Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-04-06
VETO OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

| VETO OF THE CIVIL klGHTS BILL,
To the Senate Of the United States:
Iregret that the bill which has passed both
Houses of Congress, entitled " An act to pro-
tect all persons in the United States in their
civil rights, and furnish the means for their
vindication," contains provisions which can
not approve, consistently with my sense Of
duty to the whole people, and my obligations
to the Constitution of the United States. l
am, therefore, constrained to return it to the
Senate, the house in which it originated, with
my objections to it's becoming law.
BY the first section of the bill all persons
born in the Quilted States and not subject to
any foreign Power, excluding Indians not
taxed, are declared to be citizens Of the Uni
ted States.
This provision comprehends the Chinese Of
the Pacific States, Indians subject to taxa
ton, the people called Gypsies, as we'll as the
entire race designated as blacks, people Of
color, negroes, mulattoes, and persons of AZ
rican blood Every individual of these ra-
ces born in the United States is, by the bill,
made citizen of the United States. It does
not purport to declare or confer any other
right of citizenship than Federal citizenship.
It does not purport to give these classes of
persons any status as citizens of States, ex-
cept that which may result from their status
as citizens of the United States.
The power to confer the right Of State cit
izenship is just as exclusive 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 con-
ferred on the several excepted races before
mentioned is now, for the frt time, proposed
to be given by law. If, as claimed by many,
all persons who are native born, already are,
by virtue of the Constitution, citizens Of tie
United 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 propos-
ed legislation to make them such, the grave
question presents itself, whether, when elev-
en- of the thirty six States are unrepresented
in Congress, at this time, it is sound policy
to make our entire coiored 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 reasonably supposed that they possess the
requlite qualifications to entitle them to all
the privileges and immunities Of citizens Of
the United States? Have the people Of the
several States expr> ssed such conviction 2
1t may also be asked whether it is necessary
that they should he declared citizens, in or
der that they may be secured in the enjoy
ment Of civil rights?
Those rights proposed to be conferred by
the bill are, by Federal as well as State laws,
secured to all domiciled aliens and foreigners
even before the completion Of the process Of
naturalization and it may safely be assum-
ed that the same enactments arc sufficient to
give like protection and benefits to those for
whom the 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 strangers to, and
unfamiliar with our institutions and laws,
should pass through certain probation, at
the end Of which, before attaining the covet-
ed prize, they must give evidence Of their fit
ness to receive and exercise the right Of citi-
zens, as contemplated by the Constitution Of
the United States.
The bill, in effect. proposes a discrimina
ton against large numbers Of intelligent,
worthy and patriotic foreigners, and in favor
of the negro to whom, after long years Of
bondage, the avenues to freedom and intelli-
gence have now been suddenly opened. lie
must, Of necessity, from his previous unfor-'
tunate condition Of servitude, be less inform
ed as to the nature and character Of our in
situations than he who coming from abroad,
has, to some extent, at least familiarized him.
self with the principles Of the Government to
which he voluntarily entrusted his g life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness" Yet it
is now proposed, by single legislative en-
actment, to confer the rightsof 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 homes must undergo probation OF five
years, and can only then become citizens up
on proof that they are Of good moral char
acter, attached to the principles Of the insti-
tutions of the United States, and well dispos-
ed to the good order and happiness of the
same"
The first section of the bill also contains an
enumeration Of the rights to be enjoyed by
these classes, so made citizens, 8. in every
State and Territory in the United States"
These rights are; ''1o make and enforce
contracts, to sue, be parties, and give evil
dence to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold
and convey, real and personal property" and
to have ''full and equal benefit Of all laws
and proceedings for the security Of persons
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 ra-
ces is attempted to be fixed by Federal law,
in every State Of the Union, over the vast
field of State jurisdiction covered by these
enumerated rights. In no one OF these can
any State ever exercise any power OF discrlm-
nation between the different races.
In the exercise Of State policy over matters
exclusively affecting the people Of each State
it has frequently been thought expedlent to
d;cor;,n;nato hnfwnan the two races RV the