Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-28
THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.
The Text of fhs Bill Vetoed by h
President.

/ XlOuS COuQlllOu O1 EihNGIH OF HlNOluutHIN
service, except as a 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 sue, to be sued, be
parties and give evidence, to inherit, pur-
chase, lease, sell, hold and convey real and
personal property, and to full and equal
benefits ofall laws and proceedings for the
security of persons and property as is en-
ioyed by white citizens, and shall be sub
ject to like punishment, pains and penal
ties and to none other, any law, statute,
ordinance, regulation or custom to the
contrary notwithstanding.
SEC. 2. And that any person, who, I'M
der color of any law, statute, ordinance,
regulation or custom, shall subject, or
cause to be subjected, any inhabitant of
any State or Territory to the deprivation
of any right secured or protected by this
act, or to punishment, pains and penalties
on account of such person having at any
time been held in a condition of slavery
or involuntary servitude except for the
punishment OF crime, whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, or by rea-
son of his color or race than is prescribed
for the punishment of white persons, shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and
on conviction shall be punished by a fine
not exceeding 5 $1,000 or punishment not
exceeding n year, or both, in the discre-
ton of the court.
SEC. 8. That the District Courts of the
United States within their respective dis
tricts shall have, exclusively of the Courts
of the several States, cognizaRce of all
crimes and offenses committed against the
provisions of this act, and also concurrent
" with the Circuit Courts of the United
States of all causes, civil and criminal, af-
fecting persons who ane denied, or cannot
enforce in the Courts of judicial tribunal
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
or prosecution, civil or criminal, has been,
or shall be commenced in any State Court,
against any such person for any aust
whatsoever, civilor military, or any other
person, any arrest or imprisonment, tres
passes, or wrong done or committed by vir-
tue or under color of authority derived
from this act, or the act establishing a bu-
reau, for the relief of freedmen and Tefu-
gees, and all acts amendatory thereof, or
for refusing to do any act upon the ground
that it would be inconsistent with this act,
such defendant shall have the right to re-
move such cause for trial 10 the proper
District or Circuit Court, in the manner
prescribed by the act relating to hGbeas
corpus, and re ulating judicial proceedings
in certain cases, approved March Sd, 1863,
and all acts amendatory thereto. The jur-
| isdiction in civil and criminal matters
hereby conferred on the District and Cir
cult Courts of the United States, shall be
exercised and enforced in conformity with
the laws of the United States, so far as
such laws are suitable to carry the same
into effect, but in all cases where such laws
are not adapted to the object, or are def
cient in the provisions necessary to fur
nish substantial remedies, and punish
offences against the law, the common law,
as modified and changed by the Constitu-
ton and statutes of the State wherein the
court having jurisdiction of the cause,
civil or criminal, is held, so far as the
same is not inconsistent with the Consti-
tuition and laws of the United States, shall
be extended, and govern said courts in the
trial and disposition Of such cause, and if
of a criminal nature, in the infiction of
punishment on the party found guilty.
SEC. 4. That the District Attorneys,
Marshals, and Deputy Marshals of the
United States, the Commissioners APP
pointed by the Circuit and Territorial
Courts of the United States, with powers
of arresting, imprisoning or bailing
offenders against the laws of the United
States, the officers and agents of the
Freedmen's Bureau, and every other
officer VINO may be specially 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 i'm
prisoned, or bailed, as the case may be, for
trial before such of the United States or
Territorial Courts as by this act has
cognizance of the o~tfense, and with a
view to atfording reasonable protection to
all persons in their constitutional rights
of equality before the law, without dis
tinction of race or color, or previous con-
dition of slavery or involuntary servitude,
except as q 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, SO
as to afford a speedy and convenient
means for the arrest and examination of
persons charged with a violation of this
act.
SEC. 5. That said Commissioners shall
have concurrent jurisdiction with the
Judges of the Circuit and District Courts
of the United States, and the Judges of
the Superior Courts of the Territories sev-
orally and collectively, in term time and
vacation, upon satisfactory proof being
mada, to issue warrants and precepts for
arresting and bringing before them all
offenders against the provisions of this
act, and on examination to discharge, adj
nit to bail, or commit them for trial, as
the facts may warrant.
SEC. 6. And such Commissioners are
hereby authorized and required to exer-
else and discharge all the powers and
duties conferred on them by this act, and
the same duties with regard to the
~offenses created by this act, as
they are authorized by law to ex-
ercise with regard to other offenses
against the laws of the United States.
That it shall be the duty of all Marshals
and Deputy Marshals to obey and execute
all warrants and precepts issued under
the provisions of this act, when to them
directed; and should any Marshal or
Deputy Marshal refuse to receive such
warrant or other process, when rendered,
or to use all proper means diligently to
execute the same, he shall, on conviction
thereof, be fined in the sum of 81, 900 to the
use of the person upon whom the accused
is alledged to have committed the ~offense;
and the better to enable the said Commits
sioners to execute their duties faithfully
and efficiently in conformity with the
Constitution of the United States and the
requirements of this act, they are here
by authorized and empowered, within
their counties respectively, to appoint,
in writing under Their hands,
any one or more suitable persons from
time to time to execute all such warrants
and other process as may be Issued BY
them in the lawful performance of their
respective duties, and the persons SO ap-
to execute any warrant or process
IS aforesaid shall have authority to sum-
mon and call to their aid the bystanders or
posse ~conaitatus of the proper county, or
such portion of the land or naval forces of
he United States, or ofthe militia, as NAV
De necessary to the performance of the