The Van Buren press., 1874-11-03
The Colored People and Their Rights.

The following circular is being dis.
tributed over the state for signatures oil
colored men. and no doubt many, who
are ignorant and unable to read, will
sign it:
THE VOICE OF THE BLACK MEN OF Al.
KANSAS.
TO Me Honorable, the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States,
IN Congress assembled:
The undersigned, citizens of the Uni.
ted States and residents of the state of
Arkansas, maintaining their devotion to
the constitution and laws ofthe land as
sertlng their fidelity to the principles of
thegov rnment which enfrane ehised them !;
believing in the ultimate triumph of the
sublime doctrine of equality before the
law OF all citizens Of the republic, and
declaring their faith in the power and
readiness OF congress to guarantee and
maintain republican form Of govern
ment In every state of the union, respect
fully represent that there is not now, and
for many months past there has not been
in the state Of Arkansas, a lawful gov.
ernment; that those who once held our
race in bondage have wrongfully seized
upon and usurped the functions of the
government of the state in all its depart
ments, without law. against right and in
direct opposition to the voice ofthe peo.
pie, emphaticaily expressed at the ballot
box; that man who was never elected
governor Of the state has illegally called
together body of men who were never
lawfully chosen to represent the people
of the state in the general assembly that
this body, pretending to act as the legis.
lative branch OF the state government,
disregardng the express provisions OF
the constitution Of the state, and in will
ful defiance thereof, has put in motion
machinery of its own contrivance, by
which revolutionary and unrepublican
instrument has been fraudulently foisted
upon law abiding citizens as the consti
tuition of the state; that said pretended
constitution does not recognize the con.
stitution and laws Of the United States as
the supreme law Of the land that it does
not mhibit, but opens wide the door for
the payment Of the rebel war debt incur
red in desperate attempt TO destroy the
union and to enslave us freemen that it
is unjust and oppressive in many of it's
provisions, whicl bear. with great rigor
and hardship upon the race we represent
because it unjustly discriminates
against us in the apportionment Of rep
resentation in localities where our nun.
bcrs preponderate and particularly, be
cause it practically deprives us of the
great blessings and advantages of free
public schools for our children-schools
which, to US, just starting upon the road
OF human progress, are invaluable and
indispensable.
We further represent, that those who
compose and uphold the present social.
cd state government are inimical to our
people-opposed to our exercising equal
rights Of citizenship, imbued with a spir.
it which would rejoice to re enslave US,
and will, unless they are restrained by
the power of congress in their career Of
Iawlcssness, usurpaton and tyranny,
drive us and our families from the state,
whence many have already departed
through fear Of safety for themselves and
property.
Therefore, we earnestly petition the
congress Of the United States to protect
us and our descendants, AZ well as all OF
every race and cline, in the full enjoy.
ment of our inaIienable rights, in the
state where our homes are, by re estab.
fishing lawful government in the state
Of Arkansas.
Everybody knows how easy it is to
procure signatures to a petition of any
kind, especially among the coored peo.
pie. and that a large number Of names
will be attached to this document, there
is no doubt. If they can get them no
! other way the republican state central
committee will manufacture them. They
have done such work before and will do
it again.
There is not one particle of truth in a
single point presented in this document,
as the new constitution shows for itself
and there is not an intelligent cOlored
man in the state who will so assert, hav
ing due regard for the truth
There is not single clause in the new
constitution which does not bear on
whites and blacks alike, and no republi.
can speaker or newspaper in the state,
from the highest to the lowest, has ever
so asserted. All that portion about be-
ing driven from the state is the sheerest
nonsense. We would give good round
sum to any respectable darkey who will
60 before any magistrate and swear to its
truth
In answer to all these statements we
have only to refer to the speeches OF
Gov. Garland, made during his recent
canvass