The colored Tennessean., 1866-03-31

Bureau bill, nor the Wrathful vlgor ano
stump speech energy displayed in the
speech Of February 22d. 1t is decidedly
heavy reading and will not add to the
authors reputation, either as thinker
a Constitutional student, or a candid
statesman. The Civil Rights bill was
carefully drawn up by some of the ablesi
lawyers in the nation, and its purposes
were heartily approved by the unan-
imous voice of the Union party who
elected Andrew Johnson Vice President
on the ticket with Abraham Lincoln
who styled the colored population
"American citizens of African descent '
The President protesting to walk in the
path marked out by his "lamented pre-
decessor," coldly tramples under foot his
most sacred principles, abandons the
people who made him what he is,
and couches his official papers in
the stereotyped phrases OF the
old Buchanan and Breckenridge
Copperhead regime. The men in the
North who opposed the war for the
Union, and the men in the South, who
fought against the Union, applaud the
veto, while the people who carried on
the war for the Union, and kindly took
the President by the hand and pro-
tected him when friendless, home
less exile, will everywhere deplore and
condemn it. To the first section of this
bill, and the Presidents structures there
on, we will briefly ask attention. The
bill provides as follows
SECTION l. All persons born in the United
States and not subjectto any foreign power
excepting Indians not taxed, are hereby de-
claIed to be citizens of the United States, and
such citizens of every race and color, without
regard to any previous condition of slavery or
involuntary servitude, except as punishment
for crime, whereof the party shall have been
duly convicted, shall have the same right in
every State and Territory to make and enforce
contracts, to inherit, purchase, lease SELL hold
and conrey real and personal property, and to
the TnH and equal beneft Of all ldaoS and proceed
sp0s for the security Of person and property, as is
enjoyed by eoAite citis1ae, and shall be saGject to
Ike puniShnaeat, pains ard penalties, and TO
none other, any law, statute, ordinance, regula-
tiOnS or custom to the contrary notWith-
standing. o
Now the provisions of the foregoing
section are so plain and clear that they
cannot be misunderstood. They do not
give the negro the right to vote nor to
hold Office, but only protect him in his
civil rights, such as buying, selling, leas-
ing. conveying, etc. But what says the
President in objection to this section :?
Four millions of them negroes have just
emerged from slavery into freedom. Can 1t be
reasonably supposed that they possess the re-
quisite qualifications to tntitle them to all the
priv eges and immunities of citizenship of the
United ates? Have the people of the several
States expressed such q convict on? 1t may
also be asked whether it is necessary that they
should be declared citizens, in order that they
may be secured in the enjoyment of civil rights,
proposed to be conferred by the bill. Those
rights ~re by Federal as sceN as By State Eaqrs
cured TO al doniciled aliens and foreigners.
euen before the COM ptetioa Of tie process OF nat
eradication, and it may safely be assumed the
same enaclments are sufficient to give like pro-
lection and benefits to thf Sc for whom this bill
provides special legislation.
One would infer from the Presidents
criticism, or cavil rather, that the bill
vetoed proposed to grant suffrage to the
negroes, but it is plain that nothing of
the kind is to be found there. But he
continues in the following strain:
The bill in effect proposes a discriyainatio7,
against large number Of intelligent arOfthy
and patriotic Joyeigners and in favo7 of tie ne,
gro, to Wnom. after long years of bondage the
avenues to freedom and Intelligence have lust
now been suddenly opened. He must of neces-
slty, from his previous unfortunate condition OF
Servitude, be less informed as to the nature and
character OF ourinstitutions, than he, " no. com
ing from abroad, has, to some extent ut least
familiarized himself with the princinIes Of 81
Governments to which he voluntarily entrusts
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness: yet it
Is now proposed. by a single legislative enact
ment, TO confer the lights of citizens upon all
persons OF African descent born within the ex-
tended limits of the United Stairs, while per
sons OF foreign birth, who make our land their
nome, must undergo probation OF five years
ana can only then become citizens upon proof
that they are of good moral character attached
to The principles of the United States and we'll
disposed to the good order and happiness of the
same. '
a discrimination against a large nuna-
Der Of intelligent, acorthy and patriotic
J foreigners, and IN FAVOR OF THE NEGRo~
How does this astounding assertion
agree with the declaration just quoted.
that "Those rights, (i. e. of the Civil
Rights bill) are by Federal as well as by
State laws, secured to ALL DoMICILED
ALIENS AND FOREIGNERS. eueR before the
completion Of the process Of aatuyaliza-
ti0n?"
The Civil Rights bill in no sense gave
the colored person an advantage over
the foreigner. 1t was only in cases
where the former was by oppressive
State legislation denied and refused the
rights in court granted to the foreigner,
that the bill proposed to give the color
ed person relief. Besides, if foreigners
in any State were oppressed and denied
theirrights in court, the Civil Rights bill
was intended to protect them as well.
The third section of the bill provides:
That the District Conrts of the United States
within their res pective districts shall have ex-
elusive OF the Courts of the several States coOn
lzance OF all crimes and ofenses committed
agalnst the provisions of this act, and also con-
currently with the ircuit Courts of the United
states, oFiALL CAUSES, CIVIL ANDCRIMINAL Az
FEcTING PERSONS WHO ARE DENIED OR CANNOT
ENFoRcE. IN THE COURTS OR JUDICIAL TRTBU-
NAILS OF THE STATE OR LOCALITY WHERE THEY
NAY BE. ANY OF THE RIGHTS SECURED TO THEN
By THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS ACT.
1t was no bill to favor the negro. 1t
was meant TO establish equal rights at
law for all men irrespective of color.
The bill seems to have been vetoed. not
because it made the negro superior in
Court to the foreigner, but because it
gave him equal civil rights with other
men, consummation which conserva-
tism appears determined at all hazards
to prevent.
Kentucky COIored Peoples Con-
YenIlOn.