The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-07-18
A,1,o No Civil Rights BIN, "now a law

II
If the land, and which will be faithfully
oxecufcd AZ long rs 1t shall remain unre.
ncaled, and may not be declared unconsti.
tntional by courts Of competent jurisdic:
ton. BY this act, 1t Is enacted "that all
persons born in the United States and not
subject to any foreign power, excluding
/ Indians not taxed, are hereby declared
10 bc citizens of the United States; and
such citizens of every race and color, with.
out regard to any previous condition OF
slavery or involuntary scrvitude, except as
q punishment for crime, WHEREOF the party
shall have been duly convicted, shall nave
the same right, in every State and lerr'-
tory in the United States, to make and en-,
| force contracts, to sue, to be parties, All"
give evidence, to inherit, purchase, tease;
/ sell, hold, and convey real ana personal
property, and to full and equal benefit OF
all laws and proceedings for the security, OF
person and property, as is enjoyed 10y
white citizens, and shall he subject to ike
punishment, pains, and penalties, and to
/ none other, any law, statute, ordnance
regulation, or custom to the contrary not
withstanding."
By the provisions of the act full protcc-
,ion is afforded, through the district courts
of the United States, to all persons injured
and whose privileges, as there declared
are in any way impaired, and heavy penal
ties are denounced against the person VINO
wilfully violates the law. l need not stare
that that law did not receive my approval
vet, its remedies arc far preferable 10 those
proposed in the present bill the one beng
/ civil and the other military. -,
| nv the sixth section of the bill herewith
returned, certain proceedings by which
| the lands in the "parishes of Saint Helena
and Saint Luke, South Carolina" were
sold and bid in, and afterwards disposed OF
bv the tax commissioners, are ratified and
confirmed. BY the seventh, eighth, ninth
tenth, and eleventh sections, provisions by
law are made for the disposal of the lands
thus acquired to particular class of citi.
zens. While the quieting of title is deem
ed very important and desirable, the dis
elimination made in the bill seems objec'
tionablc, as does also the attempt tt
confer upon the commissioners judicia
powers, by which citizens of the United
States are to be deprived Of their property
in mode contrary to that provision of the
Constitution which declares that no person
shall be deprived of life, liberty, or pro-
pcrty, without due process of law" AS a
general principle such legislation is unsafe
unwisc, partial, and unconstitutional. II
may deprive persons of their property who
are equally deserving objects of the ma.
tons bounty as those whom, by this legiS
lation, Congress seeks to benefit. The
title to the land thus to be portioncd out
to favored class of citizens must depend
upon the regularity of the tax sale under
the law as it existed at the time of tho
sale, and no subsequent legislation car
give validity to the right thus acquired a!
against the original claimants. The atten
ton of Congress is therefore invited to 6
more mature consideration of the mea
surcs proposed in these sections of tho
bill.
In conclusion, again urge upon Con
grcSs the danger of class-legislation, so vel
calculated to keep the public mind in 8
state of uncertain expectation, disquict
and rcstlessncsS, and to encourage inter
cStcd hopes and fears that the National
I Government will continue to furnish t
classes of citizens in the several State:
means for support and maintenance, re
gardlcss of whether they pursue life o.
Incidence or of labor, and regardless also o
the constitutional limitations of the nationa
authority in times of peace and tran
guilty.
/ The bill is herewith returned to thu
House of Representatives, in which it orr
| gnated, for its final action.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
/ Washington, July lG, 1866.