The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-04
THE NEW YORK POST AND THE
CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

The New York Erening Post has the fol
lowing sensible remarks upon the Civi
Rights Bill. We publish it because the senti
ments expressed are we'll founded, earnest
temperate. just in themselves, and because
as the Post is one of the most moderate al
well as ablest Republican journals, it shows
how entire is the unity Of the Union party on
principles, whatever small difference may
be about processes. 1t is an indication tha,
the Union party having fought out the battle
and triumphed, standing on the platform ol
justice and freedom, do not propose to deser,
their platform or continue the battle on any
different line.
The Post advises that no one believe tina,
the people ofthe Northern States are inclin-
ed to '.let the niger slide" or to suffer the
colored people to be subjected to injustice OF
wrong. The people may differ about the
justice either to themselves or to the whites
OF permitting all the negroes to vote at once.
They may differ aboutthe merits, and adyisa-
bility of the Freedmen's Bureau, but Of the
men and women who were loyal to the Union
during the war, few can be found who do
not insist that the blacks shall be subject to
the same laws, and none others, and enjoy
The Post continues:
II is not merely sentiment of justice
which creates this almost universal feeling
though we believe that this sentiment is
strong and active in the public mind it is
feeling of gratitude to the colored people Of
the South, who, were, at the peril of their
lives, during the rebellion, our steadfast
friends, who served and saved thousands of
loyal soldiers, and examples of their courage
skill, endurance and faithfnllness occur on
every page Of the war S history.
They have been made free, and the loyal
people OF this country are concerned tn at this
freedom shall be substantial fact and not q
luere shawdow. And they understand very
well that man who cannot sue in courts,
who cannot enforce his rights % wages and
property, or who is. with his wife and chill.
dren, subjected to different and severer laws
than his white neighbors is not Free
We do not insist that they shall be taught
at the expense Of any Southern State, but we
do insist that they shall be permitted to have
schools ; We do not insist that they shall vote
but the loyal part of the nation is fully deter
mined that they shall be protected IN their
persons and property that they shall have the
right not only to earn but to recover their
wages; that they shall be made safe against
wrong and outrage Of every kind; that they
shall have the right of free Speech Of peace
ehe assemblages together. OF petition
Because this feeling is very strong and al.
most universal in the North, we no not be.
heve that any Senator, or Representative who
voted on the Civil Rights Bill when if passed
Congress, will vote against it when it comes
up for passage again. This bill is in
tended to do Justice where the State laws
or courts fail to do it, and nowhere else. One
of its merits in cur eyes is that it leaves all
merely benevolent operations where Of right
they belong, to private effort. 1t does not
establish schools it does not feed the desti-
tute it does not clothe the poor it does not
interfere in any way between the employer
and the employed either to establish the
rate of wages or to fix tie terms of contract.
1t leaves all these matters to regulate them
selves. as they surely and safely and quickly
will, if only all men of all classes have equal
protection before the law
By the Civil Rights bill this equal protec-
ton ia secured and ifthat becomes law,
the great starting point will be gained from
which the problem which now dstracts the
out further help from the government, and with
only such supplementary aid and private
benevolence as, in many Southern States
both white and black will need and receive
for years to come.
TnE Democracy. law conserving wh6n
they thought they could embarrass there
by the Executive in the suppression of the
rebellion, are seditious and revolutionary
when they would thereby lead the Executive
into the restoration of rebels to power. The
New York World went into agonies over
anything looking towards unconstitutional
exercise of power on the part of Mr. Lincoln,
in his efforts to punish treason. 1t doesn't
hesitate to advise Mr.. Johnson to trample
official oath. If traitors can thereby be profit
ed. President johnson is sworn to enforce
the laws of the United States. A law pass
ed legitimately over his veto by the requisite
majority is as much a law as though it had
received his sanction in its passage. yet in
the case of the Civil Rights Bill, if passed
over his veto, the World would have
President johnson refuse to execute it.
Such counsel shows the utter political base
ness of those professed new friends of the
President. 1t adds to the infamy of their
record during the last FIVE years. 1t shows
that the ardent devotion to law, from which
standpoint they made their appeals for popu.
lar support, was the fimsy pretexs of disloy-
atty and an iil-6tting cloak for downright
sympathy with treason. The excess of Presi-
Dental power, they cannot tolerate to save
the life of the government, they will urge
if It's exercise is expected to wrong loyal
men, to lift rebels into place and power, and
to give traitors the chance TO work out inside
the onion the overthrow Of the government
they failed TO accomplish by secession. What
countenance can the President give such sup
porters?
DEATH OF CAPT. BRowS OF Van RuREN
CorNrY.-We regret to learn that Captain
Joel Brown, member of the Legislature
from Van Barren County died in Des Moines,
on Saturday night, after severe sickness.
Capt Brown was a much esteemed citizen Of
Birmingham, had made for himself good
record as soldier, was thoroughly loyal
was III the prime Of life, and his death will
cause profound regret in the circle Of his
many friends.
MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A. Brave orrrcrn
All who served in Hazers brigade of tho
Fourth Corps in 1868 viii rememhar vai,
Capt. James Z. Jones, Of NE lst Ohio Infsr.
try, and will be panied to learn that at the
burning of Pixies Opera House in Cincinnss;