The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-06-19
The Civil Rights Bill.
We publish below the Civil Rights
Bill as it recently passed the Congress
III = cTo,.<.. 4 ~, @3,s Veto.


sentatives of the United States Of Aerica IN Congress
!. assembled, That all persons born in the United
States and not subject to any foreign Power, ex
to be Citizens of the United States and such citi
zens of every race and color, without-regard to
any previous condition of slavery or involuntary
seryftude, except as punishment for 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, and convey
real and personal property, and to full and equal
benefit ofall laws and proceedings for the seeuri-
ty of person and property as is enjoyed by white
citizens and shall be subject to like punishment,
pains and penalties and to none any %
contrary Notwithstanding.
Sec 3 And be 1t further enacted, That any per
nance, regulation, or custom, shall subject, or
cause to be subjected, any nhabitant of any State
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 perssR zhaving at any time been held in a
condition ofslavery or involuntary servitude, ex-
cept as a punishment for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, or by reason OF
his color race, than is prescribed for the pun
ishment of white persons, shall be deemed guilty
of 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 s. And be it .t,lrther enacted, That the dis
trict courts of the United States within their
spective districts, shall have, exclusively OF the
crimes and offences committed against the Prov
sons 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 hrst
section of this act; and if any suit prosecution
| civil or criminal, has been or shall be commenced
| in any State court against any such person, for
any canse whatsoever, against any officer, civil
or military or other person, for arrest or impri-
| sonment, trespasses, or 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 or circuit court in the manner prescribed by
judicial proceedings in certain cases. approved
March three, eighteen hundred and sixty -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-
formty 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 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
u
O criminal nature, in the inflictiOn of punishment
on the party found guilty.
Sec 4. And be ii further enacted, That the dis
trict attorneys, marshais, 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
battling offenders against the laws of the United
States, the officers and agents of the Freedmen's
Bureau and every other officer who may be spe-
clally 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 or
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
tutiona rights of equality before the law, without
distinction of race or color, or previous condi-
ton of slavery or involuntary servitude, except
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 Il speedy
and convenient means for the arrest and examina-
ton of persons charged with 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 authorized by law
to exercise with regard to other offences against
the laws of the United States.
.. e1dcteQ,
be the duty of all Inarshals and deputy marshaIs
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 all proper
means diligently to execute the same, he SHALL on
conviction thereof, be fined i'll 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 sa1d
and efficiently, in conformity with the Constitu-
ton of the United States and the requirements OF
this act, they hereby authorized and empow-
cred, within their counties respectively, to ap-
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 as may
be issued by them in the lawful performance of
their respective duties; and the persons so ap-
aforesaid shall have authority to summon and
call to their aid the bystanders the posse COM
ndtus of the proper county, or such portion of
the land and naval forces of the United States,
the militia, may be necessary to the perfor-
nance of the duty with which they are charged,
and to insure a 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 1t further enacted, That any per-
son who shall knowingly and willfully obstruct,
hinder, or 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
Ut IllcIH lTOm dilf pcISOu WHOSc up-
prehension 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 or persons or those lawfully assisting
as aforesaid, when arrested pursuant to the
authority herein given and declared, or shall aid,
abet assist any person 80 arrested as aforesaid
directly or indirectly, to escape from the custody
of the officer or other person legally authorized
aforesaid, shall harbor or conceal any person
for whose arrest a warrant or process shall have
been issued as aforesaid, SO to prevent his dis
covery 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 sud 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 1t further enacted, That the dis
tlict attorneys, the marshas, 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 serv-
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 serv