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N New York, before the war, there was embodied in the Constitution of that state a clause relating to the voting qualifications of the Afro-American, which was called the "Colored Clause." It was to the effect, that no Afro-American could have the right of suffrage who was not actually worth two hundred and fifty dollars of real estate, accurately rated and taxes paid thereon; while any white man of twenty years, without a foot of land, could vote. The fact of such a law existing, many intelligent and level-headed Afro-Americans were deprived of a just right; while his white brother, in many cases not so capable as the other, was allowed it.

As the Afro-Americans became more and more intelligent and able to see and discern events of a public nature, and capable to sit in judgment upon matters of public concern to them, sentiment among their fellows with regard to this injustice arose to such a height, that the more thoughtful and efficient of the race met in New York city, sometime between 1845 and '47, to take into consideration this special feature of injustice. The result was a unanimous decision to petition the legislature to eliminate the word "color," and