The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-05-08
The Civil Rights Bill.
We publish below the Civil Rights
Bill as it recently passed the Congress
over the Presidents Veto:

S6UCuttUSS
assembled, That all persons born in the United
States and not subject to any foreign Power, eX,
Guiding Indians, not taxed, arc hereby declared
zens of every and color, without regard to
any previous condition of slavery or Involuntary
servitude, except q punishment for crime
whereof the party shall ave been duly convicted,
shall have the same right in every State and Ter
ritory i'll the United States to make and enforce
contracts, to sue, be parties, and give evidence,
to inherit purchase lease, sell, hold, aud convey
real and personal property, and to full and equal
benefit OF all laws and proceedings Tor the secll-
ty of person and property rs is enjoyed by White
citizens and shall be subject to like punishment,
pains, and penalties, and to none other, any law,
statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom TO the
contrary notwithstanding.
SEC. 3 Ind be it further. enacted That any per-
son who, under color of any law, statute ordi
nance regulation or custom, shall subject, or
cause to be subjected any inhabltant OF any State
Territory to the deprivation of any right Sc
cured protected by this act, or to different
punishment, pains, or penalties ON account OF
such person having ut any time been held i'll a
condition ofslavery or involuntary seryltude, eN-
cept punishment for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, or by reason OF
his color or race, than is prescribed for the pun
ishment of white persons shall be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction. shall be
punished by fine not exceeding one thousand dol
lars, or Imprisonment not exceeding one year, or
both i'll the discretion of the court.
SEC. 3. Ind be it further enacted, That the dis
trict courts of the United States, within their
spective districts shall have, exclusively of the
courts of the several States, cogniZance of all
crimes and offences committed against the provi-
sionS OF this act, and also, concurrently with the
circuit courts of the United States of all causes
civil and criminal affecting persons who are de-
MED or cannot enforce in the courts or judicial
tribunals of the State or locality where they may
be, any of the rights secured to them by the first
section of this act; and if any suit prosecution
civil or criminal, has been or shall be commenced
in any State court against amy such person, for
whatsoever against any officer, civil
or military, or other person, for arrest or lmpr-
sonmcnt, trespasses, or wrongs done or commit
ted by virtue or under color of authority derived
the establishing hurpaIl
the relief of freedmen and refugees, and all acts
amcndatory thereof; or for refusing to do any
upon the ground that it would be inconsistent
with this act such defendant shall have the right
to remove such cause for trial to the proper dist
trict or circuit court in the manner prescribed by
the Act relating to hd6edS corpus and regulating
judicial proceedings i'll certain cases. approved
March three, eighteen hundred and ty-threc,
and all acts amendatory thereof. The jurisdc-
ton in civil and criminal matters hereby confer
red on the district and circuit courts of the Unit
cd States shall be exercised and enforced in
formity with the laws of the United States far
as such laws are suitable to carry the same into
effect but in all cases where such laws not
adapted TO the object or arc deficient i'll the pro-
visions necessary to furnish suitable remedies and
punish Offences against law, the common law, as
modified and changed by the constitution and
statutes OF the State wherein the court having
jurisdiction of the cause, civil or criminal, is
held, so far rs the same is not inconsistent with
the Constitution and laws of the United States,
shall be extended to and govern said courts in
the trial and disposition of such cause, and, if Of
a criminal nature, in the infliction of punishment
on the party found guilty.
SEC +. And be it FURTHER. enacted, That the dis
trct attorneys, marshals, and deputy marshals of
the United States, the commissioners appointed
by the circuit and territorial courts of the United
States, with powers of arresting, imprisoning, or
bains offenders against the laws of the United
States, the officers and agents of the Frccdmcns
bureau, and every other officer who may be Spe-
cIally empowered by the President of the United
States, shall be, and they are hereby, specially
authorized and required, at the expense of the
United States, to institute proceedings against all
and every person who shall violate the provisions
of this act, and cause him or them to be arrested
and imprisoned or bailed as the case may be,
for trial before such court of the United States
territorial court as by the act has cogniZance of
the offence And with the view to affording rea-
sonable protection to all persons in their cOnsti
tutonal rights of equality before the law, without
distinction of race color, previous condi-
ton of slavery or involuntary servitude, except
as i punishment for crime, whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, and to the prompt
discharge of the duties of this act, it shall be the
duty of the circuit courts of the United States
and the superior courts of the Territories of the
United States, from time TO time, to increase the
number of commissioners, us to afford speedy
and convenient means for the arrest and eXamina-
ton of persons charged with a violation of this
act And such commissioners are hereby author
lied and required to exercise and discharge all
the powers and duties conferred on them by this
act and the same duties with regard to offences
created by this act, as they are Authorized by law
to exercise with regard to other offences against
the laws of the United States
SEC s. And be it FURTHER enacted, That it shall
be the duty of all lnarshals and deputy marShalS
sued under the provisions of this act, when to
them directed and should any marshal or dep
uty marshal refuse to receive such warrant or
other process when rendered, or to all proper
means diligently to execute the same, he shall, on
conviction thereof, be fined in the sum of one |
thousand dollars, to the use of the person upon |
whom the accused is alleged to have committed |
the offence And the better to enable the said |
commissioners to execute their duties faithfully |
and efficiently, in conformity with the Constitu |
ton of the United States and the requirements of
this act, they are hereby authorized and cmpow-
cred within their counties respectively, to APP |
point, in writing, under their hands, any one or
more suitable persons, from time to time, to exc
cute all such warrants and other process may |
be issued by them in the lawful performance of
their respective duties; and the persons APP
pointed to execute any warrant process as
aforesaid shall have authority to summon and |
call to their aid the bystanders the posse
iat'es of the proper county, or such portion of
the land and naval forces of the United States,
the militia, as may be necessary to the perfor-
nance of the duty with which they are charged, |
and to insure faithful observance of the clause |
of the Constitution which prohibits slavery, in |
conformity with the provisions of this act; and |
said warrants shall and be executed by said |
officers anywhere in the State Territory within
which they arc issued.
SEC G. And be it Further enacted That any per- |
son who shall knowingly and wiilfuly obstruct, |
hinder, prevent any officer, other person |
charged with the execution Of any warrant or
process issued under the provisions of this act, |
or any person or persons lawfully assisting him |
or them, from arrestlng any person for whose ap-
prehension such warrant or process may have |
such person from the custody of the officer, 9TH
err persons persons or those lawfully assisting |
as aforesaid, when so arrested pursuant to the |
authority herein given and declared or shall aid,
abet, assist any person arrested aforesaid,
directly or Indirectly to escape from the custody
of the officer or other person legally authorized
as aforesaid, or shall harbor conceal any person
for whose arrest q warrant process shall have |
been issued as aforesaid, to prevent his dis
covery and arrest after notice knowledge of the
fact that warrant has been issued for the appre-
hension of such person, shall, for either of said
offences, be subject to fine not exceeding one |
Thousand dollars, and Imprisonment not exceed |
ing six months, by indictment and conviction be- |
the district court ofthe United States for the
district in which said offence may have been
inal Jurisdiction, if committed within any one of
the organized Territories of the United States.
SEC. Z. Ind be it further enacted, That the dis
tlct attorneys, the marshals, their deputies, and
the clerks of the said district and Territorial |
courts shall be paid for their services the like |
fees may be allowed to them for similar servi-
ces in other cases. and in all cases where the pro-
ceedings are before commissioner he shall be |
entitled to fee of ten dollars in full for his servi
ces in each case, inclusive of all services incident
to such arrest and examination. The person or
persons authorized to execute the process to be |
issued by such commissioners for the arrest of |