Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-04-06
OFFICE IN PETERS BLOCK.
VOL. XII -: NO. IL
The Civil Rights Bill.
THE PRESIDENTS VETO MESSAGE.

10 The Senate of the United States ::--fIr'l
regret that the bill which his passed both
houses Of Congress, entitled "An act to pr. tsct
all persons in the United States in their civil
rights, and furnish the means Of their vindjca.
tiun," contains provisions which csnhot approve
consistently, with my sense Of duty to she whole
people and my OBJ legations 10 tho Constitution n
the United States 1 am, therefore, eonse rainsa
to return it to the Senate, the house in whieh is
originated, with my objections to its bsoonipe .
law. -s.5f 81. = - - 80
by the first section Of tho bill ell persoes h>sa
in tn" United States, and not subject to any fee.
cign powers. excluding Indians not taxed, sss
declared to be citizens Of the United seates-
This provision comprehends tie Chinese Of the
Pacific states, lndinns subject to taxation, The
people called Gyi ses, as well as the entire rxoo
dcsignated MS blacks, people of color, negroes.
mulattoes and persons of Afficah blood. Every
individual ot these races born In the Unitod
states is by the bill made citiscn Of the Unitsa
states 1t does not purport to declare or e0ntse
any other right Of citizenship than Federal siti.
zenship. 1t does not propose to give these
classes OF persons any status as citizens Of Statoa
except that which III result from their status ~
citizers Of tie United States. The power 70 con.
f.r the right Of State citizenship is just - ex.
clusiyely with the several States as the power 70
confer the right of Federal citizenship is with
Congress. The right of Federal citizenship shus
to be conferred Ia the several excepted "ratio'
before mentioned is now for the first time pre-.
posed to lie given by law. If. rs is claimed BY
many, ail persons who are native.born already
are, by virtue of the Constitution, citizens Of tho
United States, the ssage of the pending bill
cannot be necessary to make them such. II on
the other hand, such persons not citizens, -
may be assumed from the proposed legislation to
make them such, the grave question presents it.
self whether, when eleven of the thirty-six
States are unrcpresented in Congress at this time
it is sound policy to make entire popuis.
ton and all other excepted classes citizens Of the
United States. Foui millions have just er.erged
from slayel y Tito freedom. Can it reasonably be
sup osed that they possess the requisite quali6.
cations to entitie them to ali the privileges aud
iininunities Of citizenship Of tho United states!
Have the people of the several States expressed
such conviction? 1t may also be asked whetb-
er it is necessary that they should be declared
IN order that they may be secured in tho enjoy.
ment OF the civil rights proposed 10 be conferred
by the hi |? Those rights are by Federal - we'll
as State laws secured t. all domiciled aliens and
torei before the conn letien Of the pro.
cess OF naturalization, and it may safely be as.
suincd tina. tha same enactmenis are sufficient to
give like protection and benefits to those for
whom this bill provides special legislation. Be.
sides, the policy OF the g0vernipent from its
origin to the present time, seems to have been
'hat persons wac are strangers TO ana un'afnilisr
WIN o"i i''setoti9hs anu our laws sn"a'u pass
before attaining the coveted prize, they must
give evidence of thcii fitness to receive and to
exercise the rights of citzens, as contemplated
b, the Cous'itutien n of the United States.
ine o'ii Ill eHsee P.opoHes uisc'im,nat'on
against iaf oe hahoeis oi ihbehiseh. "orsay ana
patio'ie iofe'shefs aha 10 iasof Oh the negro I"
whohi alter long years OF bondage the avenues 70
freedom and Intelligence have just now been sud.
oeay opened ae must oi Necessity. from nis
previous unfortunate cohaitioh VI sei'3uoe, %
less Informed as 70 the nature anu character Of
9of ihstitusiofs 'hah ne "io. coming irom aoroad
mas TO some extent al ieast iam'iiahzed hlmselt
with the prlucltles oi governmtn TO which he
voluntarily ihttusfs his lite, l'oefsS pursuit
oil happiness. ~ II is now proposed oy SIN.
