The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-04-10
THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

The telegraph this morning brings the in
formation that this bill passed the House of
Representatives on yesterday, by vote of l22
to Al. This bill, therefore, is now law of the
land. We presume case will be made up at
once to test the constitutionality of this law.
In the meantime the people of the South must
possess their souls in patience, and rely upon
the President to see that justice is done them.
The Washington Republic, commenting on
the vote in the Senate on this bill, says:
We do not say of the Civil Rights bill that
in itself it extinguishes the State, but we do
aver, that if Congress has the constitutional
power to pass this bill, which strikes at the
very foundation of State authority, then there
is not left solitary province of the State upon
which it may not trespass, or right reserved
to them beside the right of obliteration
The Supreme Court will undoubtedly pre-
vent this act from producing any alarming
mischief in the communities where it is speci-
ally to operate. Before a bribed army of
commissioners overrun the South to stir up
strife, incite discomfort, stimulate litigation,
and involve the State with the Federal au-
thorities to increase their fees, that Court will
interpose and stamp with the brand of uncon-
stltutlonality this pernicious measure. We
predict that every principal objection of the
President in his veto message will be sustain
ed by that august tribunal. TO that judicial
bulwark we have now only to look to save the
country from the perils of Capitalization, and
rescue the Constitution from annihiliation.
The people have another province. They
are also to pass upon this bill They are to
Judge of its merits or dement's. They are in
favor of protecting all persons in the enjoy
ment of their rights of life, liberty and prop
erty. So is the President of the United
States. His whole official course, and all bis
uttered sentiments prove him to be sincere in
his desire to shield the freedmen of this coun-
try from abuse and wrong; and any act of
Congress that had honestly sought to protect
these invaluable personal aud civil rights
would have received his willing sanction.
But when, in the performance of this plain
and humane duty, Congress unnecessarily I'M
dertook, without right, to settle the question
OF citizenship; when it made it penal for
State Judge to render an honest judgment in
his official capacity; when it unsettled the
criminal code of every State in the Union,
and assumed to control and regulate the sub
iects of contracts and suits, and when it made
it possible to flood the land with countless
emissaries, whose very profits were tc be in
proportion to the mischief they excited, aud
TIE strife they set in motion, he held its assent
not only because it was fragrant outrage
upon the laws, but because it would prove
curse to the inotfensive race it sought to bene
fit Unless the people conceded with Con-
gress, consider the President mere clerical
appendage to that body, and the Constitution
an idle and unmeaning instrument they will
enter their verdict against the folly and the
injustice of this miscalled Civil Rights bill.