The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-28
The Civil Rights Bill.
We publish below the Civil Rights
Bill as it recently passed the Congress
over the Presidents Veto


Z" Be it enacted 6y the Senate and House f Repre-
SendtCes Of the United States Of america IN Congress
assembled, That all persons born in the United
States and not subject to any foreign Power, ex-
| Guiding Indians, not taxed are hereby declared
to be citizens of the United States and such cit-
zens of every race and color, without regard to
| any previous condition of slavery or involuntary
servitude, except as a 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
eontTacts, to sue, be parties and A give evidence,
real and personal property, and to full and equal
benefit of all laws and proceedings for the securi-
| ty of person and property as is enjoyed by white
citizens, and shall be subject TO like punishment,
palms, and penalties, and to none other, any law,
statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
SEC 2. And be it further enacted That any per-
| son who under color of any law, statute ordi
nance, regulation, or custom, shall subject, or
| or Territory to the deprivation of any right Sc
cured or protected by this act, or to different
punishment, pains, or penalties on account OF
| such person having at any time been held in a
condition of slavery involuntary servitude, eX-
cept punishment for crime whereof the party
| shall have been duly convicted, or by reason of
his color race, than is prescribed for the pun
isiment of white persons, shall be deemed guilty
| of a msdemeanor, and, on conviction, shall be
punished by fine not exceeding one thousand dol
| lars or Imprisonment not exceeding one year, or
both, in the discretion of the court
| Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the dis
spective districts, shall have, exclusively OF the
courts of the several States, cognizance of all
| crimes and offences committed against the proyi-
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
| i'll any State court against any such person, for
anv canse whatsoever, or against any ohcer, civil
| military, other person, for arrest or impri-
| sonment, trespasses, wrongs done or commit
ted by virtue under color of authority derived
from this act or the act establishing bureau for
the relief of freedmen and refugees, and all acts
amendatory thereof; or for refusing 10 do any ac-
upon the ground that it would be inconsistent
with this act, such defendant shall have the right
to remove such for trial to the proper dist
| trict circuit court in the manner prescribed by
the Act relating to hdbeds corpus and regulating
! judicial proceedings in certain cases. approved
| March three, eighteen hundred and sixty y-three,
and all acts amendatory thereof. The jurisdlc-
tion in civil and criminal matters hereby confer
red on the district and circuit courts of the Unit
| ed States shall be exercised and enforced in con-
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 are deficient In the pro-
visions necessary to furnish suitable remedies and
punish offences against law, the common law, as
| statutes OF the State wherein the court having
jurisdiction of the cause, civil or criminal, is
held, so far 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 lnflctlon OF punishment
on the party found guilty.
SEC 4. And be it further enacted, That the dis
trict attorneys, marshals and deputy marshals Of Of
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 Freedmens
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 OF them to be arrested
and imprisoned, bailed as the case may be,
for trial before such court of the United States
territorial court as by the act has eognlzance OF
sonable protection to all persons in their eonsti
tutional rights of equality before the law, without
| ton of slavery involuntary servitude, except
| as 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 Slater
| and the superior courts of the Territories Oft
United States from time to time, to increase =.
| number of commissioners, as to afford 81 u
| and convenient means for the arrest and eD leeo
| ton Of persons charged with violatI r. az az:
! act. And such commissioners are her M s,tIn =. III
lied and required to exercise and ,;yy au'iioi
the powers and duties conferred O. th Il ~! u!
| act and the same duties with r. - seln en- Dy tiil
created BY this act as they are authorized by Law
| the laws of the United Statf' = oAenees usalhs
SEC ,,x s. Ana f as De It Jsr enacted, That it sha1
to obey and execute ali warrants and Srece,ss is
sued under the provisions of this act, when te
them directed and should any marshal or dep
uty marshal refuse to receive such warrant OF
other process when rendered, or to use sIi proper
means diiigently to exacute the same, he shall on
convection thereof, be fined in the sum of one
whom the accused is alleged to have committed
the offence And the better 10 enable the said
commissioners to execute theia, duties faithfully
ion of the United States aaa the equirements Q.