The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-03-31
President J0hns0n's Veto of the
Civil Rights Bill.

act to protect ali persons in the United
States in their civil rights, and furnish
the means for their vindication," con-
tains provisions which cannot approve,
consistently with my sense of duty to the
whole people, and my obligations to the
Constitution of the United States.
am therefore constrained to return it to
the Senate, the House IN which it ORR
ginated, with my objections to its be-
coming law.
By the first section of the bill, all
persons born in the United States, and
not subject to any foreign power, exciu-
ding Indians not taxed, are declared to
be citizens of the United States This
provision comprehends the Chinese OF
the Pacific States, Indians subject to
taxation, the people called Gypsies, as
well as the entire race designated as
blacks, people Of color, negroes, mulat-
toes, and persons of African blood
Every individual of these races, born in
the United States, is by the bill made
a citizen of the United States. 1t does
not purport to declare or to confer any
other right of citizenship than Federal
citizenship. 1t does not purport to give
these classes OF persons any states as
citizens of States, except that which
may result from their status as citizens
of the United States. The power TO
confer the right Of State citizenship is
just as exclusively with the several
States, as the power to confer the right
of Federal citizenship is with Congress.
The right of Federal citizenship thus
to be conferred on the several excepted
races before mentioned is now, for the
first time, proposed to be given by law.
If, as is claimed by many, all persons
who are native-born already are, by viz
tue of the Constitution, citizens Of the
United States, the passage of the pend
ing bill cannot be necessary to make
them such. Ii, on the other hand, such
persons are not citizens, as may be as
sumed from the proposed legislation to
make them such, the grave question
presents itself, whether, when eleven OF
the thirty-six States are unrepresented
in Congress, at this time it is sound pol
icy to make our entire colored popula
ton and all other excepted classes citi-
zens of the United States? -Four mil
lions of them have just emerged from
slavery into freedom. Can it be reason
ably supposed that they possess the re-
quisite qualifications to entitle them to
all the privileges and immunities OF cit
liens of the United States? Have the
people Of the several States expressed
such conviction It may also be asked
whether it is necessary that they should
be declared citizens, in order that they
may be secured in the enjoyment o.
civil rights ? Those rights proposed to
be conferred by the bill are, by Federal
as well as State laws, secured to ali
domiciled aliens and foreigners even be-
fore the completion Of the process OF
naturalization and it may safely be as
sumed that the same enactments are
sufficient to give like protection and
benefits to those, for whom this bill
provides special legislation. Besides,
the policy Of the Government, from its
origin to the present time, seems to
have been that persons who are strang-
ers to, and unfamiliar with, our institu-
lions and laws should pass through
a certain probation, at the end of which,
before attaining the coveted prize, they
must give evidence of their fitness to
receive and to exercise the rights of cit |
liens, as contemplated by the Constitu-
ton of the United States.
The bill, in effect, proposes discrim-
nation against large numbers of intel
igent, worthy, and patriotic foreigners,
and in favor Of the negro, to whom, af
ter long years Of bondage, the avenues
to freedom and intelligence have now
been suddenly opened. He must, of
necessity, from his previous unfortunate
condition Of servitude, be less informed |
as to the nature and character of our
: institutions than he who, coming from
abroad, has to some extent at least IA
miliarized himself with the principles |
of a Government to which he volunta-
rily entrusts &C life, liberty, and the pur-
suit of happiness" Yet it is now pro
posed, by single legislative enactment. !
to confer the rights of citizens upon all
persons of African descent born within
the extended limits of the United States, |
while persons of foreign birth, who |
make our land their home, must under
go probation OF five years, and can
only then become citizens upon proof
that they are of good moral charac-
ter, attached to the principles of the |
Constitution Of the United States, and |
well disposed to the good order and |
happiness of the same"
The first section Of the bill also con-
tains an enumeration Of the rights to
be enjoyed by these classes, SO made |
= citizens, In every State and Territory
in the United States'' These rights
aiC. IL iIlthc anu enforce contracts, to |
sue, be parties, and give evidence, to
inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and
convey real and personal property,'' and
to have g full and equal benefit of all
laws and proceedings for the security
of person and property as is enjoyed BY
white citizens So, too, they are made
subject to the same punishment, pains,
and penalties in common with white
citizens, and to none others. Thus. a
perfect equality Of the white and black
races IS attempted to be fixed by Fed
eral law, in every State of the Union.
over the vast field of State jurisdiction
covered by these enumerated riobts s.
In no one OF these can any State ever
exercise any power of discrimination
between the different races.
In the exercise of, State policy over
matters exclusively affecting the people
OF each State, 1t has frequently been
thOuUnf pNnpHJaDt n