The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-05-10
The Civil Rights Bill.
We publish below the Civil Rights
Bill as it recently passed the Congress-
over the Presidents Veto:


assembled, That all persons born in the United
States and not subject to any foreign rover, e4-
Guiding Indians, not taxed, arc 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 punishment 1or CRIME
whereof the party shall ave been duly convicted,
shall have the same right in every State and Ter
ritory in the United States to make and enforce
contracts, to sue, be parties, and give evidence,
to Inherit purchase lease, sell, hold, ana convey
real and personal property, and to full and equal
benefit of all laws and proceedings for the securl
ty of person and property as 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 10 the
contrary notwithstanding.
SEC 2. And be it further enacted, That any per
son who, under color of any law, statute, ordl
cause to be subjected any inhabltant OF any State
or Territory to the depriv alton 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
condition of slavery or involuntary servitude eX-
cept as 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 in the discretion of the court.
Sec. 3. Ind be it further esaced That the dis
trict courts of the United States, within their re-
spcctive districts, shall have, exclusively of the
courts of the several States, cognizancc 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 or prosecution
civil or criminal, has been or shall be commenced
i'll any State court against any such person, for
any canse whatsoever, against any officer, civil
or military, or other person, for arrest or imprl-
Sonment, trespaSScs, wrongs done or commit
ted by virtue or 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 to do any ac-
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 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 sXty-three,
and all acts amendatory thereof The jurisdic
ton 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, so far
such laws are suitable to carry the same into
effect; but in all cases where such laws are not
adapted to the object, or arc deficient in the pro-
visions necessary to furnish suitable remedies and
punish offences against law, the common law,
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 as 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 intliction of punishment
on the party found guilty.
SEC. 4. Ind be it further enacted, That the dis
trict attorneys, marshas, 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,
battling offenders against the laws of the United
States, the officers and agents of the Freedmcn's
Bureau, and every other officer who may be spe-
cIaIly 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 by the act has cogniZance of
the offence And with the view to atfording rea
sonable protection to all persons in their consti-
tutional rights of equality before the law without
distinction of race or color, or previous condi
ton of slavery or involuntary scrvitude, except
as Il 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, as to afford Il 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 us they are authorized by law
to exercise with regard to other offences against
the laws of the United States.
SEC. s. ind be it further enacted, That it shall
U
to obey and execute all warrants and precepts is
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 use all proper
means diligently to execute the same, he SHALL on
conviction thereof, be fined in the 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 empow-
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 so ap-
pointed to execute any warrant or process as
call to their aid the bystanders the posse COM
itnt,ls of the proper county, or such portion of
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 run and be executed by said
officers anywhere In the state or territory within
which they arc issued.
SEC. G. and be Hfitrther enacted, That any per-
son who shall knowingly and willfully obstruct,
hinder or prevent any officer, or 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 arresting any person for whose ap-
nrehensiOn such warrant or process may have
been issued, or shall rescue or attempt to rescue
such person from the custody of the officer, 9th
er persons OF persons or those lawfully assisting
as aforesaid, when so arrested pursuant to the
authority herein given and declared, or shall aid,
abet or assist person so 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 warrant process shall have
been issued aforesaid, so as to prevent his dis
coyery and arrest after notice or 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 a fine not exceeding one
Thousand dollars, and imprisonment not exceed
ing six months, by Indictment and conviction be-
fore the district court ofthe United States for the
district in which said offence may have been
committed, or before the proper court of Grim
inal Jurisdiction, if committed within any one of
the organized Territories of the United States
SEC. T. And be it further enacted. That the dis
fl let attorneys the marshals, their deputies, and
the clerks of the said district and Territorial
courts shall be paid for their services the like
fees as may be allowed to them for similar servi
ces in other cases; and in all where the pro-
ceedings are before commissioner, he shall be
entitled to fee often dollars in full for his serv
ces in each case inclusive of all services incident
to such arrest and examination. The person or
fblriz TO 70 fha to