The New York herald., 1866-03-17
The Civil Rights Bill-Its Probable APP
prOval by the President.

proval by the President.
The Civil Rights bill, as amended by the
House of Representatives, was on Thursday
last agreed to by the senate-yeas 80, nays
$50 that 1t only needs the signature Of the
President to become law of the land. The
question naturally recurs, will the President
sign the bills As we can find in it nothing
conflicting with the constitution az 1t now
stands, and nothing in conflict with the de-
clared opinions and policy of President John
son, we have no doubt that he will approve the
measure.
The bill provides, first section, "that all per-
sons born in the United States and not subjects
to any foreign Power, excluding Indians not
taxed, are hereby declared to be citizens of the
United States; and such citizens of every race
and color, without regard to any previous con-
dition of slavery or involuntary servltude, ex-
cept as q punishment for crime whereof the
party shall have been duly convicted, shall
have the same right in every State and Terri
tory to mike and enforce contracts, to sue and
be sued, to be parties and give evidence, to
inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold and convey
Icni uhu pcieohoi pAVP0iy, ouu w tuc 'uh uuu
equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for
the security of person and property, as are
enjoyed by white citizens; and shall be subject
to like punishments, pains and penalties, and
to none other, any law, statute, ordinance, re-
gulation or custom TO the contrary notwith-
standing" This is the cream Of the bill. The
other sections, in the powers and duties con-
ferred upon the District and Circuit Courts of
the United States, the President, the Freed
mems Bureau. &C., simply provide the ma
chinery for the practical enforcement Of the
measure by the general government.
In O word, this bill, In regard to his civil
rights, places the black man throughout the
United States upon the same footing with the
white man, and furnishes ample facilities for
the enforcement of the law everywhere by
the executive, judicial and military authori-
ties Of the United States. This is tremendous
transformation of the old order of things,
when II was decreed from the Supreme Court
by Chief Justice Taney that the negro, bond
| or free, was not an American citizen, and had
mo rights which the white man was bound
| to respect" But this decision We find under
the constitution as ii was, when these
civil disabilities Of the African race were
accepted or tolerated by ell departments oi
the government as necessary 10 the protection
of the Southern institution of African slavery
With the abolition OF this institution, the
foundation upon which all these distinctions
rested, they too are all swept away. Under
the Constitution as IL Is slavery is abolished
and interdicted over ell the States and Terri
ries, and Congress has "the power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation"
But does the power TO enforce the freedom
Of the blacks involve the power 10 enforce
their equal civil rights as citizens over The
legislation of the several Statesf II seems tc
us that such Is the scope Of this constitutional
amendment Take away slavery, and Is there
IL no color In the constitution, all men Of every
color stand upon the same level as citizens O.
the United States The enforcement Of thii
amendment therefore, abolishing slavery, in
wolves the power to enforce this equality Ii
civil rights. Upon this subject II follows tina
not only are all the old slave codes and blacl
laws Of the South abolished, but that the re
constructive legislation Of the late rebel States
from Virginia to Texas, embracing one system
Of laws for the whites and another for III,
blacks, must all 60 by the board. Does thi
interfere with the reconstruction policy o
President Johnsons We think not. On III
contrary, il relieves him Of vast amount o
troublesome work in the protection OF the civi
rights of the freedmen.
This Civil Rights bill we regard, accordingly
as practical, just and benehcent measure, an,
one which the President will cheerfully approve
II does not touch The question Of ncQro suI