The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-04-04
The Veto Message Of the Civil Rights
Bill.

a =
10 protect all persons in the United STAT
OF their civil rights. and larnish the mear
90 their sindicatiOn, contains provision
which ] cannot approve consistently vii
my sense of duty % the whole people an
my obligations 10 the Constitution Of II
United states. / am. therefore. .cOnstraine
10 return lt ID the Senate, the house
which II originated. with mv objections
It's becoming a law.
By the first section Of the biz an ne,
sons born Ia the United States. 'ani ne
SUBJECT 10 any foreign power. exclui.n
luuidhs not taxed. are declared 90 BE- cir
zens OF the thltel States. This rr.risin
comprehends the Chinese of fhe pacif
states, Indians subject % tavafion IN
people called Gl psies, as we'll as the entir
race designated as blacks. people Of color
negroes. mulattoes. and persons of Afr-caI
blood. Every individual Of The races hnr
ln the nited states. is. by the hin made
ctlzen Oi the United States. lt does mo-
purport 10 declare or conferanv other ri,h
/ oi citizenship than Federal citizenship T
does not propose 70 give these classes 70
persons any status OF citizenship Of States
except that which mav result from tfen
Status Is citizens ~ the United States
+ Ih" power 10 confer the right OF STATE
citizenship Is Just as exclusively With fht
several states as the power to confer tht
right OF Federal citizenship is with Con.
sress The right OF Federal CITIZENSHIP
has 10 Doe conferred in the several eycentai
ratios before mentioned, and is now for the
Hrsl umc proposed 10 be given bv law. H.
as Is claimed 10y many, all persons who are
native born already are. bv virtue OF the
lffi- Z ..fff
the passage 0f the pending hill cannot he
necessary 10 make them snch. r. ON the
other hand. such persons are not citizens
as may be assumed from the proposed ler-
islalion tO make them such. the crave ones
uoh presents itself whether, where eleven
oil the lhlrty-siX States are unreprpeenfel
III congress at this time, il is sound policy
to make our entire cOlOred population and
an m Olhef excepted classes citizens of the
United States. -Four millions OF them have
Jusl emerged from slavery into freedom.
Can II be reasonably supposed that they
possess tne requisite qualifications 10 enti-
lie them TO all the privileges and immuni-
ties OF citizenship Of the United Sfqfos
Have The people Of the several States ex-
pressed such conviction
Ii may also be asked whether II is noe
ln order that they NAV he secured in tho
enjoyment oil the civil rights proposed TO
be conferred 10y the bill Those ri rbts aro
ny federal as well as by state laws secured
70 all dOmiclled aliens and foreigners and
even before The completion OF the process
oi naturalization, and il may safely be
as suuleu that The same enactments are
suihcieht 10 give like protection and bene-
nts 10 those Tor whom this bill provides
special legislation. Besides the policy of
The Government, from its origin TO the
present time, seems TO have been that per
sons VINO are strangers to and unfamiliar
Win our institutions and our laws should
pass through certain probation. at the
'hu ol Which, before allowing the coveted
Drlze, they must give evidence Of their fit +
ness 10 receive and exercise the RIGHTS Of
citizens. as contemplated 10y tho Con7titn-
ion Ol the United States. The bin I'm
fleet proposes a discrimination against
arge numbers of intelligent, worthy. and /
patriotic foreigners. and in favor m fhe
negro to whom, after long years of BONDAGE .
he avenues of freedom and Intelligence
lave Just now suddenly been OpeneI lie
must Oi necessity, from his previous unfOr-
unate condition Of servitude. be less in
ur institutions than he who. coming from
Oroau' mas, 10 some extent, at least ia
nlllarlzed himself with the PRINCIPLES of n
OFernment 10 which he voluntarily intrnsts
iei hoerly' and the pursuit of happiness
st IL IS now proposed, 10y a simple legisla-
we enactment, 10 confer the rights of citi-
ems upon all persons OF African descent.
Orn within the extended limits of the
hlted states, while persons Of foreign
lrlh' VINO make our land their home, must
hderso probation of five years. and can
MY theh become citizens upon proof that
icy are oil good moral character, attached
the principles OF the Constitution OF the
hiled states, and well disposed % the
OOd order and happiness of the same.
The 1rst section OF the bill also contained
enumeration Of the rights TO be enioyed
thOse classes. 80 made citizens, in every ,
ate and Territory in the United States
hese rights are 10 make and enforce con
acts, TO sue the parties and give evidence
inherit purchase, lease, sell. hold and \
'hVey real and personal property. and to ,
I'VE iuil and equal benefit OF all laws and
'oceedinSs for the security Of persons and +,
'operty as are enjoyed by white citizens. /;
J. 100, they are made subject 10 the same :
lnishment, pains and penalties. common !
lth white citizens and to none Others. /.
nus perfect equality of the white and
'lored races IS attempted to be fixed bv =
sderal law IN every State of the Union .
yer the vast field of state Jurisdiction +,
Vered by these enumerated rights i'm no .
le OF them can any State exercise anv j.
'Wer OF discrimination between different !.
ces. I
In the exercise Of state policy over mat :
rs exclusively affecting the people Of each /,
ate, 1t has frequently been thought expe- !.
ent 10 discriminate between the two races "
the statutes OF some of the States. North :.
well as South. II is enacted. for in !
ance that no white person shall intermar- :
Win negro or mulatte. Chancellor =
snt says, speaking of the blacks. that d
lrriages between them and the whites =
e forbidden in some of the States where :
lVery does not exist, and they are probibi-
all the slaveholding States by law and !
len not absolutely contrary % law. they 81
e revolving, and regarded as an OfTarse =
ainst public decOrum. do not say that u
IS OIL repeals state laws on the subject :
marriage between the races. for as the Z,
htes are forbidden 10 intermarrv with tho u
ackS, the blacks can only make such CON ~
'C0s, rs lhe whites themselves are allowed 81
make them and therefore cannot under
$ 0lll enter into the marriage contract I,
tn the whites OF
cite this discrimination, however. a. an y
stance OF the stated policy. as 10 discrin- q
iuon, ana TO inquire whether. if CONGRESS Il
q ahrogate all state laws. or discrimina-
o between the two races, in the matter az u.
L estate, OF suits, and of contracts rem le
'uy, congress may not also repeal the ~
he laws as TO the contract OF marrja-e az
.ween the races. Hitherto, every sub- IA
[ embraced in the enumeration OF rf7h-s Ia
ltalned IN the bill. has been considered Is
exclusively belonging 10 the States =
ey all relate 70 the internal policy. ana y
'nomy OF the respective states. Thav %
matters which. in each state concern ol
domestic condition OF its people. vary- ca
IN each according 10 its own peculiar -
and the safety and wel-heing a.
rs own citizens. I do not mean 10 sa2 ui
l upon all these subjects there are MT
leral restraints. as for instance on fba VI
'e power OF legislation over contracts II
re Is Federal limitation that no Ststa =
ii pass an e. post TdctO law: and as - -
pe}. tlat DO state shall maLa o---.t. is4I