Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-10-31
From the Liberator.
MEMORIAL OF THE COLORED CITIZENS
OF WISCONSIN,.
To The Honorable, the Legislature Of the State o

To the Honorable, the Legislature Of the State O
Wisconsin
We the Undersigned, colored inhabitants of tn,
State of Wisconsin. would once more exercise thu
right. which is guaranteed to all the people, peace
ably to assemble, and petition the Government fol
q redress of Grievances. We complain of Art. I'd
Sec. LIST Of the Constitution of the Safe of WiscOn
sin. We now ask your honorable body to regard
our feeble request, and remove this heel Of oppression
and disability which rests upon US. MS contained IL
the Article and section referred to, and thereby
give Us an opportunity to becmc respected citizens
of the State. We complain of that part OF the
Section which disallows to US the right of franchise
and at the same tine grants it to others who imi'
CRATE from foreign lands, and who do not under
stand the Constitution, Government and Laws as
we'll as ourselves. We do not sag, neither do we
bcltece, that men of foreign birth, immigrating to this
asylum of the oppressed, should be deprived Of
any of the rights and blessings which this govern
ment has confirmed upon them but we do say,
that the same rights and blessings should be ex'
tended to us. In addition to all this, is 1t not pro-
per to submit to your honorable body to say II 1t
be right, justice. or common sense, that we should
be subject to taxation without representation
We are informed by those who claim to know
that a vote was taken by the people in lS49, and
that q majority of votes were cast in favor OF suif-
rage-thereby taking away our disability, and re-
storing unto US the right of free suffrage. We
would ask your honorable body to confirm the vote
SdkCu VI w II II DC NbtiCSttJ oha 'oN ~ 'PNA
the Statute Book of Wisconsin or, if the vote re-
ferred to be incorrect, then we ask that the question
be once more submitted to the people, to say, by
their vote whether We shall. be restored TO equal
citizenship with our neighbors. We claim that we
are citizens of Wisconein TO all intentS and purposes,
and are Of right entitled to all the immu2ities OF cit
izens of the Commonwealth. And we believe
with the Fathers of 'Seventy-six, that taxation and
representation should go together that to tax us,
while we are not allowed to BIO represented, is but
to enact, upon n grander scale, the outrages that
forced our Revolutionary Fathers to treat klIg
George to a Continental Tea Party in Boston. In
laying this important subject before ycur honorable
body, we would say, give US equal suffrage and i'm
munities. For we believe the almighty has given
pc equal rights with all men. But, surely, we need
not quote the God Of Nationsfor the justice OF our
cause; FOR no man that has the least moral pereep-
tion with this great truth of Revelation before him
As ye would that men should do unto you, do you
oven so to them,' can have the smallest doubt OF the
justice of our request. Our forefathers recognized
this doctrine, when they declared that'AH men are
created equal; that they are endowed by their Crea-
tor with certain inalienable rights that among
these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-
pess. They also sustained the same principle when
King George imposed taxes on them without their
consent In consequence of which they appeal to
the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude
OF their intentions. They also declared that the
Constitution was ordained for the cypress purpose
oil establishing justice and to ensure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defence, pro.
mote the general welfare, and SECURE the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.' We do
not wish to trouble your honorable body with
lengthy or unreasonable complaints but s;pce
God, in His providence, has made us citizens of
this Commonwealth, we feel that we would be
recreant to the principles Of Justice enstamped
upon every breast, if we neglect to send this
memorial to YOU, and thereby do all in our power
to obtain this right for ourselves and our posterity.
This We will ever pray.