shape az it was
vhen Eesonmitted, and, should We be disap-
'ointsd In this, then we look to the Republi-
an members Of the House to keep faith with
: By sizing rs Q perfect civil rights bill. IL