The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-05-08
THE CIVIL RraHrs BrLn-The statement

THE CIVIL RIGHTs BILL.-The statement
going the rounds that President johnson ex-
pressed his approval of the civil rights bill
prior to its passage is unfounded as
similar story relative to his approval OF the
Freedmen's bill That the President was
favorable to the policy of securing equanty
III civil rights, by state authority secured
by their own action" is true: but 1t Is not
true, that he ever approved the bill as passed.
True "a printed COPY was sent to him." and
"its friends" knew his objections to the bill,
for he had often expressed his objections to
the principle of the federal legislation inter
fering with the civil affairs of the States, in
voved in that bill, and the radicals had in
cidently learned the fact from conversations
with him. Ofcourse he would not go out OF
his way to point out his objection to the
radicals before the bill was officially presented
to him for alleged interference with Congress
ional legislation They knew that the Pres
ident's friends opposed the bill. The rad
icals expected he would veto the bill, as
known from the fact that while they were
discussing the bill, they were taking active
measures to secure two-thirds majority IN
the Senate to pass it over the veto.
John Forsyth, of the Mobile 1drerttser,
though believing the intention of the bill to
degrade and punish the white men of the
South, nevertheless he finds on examination
that it is by no means as bad as was sup
posed. He says
1T does not confer upon the negroes the
right to vote to hold office to serve as jurors,
or to interfere with the regulations and Gus
toms Of its steamboats,, railroads, street cars,
theatres, or other places of public resort.
1t does not interfere with social relations In
any manner whatsoever. The truth is, we
have in our very midst, a rare and striking
example of the practical effects that may be
expected to result from this bill. We refer
to the colored creoes of Mobile and its vicin-
ity. These people although of African and
mixed blood, were citizens under the Span
ish government, on an equal footing, in all
respects, with other citizens. The treaty OF
1919, by which this portion of Alabama
with Florida was coded to the United
States, expressly guaranteed to them a con
tinuance of the privilege of citizenship
They have actually been citizens of Alabama
and Florida for nearly half century. Tc
those familiar with the country nee
not add that they have been good citizens
among the very best of citizens. No con
f1ict has ever occurred as to their status
The questson of evidence has never been
raised, that we are aware of or, if raised
it has never occasioned any difficulty The
colored creoles have always maintained theil
position as a separate race-socially holding
themselves aloof both from the whites and
negroes, but never interfering with either
They have been exemplary in the discharge
of all the duties of citizenship. neighborhood
and hospitality, andhave secured the respect
of all classes of society. There has been
no collision of races. Now, as we have init
mated, the effect of the civil righs bllwill be to
give the negroes a political status almost, ii
not altogether, identical with that already
occupied by the colored creoles. As this
has so long existed in the one case without
creating any difficulty, we do not see any
great reason to apprehend very serious evils
in the other"