s'e legislative ehae'meht 10 CONFER Tue t'gnts OIL
oit'heHSnP upon All persons o' Ar'cau uescens
norm Sithih tae extehde1 limits oil the onited
States, "h''e persons "' foreign oirtn, VINO make
our 'ahu tnet hon'ts' u'ast uhaergo Prooesioa
u I'VE ye II, ana eia only 'hen pec' me cisixens
upon PROOF .hat sa'y are oil so3d nlofai easrscsst
attacncu 10 'he ptihc'pies OF the constitution 0!
'he +. h'ted 2t't's s. ana wei disposeo 'c Tue S0oo
ofder ana haPgintss OF the same.
Inc h,s' stttioh o' me pi't "iso contans an
enumeration oi tue r'1hts 10 DC enjoyed oy s"oss
Glasses 80 maie c'.i1eas l" every STATE anu terr'
tory OF the United states. these rights are TO
make nna enforce contracts to sue Dc parties ana
give 'Staehee' 10 inherit, puren"se, 'ease' SOL,
hold ana convey r'ai ana personal properly, ana
10 nave toe 'u'' ana equa. oeheht Oh al laws anu
proceedings ior ire security OF persons ana prop
eity ms Is e,J'Eed by white cislzens; 90 TOO tney
arc ihaue sutJ e' |" the same PohishMent' pans
ana penalties colnn''n win white citizens ana 70
none others. mus peiiect tqaanty OF ths
white ana c9io'en race Is attemp'ea 10 oe nxeo
by feder"i "a" In every state Oh the oh'on oS.
er tae vast heih Oh :'ate Ja'saictioh' co.ereo oy
these ehuhefa'el rights In no one Oh them can
any stare rAereise any power oi o'scEAminaeo0
between diaefeht a;es.
IN Tue exercise ol 9'a'e poiicy over matter" *
ciusneiy "n'e,'rs the Peop'e VI eacn etate ire
duen'iy 9eeh lhoushe tApeu'en' I" o!sc'imIh"se
oet"eei 'ne wv iaoes' INC s'''".eS v. so'u@
OF the states Noith as well as SOUTH It enact
ea. ioi 'nS'ace' 'ha' no "htte Pefsoh tnsA 'hse'-
marry win negro OF "aia'e"'
nnahc'i!or hent sa!s' sPeaHius Vi t"e osscAs'
that Marriages between tnehi ana 'he WHITES e1e
iofoiuueh in sone oi tue states "he'e s's.e'y
p'es ,os eAs., s.' tiey arc p'o".o''e" IN s .us
s'aVehoid'ns states oy law, anu "neh NOT aoso
ia'e'y c"he"'y 10 ia~' tney are reso'''ng ~"
feSai deo as MI "hehse against pao',o Seeo'sm-
L, DO not ', say tnat .his o,ai repeats sa.s nv
lh's ON repeats o'"'e laws Q" 10 suoyeV' " m.t
''"so oa ."e WV '"es. ~. 30 ..s
are ,otoiteh 10 WIN .nS o'sS.s; .as
oiachs van o''iy naAe suon oon'i"o~ % W "o''.
'henSeNoo arc '"."uu VIZ W .""ne, .@ 'As
eahho' u''s' ' eh's WI 'i''' '"'o '"e "s''"s'
eoi,'i'e' WIN ''e ".''e'
ic"e t"s u'',i =" '"e' s"s0
"a 'iit sla'e p'l'ey "a 10 uiss'n,"" ION, anu :"
lhqu'', ~. a; :. -,
''"'o ''" ,.,.N ~ l'a so - ~ :.
races 'u VIC VI .e"I .e."'e " su''' "'o "
eo'',' '' : e 80 ~"
en- tne I'a'e ' W .", ."h;aa, Ui
oo'"e.h w 4eSN'' i'i."e'@s S's's t~'Jess Ss.S'