Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1868-03-06
COLO0ED PEoRLEss STATE CoN.
vGNf1ON.

YENTlON.
This body met at Des Moines on last
rhursday. An Executive Committee for
the 8 ~ was appointed, and consists of the
following gentlemen: A. Clark. Muscaiine:
p. c. Cooper, Davenport Y. c. Anderson.
Keokuk q. A. Phelps, Oskaloosa; j. s.
Carter, Des Moines.
A number Of speeches were msds, and
resolutions adopted expressing the sense Of
the convention. Tirtcn was represented BY
Mr. G. Montgomery.
The following address to the people of Io>
VA was prepared and delivered BY Mr.. Alex.
Clark:
To tie People or Ecpd:
. To every true, honest and liberty.lovine
citizen Of Iowa do the colvred men Of your
proud Commonwealth appeal for eympashy
and aid in learning those rights and privi>
leges which belong to Ms as free men. Hav.
ing eetablished onr claim 70 the proud title
Of American Soldiers and shared in the rlo.
ries won by the deeds Of the true men Of our
own color. will you not heed and hear our
appeal 7 We appeal TO the sense Of Justice Of
the Legislature and or the people Of our own
State, iuf those rights OF citizenship without
WHICH our Wett~e0fNe0 freedom rs but q 6u30-
ow. We ask no privilege: we simply ask
you to recognize our claim 10 manhood by
giving to US that right without which We
have no power to defend ourselves from I'M
lust Legislation. and NO voice in the Governs
mont we have rndesvored TO preserve. Be,
ing men. we claim to BE- Of that number
comprebepded in the Declaration az Ipde~
pendeuce, and who are entitled. not only to
life. but to equal rights n the pursuit and
securing of happiness and in the choice Of
those who are 10 rule over "a. Deprived Of
this. we are forced 70 nav taxes without rep
RESIGNATION; to submit. without appeal. 10
laws however offensive. without : single
voice in framing them 10 hear arms With.
out the right 10 say whether against friend
or foe-avaiust LOYALTY or d;sloy.,tv. With.
out suffrage. We are forced in strict sub;ec.
lion 10 eovernmeat whose councils are TO
u ftrsien, and ore called By our own coua>
tryinen to siincss . violence rpor fhstpss
mary principles Of . republican government
rs gross and outrageous as that which Justly
stirred patriotic Americans 10 throw over.
board the tea from England bottoms in q
Boston harbor, and to wage war for Inde.
pendence. Let consistent support be Civ
en- to this prir ciple of government, founded
only on the eonsen. Of the gnrernedr--to
this keystone in the arch of American liber,
ty-and our full rights % freemen ar. secu>
red. Our demands are not excessive; We
ask not for social equality With the white
man, ~ is often claimed by the shallow dem
agogue for higher Law than human must
forever govern social relations. We ask on.
IL that privilege which is now Riyen to every
white, native born or adopted. male citizen
Of or Stase--the privilege ofthe ballot box,
We ask that the word +. whi,e'' be stricken
from the constitution OF our STATE that the
organic Law Of our State shall give 10 suffrage
irrevocahlc guaranteesthat shall ofsr no dis>
tinction ut the polls on account OF color. and
in this we simply ask thar the "two streams
Of loyal blood which it took 10 conouer one.
mad with treason" shall not be eepar.ted al
the ballot box that he vho can be trusted
with an army musket, which makes victory
and protects the nation, shall also ne en-.
trusted xi,h that boon Of American liberty,
the ballot, to express preference for his RI.
lers and his laws. We demand this n na>
tive born citizens Of the United States. and
who have never known other allegiance than
to its authority and the laws of vur State.
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ON nnn .,,"s 1s.' = .cs cans5, Ioa1 nsus =
-s -vs,oSs S'e ..oIt,s n'e en' nunoa = sno'n
opportunity, ess'sted under the aag Of our
cosstsy and shs bAsnsr OF edf Stats, and
bsred their breast TO the renossek . storm
OF treason, and by hundreds vent down to