The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1866-04-07

fhf IIHtf Fl tnHHghss entitled HAH
tft n pfHgeel III peFaHs ~ a.
l'nllssl States ahd finnish mfahs bf
ilef YiuAlthllrh tbulAlHs pteyhls8
Whih ! fahhf spleote, consistently
#llh my aaHa N dHy ~ lhe wTft
sHd M obligations n tho tonstlia
tI0n ~ the tihiiei States I nm
thfef8p constrained n resafn Il h.
The AeHaie nhd the lIouae IN whIeh II
originated sin ny eIgeeslena 70 II
Iecmaihs 4 law
w Tie frat acetIon N Ne bill aIl
persons being within ihe United
slales aud hol sal1ef n any foreign
tuwef -exeIndine the Indians. who
afe not taxed are declared ~ BE-
citizens " the t'niled States. Tho
provision cumpfphenda the Chinese
~ ihc Pacific siaics aud the Indians
subject 10 taxation, The people called
tIipsies, ~ we'll as the entire race
designated A. blacks people of cyIor,
mulaitocs, negroes, aud persons u
African blood. Every individual u
those raccs born within The United
States l., by this bill, made a citizen
Of the United States. II does not
purport 10 declare or confer any other
right Of citizenship than Federal
citizenship, II docs not purport tc
give these classes of persons an,
status of citizens of The States, except
that which may result from thcil
status as citizens Of the United States
The power to the completion Of th'
process Of naturalization, and IL ma,
safely be assumed that the same en-
actments are sufficient TO give lik,
protection 10 those for whom this bill
provides, provides special Legislation
Besides, the policy of the Govern
mcnt, from It's origin to the prescn
time, seems to have been that person
who are strangers to and uniamilia
with our institutions and our law
should pass through a certain probo
tion, at the end of which, befor
allowing the coveted prize, they mus
give evidence of their fitness to re
ceive and exercise the rights of cit
zens as contemplated by the Const
tuition of the United States. Til
bill, in effect, proposes discriminf
ton against large numbers of inte
ligent, worthy, and patriotic foreign
ers, and in favor of the negroes,
whom, after long years of bondag
avenues to freedom and Intelligent
have just now been suddenly opene,
He must of necessity, from his pr,
vious unfortunate condition of serv
tude, be less Informed as to the natul
and character of our institutions tina
he, who, coming from abroad, has,
some extent at least, familiarizC
4 himself with the principles of go'
ernment to which he voluntarily eI
n trusts life, liberty, and the pursuit
happiness. Yet it is now proposes
by single Legislative enactment,
confer the rights Of citizenship upC
all persons Of African descent boz
n within the extended limits of d
United States. The passage Of d
pending bill cannot be necessary
Ut make them such. If on the 9th
=. hand, such persons are not citizen
y v as may be assumed from the propos,
legislation to make them such, d
graver question presents itself, whet
err, where eleven of the thirty-s
- States are unrepresented in Congre
e. at this time, it is sound policy
make our entire colored populatio
over all other excepted classes, eli
zens of the United States. Fo
#. millions of them have Just emerg
from slavery into freedom; can
reasonably be supposed that th
possess the requirements and quail
cations to entitle them to all I
privileges and immunities of citize
ship Of the United States. Ha
the people of the several States c
pressed such a conviction? II m
also be asked whether i is necessa
that they should be declared citizc
in order that they may be secured
the enjoyment of the civil rights pl
posed to be conferred by the b
Those rights are, by the Federal
well as the State laws, secured to
aliens and foreigners, upon proof Il
they are Of good moral character,
tached TO the Constitution of
United States, and well disposed
wards the good order and happin
Of the same.
The second section Of the bill O
contains an enumeration of the rig
to be enjoyed by those classes.
the so-made" citizen in every 81
and Territory in the United State.
gives the parties the right to inhe
give evidence, purchase, sell, le'
hold, and convey real and perso
property, and to have the full
equal benefit of all laws and proce
ings for the security Of persons
property, the same as enjoyed
white .citizenG SO, too, are they m
les subject to the same punishments
ate. penalties, in common with the "
ore. citizens, and to no others. Thr
nee an equality Of the white and col,
mo- races attempted to be fixed by Fe'
one al law in every State Of the I'm
am- and over the vast field of State il
the diction; and governed BY the ,
meratcd rights, in no one Of {
can any State exercise any fave
VINO discrimination between the difIe
mes, races, or In the exercise Of {
rds policy over matters exclusively af
rted ing the people Of such State. II
ned, frequently been thought expedieI
discriminate between the two rac'
osm statutes Of some Of the States, n
oae as well a. South. Il Is enacted
non instance, that no white person
n intermarrv with n nngro or mul