The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-04-06
Veto Of the Civil Rights Bill.

To The Senate Of the United States:
Iregret that the billwhich has passed
both Houses of Congress, entitled "An
act to protect all persons in the United
States in their civil rights, and furnish
the means of their vindication, >" con-
tains provisions which cannot approve
consistently with my sense Of duty to
the whole people, and nay obligations
to the Constitution Of the United States.
lam, therefore, constrained to return
it to the Senate, the house in which it
originated, with my objections TO its
becoming a law. Blythe first section of
the bill all persons born in the United
States, and not subject to any foreign
power, excluding 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
Gipsies. as we'll as the entire race desig-
mated aS blacks, people Of color, negroes,
mulattoes and people 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 purpose to declare or confer any
other right Of citizenship than Federal
citizenship" 1t does not purport TO
give these classes Of persons any 2tot,ss
"a citizens Of States, except that which
NAV 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 a. 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 are by virtue Of
the Constitution citizens Of the Cnited
States, the passage of the pending bill
cannot be necessary to make them such.
If. on the other hand, such persons are
not citizens as may be assumed 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 policy to make
our entire colored population, and all
other excepted classes, citizens OF the
United States. -Four millions of them
have Just emerged from slavery into
freedom. Can it be reasonablysuppOsed
that they possess the requisite qualifi
cations to entitle them to all the privi-
Ieges and immunities of citizens of the
United States? Have the people Of the
several States expressed such conVic-
ton? It may also be asked whether it
isnecessary that they should bedeclared
citizens in order that they may be Sc
cured in the enjoyment of the civil
rights proposed to be conferred by the
bill? Those rights are by Federal as
well as State laws secured to all dOmi-
ciled aliens and foreigners, even before
the completion of the process of natC-
ralization; and it may safely be assum-
cd that the same enactments are sutfi-
cient to give like pro ection and bene-
fits for those to whom this bill provides
special legislation.
Besides, thepolicy of the government
from its origin to the present time,
seems to have been that persons who
are strangers to, and unfamiliar with
/ our institutions and our laws, should
pass through a certain probation at the
/ end of which, before attaining the COW
/ eted privilege, they must give evidence
/ of their fitness 70 receive and to exercise
/ the rights of citizens, rs contemplated
/ bvthe Constitution of the United States.
The bill in effect proposes a discrim-
ination against large numbers Of intel
Iigent, worthy and patriotic foreigners,
and in favor of the negro to whom,
after long years of bondage, the avenues
to freedom and intelligence have just
now been suddenly opened. He must
OF necessity, from his previous unfor-
tunate condition of servitude, be less