The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-08-09
The Civil Rights Bill.
We publish below TIE Civil Rights
Bill as it recently passed the Congress
over the Presidents Veto

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House f Repre-
sentatyes Of the United States Of America i Congress
assembled, That all persons born in the United
States and not subject to any foreign Power, ex-
Guiding Indians, not taxed, arL hereby declared
to be citizens of the United States and such citi
zens of every and color, without regard to
any previous condition of slavery or involuntary
servitude, except as punishment for CRIME
whereof the party shall ave been duly convicted,
shall have the same right in every State and Ter
| ritory i'll the United States to make and enforce
contracts, to sue, be parties, and give evidence,
to inherit, purchase, lease sell, hold, and convey
real and personal property, and to full and equal
benefit Of all laws and proceedings for the securi-
citizens, and shall be subject to like punishment,
pains, and penalties, and to none other, any law,
statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
| SEC = And be it further enacted, That any per-
| son who, under color of any law, statute, ordi
nance, regulation, custom, shall subject, or
to be subjected, any inhabitant of any State
| or Territory to the deprivation of any right Sc
| cured OF protected by this act, or to different
punishment, pains, or penalties on account OF
| such person having at any time been held in
condition of slavery or involuntary servitude, ex-
| cept as punishment for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, or by reason of
his color race, than is prescribed for the pun
| ishment of white persons, shall be deemed guilty
| of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction, shall be
| punished by fine not exceeding one thousand dol
! lars, or Imprisonment not exceeding one year, or
| both in the discretion of the court.
| SEC 3. And be it further enacted That the dis
trict courts of the United States, within their
! spectvc districts, shall have exclusively OF the
| courts of the several States, cognizance of all
! crimes and offences committed against the provi-
sions OF this act and also, concurrently with the
circuit courts of the United States, OF all causes
civil and criminal, affecting persons who are de
MED or cannot enforce in the courts or Judicial
tribunals of the State locality where they may
be, any of the rights secured to them by the first
section of this act and if any suit or prosecution
civil or criminal, has been or shall be commenced
in any State court against any such person. for
any cansc whatsoever, or against any officer, civil
or military, or other person, for arrest impri-
IT.
ted by virtue or under color OF authority derived
from this act or the act establishing bureau for
the relief of freedmen and refugees, and all acts
amendatory thereof; or for refusing to do any ac
upon the ground that it would be inconsistent
with this act, such defendant shall have the right
to remove such cause for trial to the proper dist
trict or circuit court in the prescribed by
the Act relating to hdbeds corpus and regulating
judicial proceedings in certain cases, approved
March three, eighteen hundred and sixty three |
and all acts amendatory thereof The jurisdic |
tion in civil and criminal matters hereby confer
red on the district and circuit courts of the Unit
ed States shall be exercised and enforced in con-
formity with the laws of the United States, far
as such laws suitable to carry the same into |
effect but in all cases where such laws not |
adapted to the object, deficient in the pro-
visions necessary to furnish suitable remedies and
punish Offences against law, the common law, as |
modified and changed by the constitution and |
statutes of the State wherein the court having
jurisdiction of the cause, civil or criminal is |
held, SO far as the same is not inconsistent with
the Constitution and laws of the United States,
shall be extended to and govern said courts in
the trial and disposition of such cause, and If of
criminal nature, in the infiiction of punishment
on the party found guilty.
SEC. T. And be 1t further enacted, That the dis
trict attorneys marshals, and deputy marshals of
by the circuit and territorial courts of the United
States, with powers OF arresting, imprisoning, or
baling offenders against the laws of the United
States, the officers and agents of the Freedmen's
Bureau, and every other officer who may be spc-
cIally empowered by the President of the United
States, shall be, and they are hereby, specially
,rrizn arld irnh of ha nf
United States, to institute proceedings against all
and every person who shall violate the provisions
of this act, and cause him or them to be arrested
and imprisoned, bailed the case may be,
for trial before such court of the United States or
territorial court by the act has cognZance of
the offence And with the view to affordng
sonabe protection to all persons in their consti-
tutional rights of equality before the law, without
distinction of race or color, or previous condi-
shall have been duly col eictcd, and to the prompt
of the duties of this act it shall be the
duty of the circuit courts OF the United States
and the superior courts of the Territories of the
United States, from time to time, to increase the
number of commissioners, SO as TO afford u speedy
ton OF persons charged with violation Of this
act. And such commissioners are hereby author
zed and required to exercise and discharge all
the powers and duties conferred on them by this
act, and the same duties with regard to 0tences |
created by this act, as they are authorized by law
70 exercise with regard to other offences against
SEC. B. And be it further enacted, That ii shall
be the duty of all Inarshals and deputy marshals
10 obey and execute all warrants and precepts is
sued under the provisions OF this act, when to
them directed /; and should any marshal or dep
uty marshal refuse to receive such warrant or
other process when rendered or to use all proper
means diligently to acute the same he shall, on
conviction thereof, b. fined in the sum of one
thousand dollars, to the nse of the person upon
whom the accused is alleged to have committed /
the offence And the better, to enable the said
to execute their duties tnithtuiJ Il
and efficiently, in conformity with the Cbnststu-
ton of the United States and the requirements Of