NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN WISCONSIN. 
JOHN GOADBY GREGORY, 
Associate Editor of “ The Evening Wisconsin 
We sometimes hear the principle of the Swiss referendum 
discussed as if it were a novelty in this country, which it is 
not. The Wisconsin constitutional convention of 1846 adopted 
a resolution by the terms of which the question of “colored 
suffrage ” was submitted to the people, to be voted upon at the 
same time as the constitution, but with separate ballots, to be 
placed in a separate box. The form of the proposition was that 
an additional section, as follows, should be added to the article 
on suffrage and the elective franchise: 
“All male citizens of African blood, possessing the qualifica¬ 
tions required by the first section of the article on ‘suffrage and 
elective franchise,’ shall have the right to vote for all officers, 
and be eligible to all offices that now are or hereafter may be 
elective by the people after the adoption of this constitution. ” 
The constitution was rejected at the polls, and the colored 
suffrage amendment met the same fate. The number of ballots 
cast on the subject of the constitution was 34,851, and on the 
subject of colored suffrage 22,179. The number in favor of the 
constitution was 14,119; the number against it, 20,232. In 
favor of colored suffrage the number of ballots cast was 7,564; 
against it, 14,615. The defeat of colored suffrage, therefore, 
was greater proportionately than the defeat of the constitution — 
and the assumption is fair that nearly all who were in favor of 
colored suffrage voted. 
The sentiment demanding equal suffrage had undergone rapid 
growth. Experience Estabrook, who was a delegate from Wal¬ 
worth County to the second constitutional convention, which 
met in December, 1847, said in a speech before that body: 
