The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1860-03-31
The Elective Franchise.

Two succeeding Legislatures of our
State having passed resolutions to submit
to the people the alteration of the COnsti-
tuition nessary to grant equal suffrage to
colored men-the vote will be taken
on this measure at the next State election,
in November, of this year
In about seven months from this date,
therefore, the people of the State of New
York by majority of their votes, de-
clare whether they will make the State a
pure democracy, with each male adult
having an equal voice at the polls, or
whether the property qualification for col
ored voters shall continue
The last time this question was submit
ted to the people, about thirteen and halt
years ago, they voted against equal stuff
rage for colored men by an immense ma
jority, majority so large that it would
have crushed, or at least hushed, any peo-
pie of less vitality or feebler desire for
rights that are possessed by the free blacks
of New York. AT the next meeting of the
Legislature, and for several succeeding
years, petitions for equal suffrage were
poured in without stint, and our ablest men
were heard before the committees of the
Legislature, who repeatedly reported IA
vorably.
If,during the last few years, this matter
has been left to the labors of fewzealous
colored men, it was rather because the mas
ses labored under the depression of hope
deferred, that they ceased to act with the
vigor of former days. The more honor,
therefore, is due to the sagacity and zeal
of the few who labored on. Foremost
among these are our brethren Stephen
Myers, William j. Watkins, William
]. Hodge and William Rich. These gen
tlemen labored on not only without sup
port from the masses of the colOred peo-
pie, but against the opposition of more
than one colored man, who took oc-
casion to upbraid them with political chi
canery in giving their support to the Re-
publican party. We do not presume to
say what understanding existed between
these gentlemen and the Republican par
ty-we only know if it was the passage of
the franchise resolutions, then the Repub-
lican party is so far true to its pledges.
But the croakers among us are not silenced
yet-they gaze timorously at this Grecian
horse, and scarcely know what to make of
it. An acute brother is of opinion that if
the "colored" clause be stricken from the
Constitution, the judicial authorities of the
State, following and stretching the bred
Scott decision, will deny the possible citi-
zenship of yam man with negro blood in his
veins, and thus cut off what little right we
now have in the matter of voting, Anoth-
er shrewd brother is of opinion that the
Republican party, most anxious to prove
to the South that they are not a "negro-
equality" party, will seize upon this occa-
sion to throw their entire vote against equal
suffrage for negroes
We will not go so far as to affirm that
there is no weight in these views, taken in
connexion with the recent saying of Bates,
Greeley, Doolittle and even Wade, in the
Senate, and honest Lincoln at Cooper In
stitute. But we do affirm that, as a peo-
pie, we have nothing to do with them.
They are not, and should not be a lion in
our path. We must take things as we
find them, and with all our energy make
the best of them. The acts of the Legis-
lature are but the means to an end. They
declare, in so many words, "Here, colored
men of New York, you say you want
equal suffrage. Well, here are half a mil
lion of white voters, who read the newspa-
pers, listen to lectures, and whose ears and
hearts and intellects can be reached by
You if You try, and here are seven months
to work in; now, if you really want the
suffrage, labor for it-you have fair start
go imp
Men and brethren, shall we go INF We
say yes, with all our heart and might, we
will go in There is no time to be lost,
and IRE can acin