Petitions

Wc publish to day a íorm of pctition to oui State Legislature to take mensures for extending the elective franchise to our colored eitizens. It is tnie thnt tliey are less oppresscd Jierc than in the other Northwestern States. In Ohio, Indi ana, and Illinois, the law will not allow a col ored man to remain in iho State, however large mny be the amount of his property, unlces he will give bail that he will not becoine a pauper; and at the same time, his property is Ieft a prey to every villain, because thelavvs deprive hini of liis oatli in the courls of justice. The aboli'.ion oio-ar B?.ck laws has bcen'eíLctcd by ourDemoocratic Legislatnre. It was right. Wc ask them now to carry out the truc Democratie principie of ths politica! cquaüty of men. We do not sec any thing of weight they can allego against it. No one will be injired by doing jusiice in this case. The colored citizens of New England. except in Corinecticut, have been legal votéis for a long time. In Massachusetts, colored citizens have possessed the elective franchise for fifty years. - Who kas heard of any evil consequences resulting from it' In this State are about a ihousand colored persons. Considering the disabilities under which they have livcd, through the force of popular rejudíce, it is believed that in point ofgood moráis and intelliger.ee, the two main ingredients in the character ofa good citizen, thby will compare with the general average of our population. "robably as large a proportion of them as of the whites, can read and wnte. That many of them are poor, is a rcöult not to be wondered at wíicn their disabiilies are considered. They are shut out from lüc legal and medical professions. from mercantile business, and mechanical trades. Notwithstanding, not a few of them, have become the owners ot real estáte, and are in a condition to live respectablv. Bul our Legislature exercises tho same tyranny over them, that the British did upon our fat'jers. Their property, thus hardly acquired, is taken from them by tax gaiherers, without their having the least poütical influencc in determlning how niuch ehall be contributed, or to what purpose it shall be anplied.We hope also thct ihe Legislature will be the more disposed to comply vviih our wishes, from ;he consideration that we only ask an opportunity to submit the question to the pcoplc. Wc .nerely ask them to take the first. steps, which, if confirmed by two (hirds of the next Legislature, and aftervvards ratified bya mnjority of the people, the amendinent we ask íor will beconie a part of the Consiitution. The nmendment must be adopted by the people. All we ask of the Legislatura' is to let us lay it before them. Will ihey refuse üiis.? Thé Democrats are now in power. Tho leading men ot the party, thoae who have been to Congress, and those who wish to go. will doubtlcss oppose the measure. How could they hold up theirbeada befbre their slaveholding maaiers after being guilty of acknowlcding that a negro has tho riglue of a mas! On the other hand, thoreia a considerable portion of the honest Democracy of the country, who would be gratified in secing their noble principie of equal politica! rights faithfully carried out. Werc the Whigs in power, the sanie things would be true ot them. The leaders would oppoh-e the proposition,or stave it off. Gov. Woodbridge would be quite as much against it as Governor Carry. Yet they cali themselves the 'Northern Rights party." EquaL Rights would be a much better sentiment, Now we say to all the friends of liberty, Let us try the Democrais. Let us sce how much consistency they have. Do not say that they are incorngible, and it will do no good.- Do not believe it. Let us rnake a general movement. Let tlie petitions be ciiculatcd al (mee in eveiy town. río timo should be lost. The Legislature meets on. the second day of January, and the session will be short. Do not rt'ait ioreach othcr, but cut out the form in this ?aper, and paste it on to a half sheet of paper, and ivheii fiiled, send to sorae member of the Legislature who will do it justice. Take a day for hie business, nnd do it up at once. Again we say, HTCIRCULATE THE PETITIOXS.jji tCTIt issaid Lord Morpeih is preparing for the resa his observations on America.