Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-04-05
RUIlANB HERALD.
FRIDAY, MARCH so, 1866,
Veto a, the CIvil Rights BiiI.
WAsnINaroNl Maroh y

bill to the Senate, to-day, with the fol-
lowing message ststiug his objections
plt;-
To the Senate OF the United States;
regret that The dill which has passed
both Houses Of Congress. eutlIIrd An
sct 10 protec1 MI persons Ia the United
States in their civil rights and furnish
means of their vindicati0n contains
proyisious which ! cannot approve con.
sisteptly with nay SENSE OF duty 20 the
whole people and my obligations 10 the
Constitution of the United States. am
therefore constrained TO return il to the
Senate, the house in which it originated
with my objections TO It's becoming a
law.
By the first section OF the bill all per
sons born in the United States and not
subject to any foreign power, excluding
Indians not taxed, are declared TO be
citizens of the United States. This pro-
vision comprehends the Chinese of the
Pacific states, Indians subject TO tax
alton, the people called gipsies, as well
IS the entire race designated as blacks
people of color, negroes, mulattoes, and
persons of African blood Every indi-
vidual of these races, born in the Unit
ed States, is by the bill made a citizen
Of the United States. 1t does not pur-
port TO declare or confer any other
right of citizenship. It does not pro-
pose TO give these classes of persons any
status as citizens OF states, except that
which may result from their status as
citizens of the United States. The
power TO coEter the right Of state citi-
Zenshtp is j. as exclusively with
the several st .es as the power 10 con-
fer the rig Of federal citizenship is
with Congress. The right of federal
citizenship, thus to be conferred gu the
several states, except in the cases be
fore mentioned, is now for the first time
proposed to be given by law. If, as is
claimed by many, all persons who are
native born already are by virtue nt the
constitution citizens of the United
States then the passage Of the pending
bill cannot bc necessary to MAKE them
such.
II, on the other hand such persons
are not citizens, as may be assumed
from the proposed legislation to make
them such, the grave question presents
itsei. whether when eleven OF the
thjrty-six States are unrepresented in
Congress at this time it is sound policy
to make our entire co.OIed population,
and all other excepted classes citizens
ofthe United States Four millions Of
OF them have Just emerged from slavery
into freedom. Can 1t reasonably be sup
posed that they possess the requisite
qualifications to entitIe them to all the
privileges and mmunities Of citizenship
OCthe United States? Have the people of
the several States expressed such a con
viCtion 1t may also be asked whether
it is necessary that they should be de-
Clared citizens in order that they may
be secured in the enjoyment OF the civil
rights proposed to be conferred by the
bill. Those rights are by Federal as well
as State laws secured to all dOmiciled
aliens and foreigners, even before the
completion of the process of Daturaliza-
ton and it may safely DC assumed that
the same enaCtmentS are sufficient to
give like protection and benefits to
those for whom this bill provides spe-
Cial legislation. Besides, the policy Of
the government, from its origin to the
present time, seems TO have been that
persons who are strangers to, and I'M
familiar with, our institutions and our
laws, should pass through a certain
probation, at the end of which, before
attaining the coveted prize they must
give evidence of THAR fitness to receive
and TO exercise the rights Of citizens, as
contemplated by the constitution OF the
United States. The bill in effeCt pro-
poses 8 discrimination against large
numbers of intelligent, worthy and pa
triotiC foreigners and in favor of the ne
gro, to whom, after long years Of bon
dage the avenues to freedom and in
telligence have just DOW been suddenly
Opened. He must, OF necessity from his
previous unfortunate condition Of ser
vitued, be less informed as to the nature
and character of our institutions than
he who, coming from abroad, has to
some extent at least familiarized him
self with the principles Of a government
to which he voluntarily entrusts life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
Yet it is now proposed by 3 single leg
lslative enactment to confer the rights
OF citizens upon all persons of African
descent born within the extended limits
of the United States, while persons of
foreign birth who make our land their
home, must undergo probation OF five
wears, and can only then become cit
liens upon proof that they are Of. good
moral character attached to the princi-
pies OF the constitution Of the United
States, and we'll disposed to the good
order and happiness of the same.
The first section Of the bill also con-
tains an enumeration of the rights to
be enjoyed by those classes so made citl-
zens in every State and Territory in the
United States. These rights are tt
make and enforce contracts; to sue, be
parties and give evidence; to inherit
purchase, lease, hold sell and conve!
real aud personal property; aud to hav'
as full and equal benefit of all laws ant
proceedings for the security Of persons
and property, az is enjoyed by whit
citizens. SO, too, they are made subjec
to the same punishment, pains and pen
altieS common to white citizens, and Il
none others Thus perfect equality @
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