The tri-weekly standard., 1866-11-06
PTJBIdC ACTS.

ANDREW JOHNSON, President ia FAYETT1
S. FOSTER, President of the Senate L.
FAYETrE S. FOSTER was elected Preslden
of the Senate pro te,npore on the seventh
day OF March, and so acted until the enc
of the Session. SCHUYLER CoLFAx, Speake
of the House of Representatives.
~Ss - sS CHAP. XXI
san Act topretect ali Persons in the United States
in their Civil Rights, and furnish the Means o.
u their vfidcation.
- Be 1t enacted by the Senate and House OF hep,
sresentatires of the United states OF ANA a.; tb
Congress assembled, That all persons uGi III o'
Z err excluding Indians not taxed, are nereDy ue ,
cisred to be citizens of the United States; ana
such citizens of every race and cotor or n
Tonntarv servitude, except as punishment LOT
crime whereof the party shall have been duly con
and Territory in the United States, to make and
enforce contracts, to sue be parties, ana give eVl
denee, to inherit, purchase, Iase sen, aotu, ~ % sI
and e9uul benefit of all laws and proceedings Tor
the security of person and property as is enjoyed
by white citizens, and shall oe suDJees ~ ~ nne
other any law statute, ordinance, regulation, OF
custom, to the contrary notwithstanding
SEC 3 And be it further enacted Inat any per
son who. under color of any law, statute, ordi-
nance, regulation, or custom, shall supJecI, OF
cause to be subjected, any lnhabltant OF any stare
cnred or protected by this act, or to different
punishment, pains, or penalties on account OF
such person having at any time been held IN a
condition of slavery or involuntary servltude, eX-
cept as a punishment for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly conAicted, or by reason Oh
his color or race, than is prescribed Tor the pun
ishment of white persons, shall be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, shall be
punished by fine not exceeding one thousand dol
lars, or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or
both, in the discretion of the court. .
Qrr 2 nd he further enacted.
trict courts of the United States, within their re-
spectye districts, shall have, exclusively OF the
courts of the several States, cognizance OF all
crimes and offences committed against the proyl-
sions of this act, and also, concurrently Win tne
circuit courts of the United States, of all causes
civil and criminal, affecting persons VINO are oe,
MED or cannot enforce in the courts or judicial
tribunals of the State or locality Wnere tney may
be any of the rights secured to them py the nrst
section of this act and if any suit or prosecution,
civil or criminal, has been or shall be commenced
in any State court, against any such person, 1or
any cause whatsoever, against any ofhcer, civil
military, or other person, for any arrest or I'M
prisonment, trespasses, or wrongs done or COM
mitted by virtue or under color of authority de-
rived from this act or the act establishing Bu-
all acts amendatory thereof, or for refusing to do
any act upon the ground that it would be lncon-
sstent with this act, such defendant shall nave
the right to remove such cause Tor tr1al TO tne
proper district circuit court in the manner pre-
scribed by the 'tAct relating to habeas corpus
and regulating judicial proceedings in certain
and sixty three, and all acte amendatory thereof
The jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters
hereby conferred the district and circuit courts
of the United States shall be exercised and en-
forced in conformity with the laws of the United
States, so far as such laws suitable to carry
the same into effect; but in all cases where such
laws not adapted to the object, are deficient
in the provisions necessary to furnish suitable
remedies and punish offences against law, the
common law, as modified and changed oy the
constitution and statutes of the State wherein
the court having jurisdiction of the cause, civil
or criminal is held, so far the same is not in
consistent with the Constitution and laws of the
United States shall be extended to and govern
said courts in the trial and disposition of such
cause, and if of criminal nature, in the nfction
of punishment on the party found guilty.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the dis
trict attorneys, marshals, and debuty marshals of
the United States, the commissioners appointed
by the circuit and territorial courts of the United
States with pigers of arresting, imprisoning. or
bailing offenders against the laws OF the United
States, the officers and agents of the Freedmen's
Bureau, and every other officer who may be speci-
ally empowered by the President of the United
States, shall be, and they are hereby, specially
authorized and required, at the expense ofthe
United States, to institute proceedings against all
and every person who shall violate the provisions
of this act, and cause him or them to be arrested
and imprisoned, or bailed, as the case may be- |
for trial before such court of the United States
territorial court by this act has cogniZance of
the offence. And with view to affording reason |
able protection to all persons in their constitu
tional rights of equality before the law, without
distinction of race color, previous condition
of slavery or involuntary servitude, except a |
punishment for crime, whereof the party shall |
have been duly convicted, and to the prompt dis
charge of the duties of this act it shall be the du-
ty of the circuit courts of the United States and
the superior courts of the Territories of the Uni
ted States, from time to time, to increase the
ber of commissioners, SO as to afford a speedy |
and convenient means for the arrest and exami-
nation of persons charged with violation of this
act and such commissioners are hereby author
lied and required to exercise and discharge all
the powers and duties conferred on them by this
act, and the same duties with regard to offences
created by this act, as they authorized by law
to exercise with regard to other offences against
the laws of the United States.
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of all marshals and deputy marshals
to obey and execute all warrants and precepts is
sued under the provisions of this act, wher to
them directed; and should any marshal or deputy |
marshal refuse to receive such warrant or other
process when rendered, or to use all proper means
diligently to execute the same, he SHALL on con-
Vlcton thereof, be fined in the sum of one thous-
and dollars, to the use of the person upon whom
The accused is alleged to have committed the of
ence. And the bitter to enable the said commits
sioners to execute their duties faithfully and eff
GENTLY, in conformity with the Constitution of
The United States and the requirements of this
act, they are hereby authorized and empowered,
Within their counties respectively, to appoint in
writing, under their hands, any one or more suit
lble persons, from time to time, to execute all
'uch warrants and other process as may be is
'ued by them in the lawful performance of their
espective duties; and the persons so appointed
mail have authority to summon and call to their
no the bystanders or posse comitatus of the pro-
per county, or such potion of the land or naval
orces OF the United States, of the militia, as
nay be necessary to the performance of the duty
Flth which they are charged, and toinsurea faith
ui observance of the clause of the Constitution
which prohibits slavery, in conformity with the
PROVISIONS OF this act and said warrants shall run
nd be executed by said officers anywhere in the
'tate or Territory within which they are issued.
SEC. D. And be it further enacted, That any
'erson who shall knowingly and wilfully obstruct,
Under, or prevent any officer, or other person
harged with the execution of ally warrant or pro-
ess issued under the provisions of this act, or
ny person or persons lawfully assisting him or
nem from arresting any person for whose appre-
tension such warrent or process may have been
ssued, or shall rescue or attempt to rescue such
'erson from the custody of the officer, other per-
on on or persons, or those lawfully assisting as
when so arrested pursuant to the olth-
'raty herein given and declared, shall aid, abet,
'r assist any person arrested as aforesaid. di,
ectly or indirectly, to escape from the custodyot
ne on1eer or other person legally authorized as
ioresaid, or shall harbor or conceal any person
on whose arrest a warrant or process shall have
,een issued as aforesaid, as to prevent his dis
overy and arrest after notice or knowledge ofthe
act that a warrant has been issued for the appre |
r nPh oI,o - |