The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-04-06
THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.
THE PRESIDENTS VETO MEsS;GE.
To Me .Senute Of the Imted .States:

i'll their civil rights, and furnish the means
OF their vindication," contains provisions
WInrh | cannot approve consistently with
my sense of duty to the whole people and
my obligations to the constitution of the
nGcd States am. therefore. colStrain-
cd to return it to the senate, the house IN
which it originated. with my objections
to It's becoming Il law.
nv the first section of the bill all per-
>onS born in the t'nitci States, and not
subject to any foreign powers, excluding
Indians not taxed, are declared to be citi-
zens OF the United States. This provision
complehcnds the Chinese OF the Pacific
States, Indians subject to taxation: the
people called Gypsics, as well as the en-
lire race de> cr,tcd rs blacks, people OF
color, NEGROES, mulattoes and persons OF
African blood. Every individual OF these
races born in the nitcd States is by the
bill made II citizen OF the United States
1t does not purport to declare OF confer
any other right OF citizenship than federal
citizenship. 1t does not propose to give
these c;ts.c, of persons any status rs citi-
zcn> of states. except that which may re-
suit from their status rs citizens OF the
| nitcd States. The power to confer the
right of state citizenship is just as cxclu-
>iyrlv with the several states as the power
to confer the right Of federal citizenship is
with Congress. The RIGHT OF federal cti-
Zcn>hip thus 10 be conferred III the several
excepted "ratio'' before mentioned Is now
for the first time proposed TO be given by
law. Il, aS is claimed by many. Ill per
sons who are native born already are,
bv virtue OF the constitution, citizens Of
! the mtcd States, the passage OF the penl
/ IN bill cannot lie necessary to make them
such If. on the other hand, such per
SONS are not citizens. Is may be assumed
from the proposed legislation 10 make
li!cn such. the crave question presents IL
self whether, where eleven OF the thirly-SiX
states are unrcpre>cntcd i'll Congress ut
this time, it is sound poiicv TO make our
entire coIorcd population. and all other
..,.,..,,,l .;....i.. ,.;t;,.r.. - ,ho I,;toJ
u..,is Enn. ,,,;,I;nn. ,.,,, ;,,.r .n.r,,,J
.,.,', '.,.',n,, ;n,n t.,a,nn, ~. = r.o
>onably be supposed that they possess the
requisite qualifications TO cntitc them TO
all the privileges and immuniticS OF citi-
l.n,l,i,,nt -. u;,.l s,.t.., Have ,Io
-. ,l,, .,..,.ol ....t... ,,.,,,..,,.i .,,,l
T., ,'nn,;,1;on, + m,,- ,,,n he asked
.,ho,I,cr :, !. u,,...-,r, i'm; ,i,.v .LonI1 N.
.,ecIareI citizens IN order l,iat 1bcy NAV
IL. secured IN ,hc ,Iiioym,nt of lin. civil
Iriuht- nropo>cd to be conferred by IL.
bin Those rjrht, are iy federal. =, we'll
a, l,v state laws. secured to ali ,lomiciIed
:,lirn.. anI FOREIGNERS even before the COM
,u,r,lnn os the procession Of naturalization.
and il NAV safely u assumed that in,
,am,. ,,,a,,mcnt> are sufficient ia niyr IiL,
protrrtion and benefits IL tho>,. for vI,nu
Itai> bill provides special !rci>ltiion. Be-
sides the policy of thc government. tioo,
is oli-in to the present time. seems to
have been that persons. who ar, ,trauocr~
10. and unfamiliar with our institution,
and our laws. should pa,. through 4 c.r-
tam probation. 1T the end of which. bctor,
attainin" the coveted prizv. they must uiy,
evidence. of their fitness to receive and (,
exercise the rinlits Of citizens. a, coutcu.
.,,lat,i ly the constitution Of the Unite,
~i,1rs
The b;N in effect nrono.cs y dscr;,n;
nation AGAINST I:roc numbers Of mtclIi
cent, worthy and patriotic foreigners. an,
, in t,ynr of thc nc1ro. to whom after Ion,
years of hopdoor. the avenues to tr.aJon
and intelligence have iu,t now been >,,d
denly opened lie must Of necessity
from his prryiouS unfortunate condition @
scr,itud,.. be lc,. informed a, 10 the natur,
and character OF our institutions than h,
. who. coming from abroad. has. TO som
extent at least. familiarized himself will
thc principles Of , Government to whicl
he Voluntarily elirusis life liberty and th
,,r.u;t of h,n,,i,oSs Vet # !. nnu, nro
n,.,J Inv , s;nrle lno;.L,tive cn,rtmnnt +,
rontrr fine riiu]tS Of citizenship unon al
: ,o,.,,. of tir;c,n 1..con, born with, th
extended Limits Of ,hc United States wh;l
= n,r,ons Of tnr.,r 1;,th who max % an
: land their home, mus UNDERGO a hroiatio,
@ Of five wears. and can only then bccom
: citizens upon proof that they are of 600,
y moral character. attached to the prinripIc
-. ui th,. constitution OF the United Stalc-
N and we'll DISPOSED t. the GOOD order AM
: happine>s of the same.