Herald of Kansas., 1880-05-28


There are certain great American
principles imbeded in the constitu-
ton OF the United States, enshrined
in the hearts of the American people,
which it would do we'll to remind
these gentlemen of, who insist that
the Republican party is to be oficered
and ruled ad infnitum by white men.
A reading Of the constitution by the
light OF the Declaration of Indepen-
ence, will inform them that all men, |
regardless Of color, have an equal |
chance. before the law. to occupy any |
position they can get; that there is
net siPgle line in the statutes of
Ihe United States that entities q |
white man more than a cOloreG man |
to become delegate TO Chicago or
chairman of the State Central com
mittee. The code Of American citi-
zenship designates no particular race
for the leadership Of American free
men here all men are equal. Pop
ularity and capacity set'no man above
another.
In the early day of Republicanism.
when men like john P. Hale and
Joshua r. Giddings were leaders in
our great National party, the Repub-
lirans were knighted "black Repub-
licens'. A Paris paper, speaking of
Mr. Banks, who was then running
for the speakership Of the lower
house Of Congress, referred, without
any reproach whatever, to this DIS
tnguiShed Massachusetts white man,
as the Negro greesman"- If,
in those infant days of the recogni-
tiOns Of the colored man some of the
nObleSt heroes of tho Nation could
dare 10 fight their battles under the
cognomen Of "Black" or Negro" Re-
publicans. it Is certainly out OF place
for those processing Republeanism
10 grow sulky IN the MONDAY Of this
era of progress and liberty, and like
another Achilles, sit down, remote
from the battle, ia sight OF their par
~ struggling for the rights of man
kind.
Acknowledging that this is no
time to make charges against the
white men who have been or are
acting with us, nevertheless, with
guarded language the assertion can
be truthfuily made, that The cOlOred
man has nj had the chance to gain
as much political knowledge in the
SOutt under the leadership Of the
past, as snould have been gained.
Tie men who lead, lead simply for
personal aggrandizement, for Office
or honor. They have never made
any arrangements by which colored
men have had their local citizenship
more fully recognized. Yet for these
things alone we do not say the scep-
tre should be snatched from judah.
But recognizing the fact that Judah
is lions whelp, we are also mindful
Of the prophecy that the time would
come when the law-giver should de
part from between his feet; time
when The insignia of power was to
be sharked by others.
Is it ungratGtul TO insist that the
day has come in Georgia? The chill
dren OF the field, of the plow an1 the
hoe. are rising Their heads have
rubbed against the college walls OF
the Atlanta University, and other
institutions of learning-not suffi-
GENTLY to make them airisL, but
sufficiently to open their eyes.
Now, gentlemen, it is painful for
Us to speak thus plainly 10 you. but
it has been forced upon rs. The
Il journal Ot Progress is no advocate
OF tbs color question. 1t has studi-
ou>ly avoided pressing this Issue.
lis editor fatty refused to have any
thing 10 say or do with the resolu-
ton when it was first introduced at
Thomasvllle. While the justice OF
the spirit of the resolution was rec
ognized, the propriety OF it, intro
duction WAS denied
But away with personal bicFerings