The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-04-14
LATER BY THE COMET

The most important item IS President johnson
veto Of the Civil Rights Bin.
WASHINGTON. March 27th-President johnson
transmitted his Veto Message to abe Senate to day on
the Civil Rights Bill. The message reads as follows
To the Senate Of the United States:
regret that the bill entitled IAN Act 10 protect
all persons in the United States in their civil rights,
and 10 furnish means VI their yindication, contains
provisions which l cannot approve consistently with
my sense Of duty to the whole people and my ooliga,
tons to the Constitution. by the hrst section All
persons born in the United States, and not SUBJECT 10
any foreign power, excluding Indians, not taxed, are
declared citizens. This provision compartments tue
Chinese Of the Pacific States, Indians subject 10 taxa
ton, Gypsies, as well as the entire race designated as
blacks. people of color, negroes, mulattoes' and per
sons Of African blood. The hill does not PROPOSE
give these classes any status OF the citizenship OF The
States, except that which may result from their
status as citizens Of the United States. The power 10
confer rights Of State citizenship is just as exclusively
with the several States rs the power to conier fed-
er.l citizenship is with Congress. The right OF req
eral citizenship thus TO be conferred on several ex-
ceDted races, is now for the first time proposed 10 De
given by law. II, rs claimed by many, all persons
born in the United States are already citizens the
passage Of this bill cannot be necessary 10 make 'uem
such. If. on the other hand, such persons are ho'
citizens, as may be assumed from the proposed iegis-
lation TO make them such, the grave questoh pre-
seuts itself whether, when eleven oil thirly SIX states
are unrepresented III Congress, Is IL sounu poiCS u
make out Of the entire cOored population anu All
other excepted classes, citizens? -Four millions OF
them have just emerged from slavery INTO ifeedoh'
IAN II DC SasOlaOi SuEkNNN 49,
requisite Qualifications TO entitle them 10 the prN-
leCes and immunities of citizenship, Have the peo-
pie of the several States expressed such convictions!
IL NAV also be asked whether II IS necessary that they
should be declared citizens in order that they may be
secured in the enjoyment of the civil rights proposed
to be conferred by this bill. These rights are oy req
eral and State laws secured 10 all domiclled allens
and foreigners, even before naturalization, ana IL
may safely be assumed that the same enactments are
sufficient to give like protection 10 those Tor whom
this bill provides. Besides, the policy OF the uo'-
eminent has ALWAYS been that persons VINO Axe
strangers to, and unfamiliar with, our institutions,
should pass through a certain probation. ms Dill
in effect discriminates against a large number OF ~
telligent and worthy foreigners. and In favor o
negroes, TO whom, after long years of bondage the
avenues of light and intelligence have just been sud
denly opened, by proposing 10 make them citizens at
once. The first section also contains the enumeration
of rights to be enjoyed TO make and enforce con-
tracts, sue and be sued, give evidence, inherit. pur-
chase, lease, sell. hold. and convey, real estate anu
personal property; and to have the fun ana equai
benefit of all the laws, the same as white citizens
and to be subject TO the same punishments, pains
and penalties, common with white citizens, and TO
zone other. This perfect equality OF white ana col
ored races, attempted to be fixed by Federal law IN
every State over the vast field OF State Juiisdiction'
covered by these enumerated rights, IN none o! me"
can any State exercise any powers OF discrimination
between different races. In the exercise OF state pol
icy over matters exclusively affecting the people OF
each State, il has frequently been thought expeuient
10 discriminate between the races by statutes. In
some States, North as well as South. 1t is enacted.
for instance, that no white person shall marry a ne.
gro or mulatto. Chancellor Kent says, speaking oi
blacks, &c Bet ween them and the whites, marriages
are forbidden in some States where slavery does not
exist, and prohibited in the slave-holding States by
, law; and where not absolutely contrary to law. they
are held to be revolving, anu regardeu - cue
, against public decency."
:. / 90 not say this bill repeats State laws on this
subject, for as far as whites are forbidden lntermar-
y rying with blacks, the blacks can only make such
contracts as whites are allowed to make, therefore
: they cannot, under this bill, enter into marriage
q contracts with the whites. | cite this discrimination
ngtanrn nf Stat nnlIrV N 4 n0u
= whether, if Congress can abrogate all State laws o
3 discrimination touching contracts generally. COD
gress may not also repeal State laws as to the mar
~ riage contract between races. hitherto every suo
/ iect embraced in enumeration of the rights conferred
by this bill has been considered as exclusively DC
u longing TO the States. If Congress can repeal TIT
State laws, discriminating in these subjects, why
may it not repeal all State laws discriminating II
g suffrage
N The object of the third section is to afford discrim
e inotinp protection to colored persons by imposing
d nenalties upon members of the Legislature who ma
ID pass such laws, and upon Judges or oihcers who ma
se attempt to execute them. This invades the dominion
g, of the States, for which there is no warrant, and 10
tie which there is no necessity. L do not apprehen
9. such conflicting legislation as the bill seems to con
le TEN plate is likely to occur as to render 1t necessar
p to adopt q measure of such doubtful constitutionailty
- The following are the concluding paragraphs
Il THE merits of the bill are fraught with evi
no The white race and black race have hitherto lived L
no gether under the relation of master and slave, CAP
ital owning labor. Now that relation is changed
- and a new adjustment Is being made, winch both al
IL deeply interested in making harmonious. Tins oi
illustrates the adjustment; in fact, distinction oil raC
- and color is made to operate in favor OF the coiore
=, and against the white race. 1t interferes with IL
az relations existing exclusively between q State and l
- citizens. 1t is assumption Of power by the FEEDERS
-. Government, which. if acquiesced in, must tap an
- destroy our Federal system of limited powers, al
,H break down the barriers which preserve the rights
49,. the States. 1t is another step, or rather stride, t
n wards Capitalization. The tendency Of the bill mu
-. be to rcsuscitate the spirit of rebellion, and to ARE
;" the progress of those influences whch are more close
- drawing around the States the bonds OF union ri
- peace. Entertaining these sentiments, 1t only RENAL
for me to say that L will cheerfuiiy co operate WI
- Congress in any measure that may be necessary !
-, the preservation of the civil rights Of freedmen,
- well as those of all other classes of persons throug
49,, out the United States, by judicial proce s, una
~ equal and impartial laws. or conformably with t
H. provisions of the Federal Constitution.
- IL now return the bill to the Senate, and regr
~ that, in considering the bill and joint resolution
:" fortytwo in number, which have been thus far su
as mitted for my approval, | am compelled to wlthho
~ nv assent from q second measure that has receiv
80 the sanction Of both Houses of Congress.
vi (Sigued,l ANDREW JOHNSON"
Of TNorE-The Senate now consists Of 40 membe
YER Of whom 81 are counted in favor Of passing the L
md over the veto, 10 against IL, and q (DlXon, fOote a
ed Wright absent, sick. The attempt will be made
ear, day, wlth' II II sa!u' every p'o'P0N' '" ~
TELEGRAPH REPORTER.
49,. Comments on the Veto.
cult New YonK, March 18.-The tone of the morni
,er- papers Oh the veto, is as follows:
Sc The Heruid says THE veto exhibits this bill
the the most fragrant device for overriding the reser'
inal rights of the States, in their legislative aud jude
tribunals, ever attempted in Congress 1t appe
, or one thousand times worse than the treedmen's b
-son and the veto marks the impossible barrier 6etW'