Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-03-30
THE CIVIL FIGHTS Rr1E.
Tho veto Message or the President.

TO he Senate ofthe Uaited .States
I regret that the bill which 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, contains
provisions which I canno4 approve con
sIstentiy. with my sense of duty to the
/ whole people, and my obligations to the
CONSTITUTION Of the United States. I am
! therefore, constrained to return 1t to the
/ Senate, the House In which it originated
/ with my objections to It's becoming a law.
/ By the first section Of the bill, all per-
I sons 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 pro-
vision eOmprehends the Chinese of the
Pacific States, Indians subject to taxa
ton, the people called the gipsies, as well
as the entire race Of blacks. people of
color, negroes, mulattOes, and persons of
African blood. Every individual of
these races born in thesU nited States
Is by the bill made a citizen of the Uni
ted States. 1t does not purport to declare
OF confer any other right Of citizenship
than Federal citizenship 1t does not
propose to give these classes of PERSONS
any status of citizens Of States, except |
that which may result from their status as
citizens of the United States. The pow /
er to con fer the ri6hts of State citizenship I
Is Just as exclusively with the several !
States as the power to confer the right /
The right of Federal citizenship thus to
be conferred in the several excepted races
before mentioned is now for the first time
to be given by law IF as is
claimed by many, all persons who are ma
tive born already are, by virtue ofthe Con
citizens Of the United States,
the passage of the pending bill cannot
be necessary to make them such if, on
the other hand, such persons are not
as may be presumed from the
proposed legislation to make them such,
he grave question presents itself Wheth- J
sr. where eleven of the thirty-Six States
ire unrepresented in Congress at this 5
ime, it Is sound policy to make our en- {
ire eOlored population and all other ex- I
epted classes, citizens. of the United {
states. -Four millions of them have Just '
merged from slavery into freedom Can Q
t be reasonably supposed that they pos
ess the requisite qualifications to entitle Q
hem TO all the privileges and ImmuDities :
+ citizenship of the United States e
lave the people of the several States ex- o
ressed such a conviction? 1t may also 81
e asked whether it is necessary that p
hey should be declared citizens, In or ,
,yment of civil rights, proposed to be OF
by the bill Those rights are o.
y Federal as well as by State laws, Sc u
lred to all domieiled aliens and foreign pI
IS, even before the completion Of the gr
recess of naturalization, and it may safe 81
be assumed the same euactments are ri
Efficient TO give like protection and ben nc
its TO those for whom this bill provides to
,ecial legislation. Besides the policy of pr
Ie Government from it's origin to the th
'esent time seems to have been that to
'rsons who are strangers to and unfa- tn
ihar with our institutions and our laws, fu
ould pass through certain probation, !.
the end of which, before allowing the bh
veted prize, they must give evidence Of jut
cir fitness to receive and exercise the Gu
.hts of citizens, as contemplated byI th'
9 Constitution Of the United States po