Year: 1872

~ -.


of servitude, (which The Phladel-


phia convention gives assurance,


is no doubt intended al s.-balm for
the colored voters of the country,
and It e supposed to havS great
heading Influence, though 4 i Re-
publican Congress, in utter con-
tempt of this and other promises
made at Philadelphia, adjourns and
makes no sign. If this convention
was the concentrated voice of the
Republican party, speaking authori-
tatively for the President; Congress
and the people, it is incomprehensi-
bic why some Of these platform ser
timents were not met at once and
crytalized into federal statute pro-
visions. I do not question the wis
dom of this eminently capable and
respectable body, nor do I doubt
the sincerity Of these declarations,
but I can not loose sight of the fact
that it is perilous in the extreme to
intrust the vital measures to other
and future Congresses, which may
not in the eternal fitness of things,
be in consonance with the Phila-
delphia. convention.


I dissent from the doctrine enun-
ciated that the enforcement of the
appropriate legislation made by the
recent amendment to the national
constitution can only be trusted to
the Grant administration. If the
tenure of American citizenship de-
pends upon the success of any po-
litical party and is necessarily ieop-
arded upon the periodical return of
each national political contest, then
that exalted right is more honorary
than honorable. Instead of being
an object of just patriotic pride, it
would be a boon unsought after and
despised when secured. OF course,
I differ widely from these absurd
premises, SO antagonistic to the ge-
MUS of our institutions, and hold
that the exercise of the rights and
the employment Of the privileges Of
citizenship by the colored people of
the country depends not upon the
success Of q political party which is
oftenersf ion4l than
nations upon Ms better senti-
ment, broad CHARITY and advanced
civilizatiolf Of the American people
as O nation. In the light of the
limited intelligence I am enabled to
bring to bear upon the issues now
before the people of the country, I
am constrained to see in the Phila-
delphia platform q confession of
weakness.


If any political party, after three
successive terms of the administra-
ton of government power, has need
Of such profusion Of, promise, evi-
IDENTIFY for the purpose of securing
votes to perpetuate its existence, it
is within the pale Of possibility that
the country will survive it's defeat
and 20 forward to the accomplish
ment of it's high destiny without
the special guardianship Of such q
party.


am pursuaded that the Cincin-
natl platform does not differ very
widely in declaration of principles
from the Philadelphia instrument,
and that all voters of whatever
political opinion, can stand upon it
without sacrifice of principle, and
support the Liberal Republican
nominees without qualification; and
I consider the Endorsement Of these
candidates by the other than the
Cincinnati convention as addition
al evidence of their acceptability to
the American people. I believe it
to be the duty as we'll as right of
every American citizen to exercise
his political prerogative freely and
fearlessly, and, on occasion, givo
full expression to his sentiments,
while carefully respecting the same
duty aud right in all other men;
and that in governments like ours
all effort to control the political ac-
ton of the citizen by class, caste, or
sectional prejudice, for individual,
factional, or partisan aggrandize-
ment, if successful to any extent and
through any considerable period of
time, will inevitably tend toward the
subversicn Of the very objects for
which co.operative or republican,
governments are formed. In the
performance Of this duty as . citi-
zen, and in the exercise Of this un-
doubted right, I shall in my humble
sphere advocate the obliteration of
all party lines, and theAustenance
of a new party, 80 composed as to
give promise Of successfully master
ing the problems of the present and
future, under the leadership Of that
grand old veteran Of equal rights,
Horace Greeley, whose record and
1