Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-01-07
ADDRESS
or tho Colored Msn's Berder state Com
venfiOn.

To the People of The United St1tes, CT
through their Representatives IN Con- il
gress assembled: G
The undersigned, appointed Committee
by the Colored Mems Border State Conven-
ton, held in Baltimore, August 9TH and 9th i,
1868. would, in their behalf, respectfully ana b
in few words address you. TgEN I
: That Convention was composed OF Dele
gates from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia.
Tennessee, Missouri, New York, New Jersey |
and Pennsylvania, and was called to consid-
cr the political condition Of the Colored Men
of the Border States, and Of the Colored
People generally.
That Convention adopted an address TO
| the Colored Voters Of the Southern States,
and passed resolutions looking to the pohtl-
cal and educational Improvement OF their
brethren.
To us was committed the duty of address
ing few considerations to the voters oil the
country. We do this by addressing their
Representatives. This duty we purposely |
deferred until after the election for President,
and now confidently entreat you to "hear
us for our cause
THE FACTS.
To-day Colored Men are voting on equal
terms with white men, in Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and
: Rhode Island, OF the New England states;
in Iowa and Minnesota of the Western
states and in Tennessee, Virginia, North
: Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Florida, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana and
: Arkansas, of the Southern States. They
q are voters also in the District Of Columbia,
). and in some of the Territories.
If New York, of the Middle States, gives a
vote to each colored man who possesses
t. two hundred and fifty dollars worth of Real
y Estate ohio OF the Western States, not
= withstandng her "visible Admixture Bill,
- allows n vote to men having ffty-one one
re hundredths Of so-called "white blood in
70 their vcins-or who are more than hall
be white and u few colored men have voted
In in Michigan and in Wisconsin by suficranc'
rather than by enactment; while in Connec
na ticut. of the New England States; in New
LIE Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, of TIL
,ot Middle States in Maryland, Kentucky, AM
West Virginia, of the Southern States; an
"a in Ohio Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Mis-
err souri,, Wisconsin, Kansas and other State
we of the West colored men, as such, arc no
v. by law, permitted to vote at ALL
By the census of 1860, the colored pop'
lation of the whole country is represented
ug- be 4,4il, $50. They are now "2oO,o
more" The colorcd population in Il
VIII States and Territories which are just,
or 1850, was 3,o79,5io. The colored popul
ton in States where rights are withheld
his was ,362, 800. So that by the just action
= Congress and of individual States thre
no. fourths of the colored people of the Nati
I is are represented.
'ui- THE WRONG DONE.
,au The wrong which must be apparent
ONE YOU, is, that AL these men, the represent
and the unrepresentcu, are Cltlzens ~
2 , ~ zens not only according TO our reading
the Constitution as originally framed, but
Blair clared so to be- LIST, by the highest law-ofl
Fry of the Government by Acts of Congre
,ol1 and I'd. by IN Amendment TO the Consli
ed to ton of the United States.-And yet the g
s'eu ing fact remains, that Citizens, even in Stf
lifted for manylyears free, are systematically
erty Driped of iSuHTdge, the NrSt, me cfOt
a''uS ing right Of citizenship.
con. TIE WAY To REpAiRT THE WRONG.
meas We respectfully but earnestly ask yo'
with ~, ~ ..,,,,o,,, ,o,;or contestant ~
~, itself, and invest the unreprcsented-
,,Gjn quarter only-of the Colored Men of the
,niest tion-with the Elective Franchise, and
4. =. ..Fn tn.a
Ben. forever remove TINS source Oh cohteh
from halls of legislation.
Hon Senator's and Representatives:
dtord' We would not now impcach the aclio
ruish- Congress and the People by complaining
that portion of the Fourteenth Constitut
Gorge al Amendment, which has been const
body, by some to remand us to the tender me
hor OF of individual States. AS loyal men,
ers OF must submit sometimes, to that whic
IN 'he wrong but we respectfully protest, tn
y .; Ely by that Amendment, Colored Men are
,,rrani Citihvns MT merely Of the United State
r. with but Of the individual States where we re
up In IL Is the uuly oil congress W hirih ,hc
to his by law, and TO declare that Colorcd mel
ing Citizens, shall vote, ut least, at all
young tions for National and State officers.
know Then, if State dcmur, through its |
beauil- laturc, the penalty of non-representati
teI Rnny the House of Representatives should Z"
nj ron. but not before.
pr
I great t I'VE ask this because we know that nc
eeeved ing TO the I'd Section of Article 9th o
d to do United States Constitution, "This Con
y . od6n ton and the Laws of the United
y veil which shall be made in pursuance Their
shall be the supreme law OF the Land ;
,arance the judges in every State shall be b
Wedge thereby, anything IN inc cohs.itu.i.
inter laws OF any oia'e 10 tiic con''"iy ho'
ed YOU! standing
AN Inv But we ask Congress to do somethd
,onor :, nothing better, give us Constitui
'ow 70 Amendment to secure the Right Of Su
i your and give it to us now.
mid be THE DEBT DUE.
This is due to us from our Citizensl
But IL is also due on account of dey
Message to our common country, contributin
y. inc we have done, to its wealth in peace
wv standing for its defence in time oil war,
various We have helped to fight the country
me me- Ties we have stood shoulder to sht
he pro- will white men. in every contest from
suffrage IN IsG5 Have we moi served out oar
'pe ea- baton? Have we not won the recog
DC ue of CitiZcn-rights ?
In the latest contest, we may say, NJ
=, an say IL modestly, and without any disp
ol al ment of the brave white soldiers ,
cVno i,. Union that colorcd men cheerlully NIL
ing full i1iarr;o,'urr IN pe.crshurp. 40 Richmo
nent in iia,cher's RIM ,o WAGNER TO Olus
with M;,,;,1on,s Dend tn Viclisb,,rr to Eo
doptcd, low .Nalong The Tennessee. The Obi
her ex- Tho M;ssiss;nni to the Gulf :--up til
,utc and te;yor IN Rrashear civ. and they helm
plan of duing IN rive the Nation resuirectc
through ;yymSo,,tol;ty 0ur dead live in the
gements Tho Nation today. VIII The Nation g
time of , ,,s ,,h" have Neon its defenders?
'ther re
NO rsEMlrM UroN COLOR, AND No DEM
CAUSE OF n
overnor We ask no premium to be put upon
on, the and no denial because Oft. We ash
c back pic justice. And we ask that this
Dom, 10 be awarded not merely without dcl'
ng moth so awarded that individual States, ms
| nd North linrA