The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1866-04-14
PRESIDENTS VETO MESSAGE.

+
WAsH1NuToN, March 27.-The following is the
Presidents message: +- tae a
To the Senate of the United States:
I return the bill entitled can Act to protect
persons in the United States in their civil rights,
and furnish means of their Yindication," contain-
ing provisions which cannot approve, conscien-
tiously with my sense of duty to the people, and
my obligation to the Constitution BY the first
section. if persons born in the United States, and
notsubje ject to any foreign power, excludin : Iu-
dams not taxed, a,e declare citizens this provision
,onprehends the Chinese of the Pacific Sta res, II
dams suhi ct tax tion as well he Ia :e desgna
te das black people of color, negr es muatoes, nd
persons of African blood. The bill does not pro-
pose to give these classes any status 0fcilizenship
in the States. except that which may result from
their status as citizens of the United States The
power to confer the right of State citizenship is
just as exclusively within the several States as the
power to confer Federal citizenship is with Con.
gress. The right of Federal citizenship hus to be
conferred on several excepted races is now for the
first time proposed to be given by law. If, as is
claimed by many. all persons b lFn in the UiHted
States are ready citizens, the passage of this
bill cannot be necessary to make them such. IT,
on the other hand such persons are foreigners. as
may be assumed from the proposed legislation to
make them citizens, the grave question presents
itself whether, when eleven out OF thirtysix of the
States are unrepresented in Congress, it is sound
policy to make the entire cnlored population and
all other excepted classes, citizens.
Four millions OF them have Just emerged from
slavery into freedom. Can it be reasonably sup
posed they possess the requisite qualifications TO
entitle them to the privileges and mmunities Of
citizenship! Have tho people OF the United States
expressed such convictions? 1t may also be asked
whether it is necessary they should be declared
citizens in order that they may be secure in the
enjoyments of the civil right proposed to be con-
ferred by this bill. These rights are by Federal
and State laws secured to all domciled aliens and
foreigners, even before naturalization, and it may
safely be asserted that the same enactmentS are
sufficient to give protection to those Tor whom this
bill provides
Besides, the policy of this Government always
has been, that persons who are strangers to and
unfami liar with our Institutions should pass thro'
a certain probation. This bill in effect discrimi
mates against a large number of intelligent and
worthy foreigners and III favor of negroes, to
whom after long years of honda ge the avenues Of
opened by proposing to make them citizens at
once. The first section also contains an enumera-
tion of rights to be enjoyed: to make and enforce
contracts to sue and be sued; give evidence in
courts; lease, sell, hold and convey real estate and
personal property and have tull and equal benefits
of all laws the same as white citizens aud to b.
subject to the same punishmeHts, pains and pen
alties in connection with white citizens, and no
others. This perfect equality Of white aud color
ed racessis attempted to be fixed by Federal laws
in every State over the vast field of State juris-
diction covered by these enumerated rights. In
none of them can any State exercise any power of
discrimination between the two races.
| In the exercise of Government over matters ex-
cusivey affecting the people Of each State, it has
frequently been thought expedient to discriminate
between the two races by the statutes of some of
the States which have laws enacted. For instance:
that no white person shall marry q negro or Inu.
latto. Chancellor Kelly says, speaking of the
blacks: Marriage between the blacks and whites
is forbidden in some States where slavery does not
exist and prohibited in all saVeh0lding States by
law; and where not absolutely contrary to law
| they are revolving and regarded as offensive to
public decency." do not say this bill repeals
State laws OH this subject, for as the whites are
forbidden to ntermarry with the blacks the blacks
can make such contracts as the whites themselves
are not allowed to make; therefore, they cannot,
under this bill, enter into marriage contract with
the whites. cite this discrimination, however,
as instance Of State policy, and also to inquire
whether, ii Congress can abrogate all State laws
of discrimination touching contracts generally, it
cannot also repeal State laws passed in relation to
marriage contracts between the races.
! Heretofore. the subject embraced in the enumer-
alton of rights conferred by this bill, has been
considered as exclusively belonging to the States,
and il Congress can repeal State laws discrinna-
ting on these subjects, why may it not repeal all
laws discriminating on the subject OF suffrage?
The object OF the second section is to afford dis
criminatlon to colored persons by imposing pen
alties upon the members of the Legislatures who
may pass such laws, and upon Judges or officers
who may attempt to execute them This invades
the dominion OF the States, for which there is no
warrant and for which there is no necessity. do
not apprehend any such serious conflicting legisla.
tion the bill seems to contemplate as to render
it necessary to adopt measure Of such doubtful
cOnStItutiOnality,
y