The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-04-13
Equal RIGHTS FOR THE NEGRO.

bONAA hOQoS0 vi OblS LT1S nave pdSStu
the Civil Rights Bill, Notwithstanding
the veto of the President. That this
law is unconstitutional, we have the as
surance of the most eminent jurists in
the country. Senator Cowan said a few
days ago, in his speech in the Senate,
that he had but one word to describe it
-dtH0ciy. There can no longer be any
question as to the designs of the men
who made this law. By its provisions
they have conferred citizenship upon
the negro and made him the political
equal Of the eclite man. Nay, they have
Disseminated in favor of the black and
against the white. On this point Pres
ident Johnson and the majority of his
cabinet, including Mr.. Seward, are our
witness. In his message returning the
Civil Rights Bill to the Senate. Prpsi-
dent Johnson says:
''The bill in effect proposes q discrim-
inatiOn against large numbers of intel
ligent, worthy and patriotic foreigners,
and in favor of the negro to whom after
long years Of bondage, the avenues to
freedom and intelligence have Just now
been suddenly opened. He must, of
necessity, from his eviOusunfortunate
condition Of fseryitude, be less informed
as TO the nature and character Of our
institutions, than he who, coming from
abroad, has to some extent. at least,
familiariZed himself with the principle
of a government to which he VOluntar-
lily entrusts life, liberty and the pursuit
OF happiness. Yet it is now proposed,
by single legislative enactment, to
confer the rights Of citizens upon all
persons of African descent born within
the limits Of the United States, while
persons of foreign birth, who make our
land their home, must undergo a pro-
baton Of five years, and can only then
become citizens upon proof that theyare
Of good moral character, attached to the
principles Of the Constitution of the
United States, and we'll disposed to the
good order and happiness of the same"
As to the extentOf the''civil rights
which this law confers upon the negro.
let Mr.. Bingham, one of the leading
Republican" members Of Congress
from Ohio, speak. In speech upon
this identical bill, in the lower house
of Congress, Mr.. Bingham said:
''What are civil rights"
"Why, sir, the very origin of the
term civil ought to satisfy gentlemen
on this point, that it has relation to the
rights and all the rights Of the citizen.
/ submit that the term civil rights in
cludes every right that pertains to the
citizen under the Constitution. laws
and Government of this country. The
term 'citjZen' has had definite mean
ingam0ng publicists ever since thedays
Of Aristotle. He interpreted and rem
dered that term to signify q person who
was partner in the country. sub
init, with all respect. that the term 'pO- +
litical rights is only a limitation Of
the term civil rights and by general
acceptatiOn signifies that class Of civil
rights which are more directly eXerci-
sed by the citizen in connection with
the Government. Blackstone, whose.
commentaries on the common law are
so exact in definition, uses in that elias
sic Of the law the terms civil liberty
and political liberty everywhere IL
Synonymous. 1t never occurred to
him that there was a colorado distinc-
ton between them.'
''If ciYlrights hlVethi~eXtent, " hat
then, is proposed by the provision OF
the first section: Simply tn strife
dorm, bY congressional c10cfH2e7t, ereJry
State Constitution ichich MAKES 0di2crin-
i9ati0R on acc0iUtQf race or c0i0r. in Il
ny Of the cirH rights Of the citizen. [
might say here, without the least fear
of contradiction, that there's scarcely a
StaGe IN TINS LuIOn which does not. by
its Constitution or by its statute laws
make some discrimination on account
of race or color between citizens Of the
United States in respect of civil rights
Thus, it will be seen that the reserv- (
ed rights of the States have been
stricken down, the Constitution over
ridden and the will Of the people as eX- (
pressed in the laws adopted for their
domestic government, set at naught, in
Ordert place the negroes of the United .
States upon a political equality with .
the whites. But, happily for the coun- (
try, the present Rump will not be the I
Congress of the United States after the
4th of March, 1867. Happily, too, the
"Republican" party have at last thrown
off the mask and by their enactmentof
this law now stand upon the platform
of Black and White Eqlsaiify. The peo-
pie will settle the hash of the men who
forced this odiOus law upon the coun-
try, by dieting those in their stead who
will vote for its immediate repeal.
Henceforward, Repeal is the watch
word.
EN-. GOV. W. r. JOHNSTON.