The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-04-25
The Civil Rights Bill.

nation, posscss tho 'objectiooao'o ''S''
urc. urged against it BY its e'eml'''
We fail to discover anywhere 10 'n''
law any thing to justify such sensele's
Misrepresentation, and dcmos0gu'ca'
distortion, us tho following from the
Knuawha Republican Of last week:
"Con,rary, however, to tho wishes OF
the President, and in opposition to his
carnes. rcmoustranccs, the Civil Rights
bill with all its cnormities its violations
Of the rights Of the States; its Interior
cncc vi III and punishment of State off
GERS, from governors down; its disre
gard Of all tie usual rules for tho inter
pretation of contracts; tho advantage
which it gives tho negro over, ind at
the expense Of tho white nan tho dan.
ccrous, almost unlimited, amount OF
power lodged by it in the hands Of one
u,an-thu presidcnt-i.s system, Of ire
spousiblc spies, intormcrs and commits
sioncrs, backed by the army Of tho
United States if need BE-, is now the !aw,
and will be executed as it stands, u2til
repealed or modified by Congress, or de-
clarcd unconstitutional by tho Supreme
Court Of tho United States"
In striking contrast with this outcry
Of the Republican, We quote from the
Mobile Register, whose editor is the Hon.
John Forsyth. lie says he has looked
sit square in the face" and has come
to the conclusion that there is general
misrepresentation on the subject.
The Register enters into an analysis OF
the bill, and its comments arc worthy Of
consideration. OF tho Grst section Of
the bill the editor says:
"It coulers the privilege ofciti=enshI
Of the United States upon the colorcd
races, and gives them tho right to make
and enforce contracts, to sue and to be
sued, &c. 1t docs not confer upon them
tho right to vote, to hold Office, to serve
rs jurors, or to interfere with the regu.
lations and customs Of steamboats,, rail.
roads, street cars, thcaters, or other
places Of public resort. II does not IN.
tcrtcre wiM sociai relations III any man.
ner uhatsoerer.
GAS to the other rights specified, ace
Jeliere Mey substantially eeist already, as
q necessary consequence Of emancipa.
ton, with the single exception Of the
right to give evidence which is limited
by law, in most Of the Southern States,
to cases in which one Of the parties In.
tercstcd is a negro. This, after all, we
have always considered a small matter.
No statute can take from jury tho
power to determine for itself tho credi.
bility Of evidence, and thus to neutrulize
tho mischicls to DO apprchcnded from
negro testimony.
"The truth is, VIC have in our very
midst q rare and striking example Of tho
practical effects that may be expect.
cd to result from thia bill. We refer to
the colorcd creoles Of Mobile and its
vicinity.
"Thcsc people, although Of African
and mixed blood, were citizens under
the Spanish Government, on an equal
footing in all respects with other ci,i.
zens. The treaty Of 1919, by which this
portion Of Alabama with Floridu) va.
cedcd to the United States, expressly
guaranteed to them continuance Of the
privilege Of citizenship. They have &c.
tually been citizens Of Alabama and
Florida for nearly half a century. To
those familiar with the country wo need
no. add that they have boon good ci,i.
zcns-amvng the very best Of citizens.
No conflict has ever occurred rs to their
status. Tho question Of evidence hns
mover DO raised, that We arc aware Of |;
or, if raised, it has never occasioncd any
difficulty. The colorcd crcoles have al
ways maintained their position as q sep.
arato racc-sociully holding themselves
aloof both from the whites and negroes,
but never interfering with either
They have been exemplary 10 tho dis
charge of all the duties Of citizenship,
neigbborhood and hospitality, and have
secured tho respect Of all classes Of so.
ciety. There has been no collision Of
races.
Now, as We have iutimated, the ef.
feet Of the Civil Rights Bill will DO to
give tho negroes political status almost,
if not altogether, identical with that al.
ready occupied by tho colorcd creolcs.
Az this has 30 long existed in the one
case without creating any difficulty, we
do not see any grcut reason to appre.
hond very serious evils 10 tho other.
AS to social relations, ,hoy can no.
DO affected. Tho whites, tho colorcd
creoles, and tho freedmen rill COZ tinuc
10 be--as they baya all along been
separate and distinct classes. No legis.
lation can render it otherwise"
The Cincinnati Commercial adds:
"Those who are under some excite.
nent owing to an impression that the
Civil Rights Bill coufers social and
political equality on the negro, will not
;sccivc much consolation from these
Of the Mobile Register. If
the people come to the conclusion Of
that able paper, that tho bill merely re.
rODni1oa thu frooSnn ~ o;ti~ons and