The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-30
THE PRESIDENTS VETO
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL
FULL AND CORRECT COPIES OF
BOTH DOCUMENTS.
The Vote In the senate on the Original
Passage OF the Bill.
MIR. wiley For 1t; aIr. Van Wrinkle
Against It.

I L
the United States Senate, in which
body the Civil Rights Bill originated,
his reasons for declining to make it q
law by his signature. We have already
given an imperfect outline of the mes,
sage by telegraph. The importance ol
the document, however, is such that we
reprint it to-day in full from copy by
the mails. I'VE reprint also the Civil
Rights Bill itselfin full, so that our read
ers may have an opportunity to read
side by side, both the Veto and the Bill
and thus arrive at clear and satisfac'
tory understanding of their respective
merits:
To the Senate Of the United States:
Iregret that the bill which has passed
both Houses of Congress, entltleq, an an
act to protect all persons in the United
States in their civil rights, and furnish
the means of their yindication," con-
tains provisions which 1 cannot ap-
prove, consistently with my sense OF
duty to the whole people, and my obli-
gations to the Constitution of the Uni,
ted States. 1 am, therefore, constrained
TO return it to the Senate, the House in
which it originated; with my objections
to its becoming law.
Bv the first section of the bill, "an
persons born in the United States ana
not subject to any foreign power, ex-
cluding Indians not taxed, - are de-
clared to be citizens of the United states
This provision Comprehends the Chi
nese OF the Pacific States, Indians sub
iect to taxation, the people called gyp-
sizes, as well as the entire race designa-
ted as blacks-people of color, negroes,
mulattoes, and persons OF African
blood-eVery individual of these races,
born in the United States, is, by the
bill, made citizen of the United States.
1t does not purpOrt to declare or confer
any other rights of citizenship than
Federal citizenship. 1t does not pur-
port to give these class of persons any
status as citizens of States, except that
which may result from their status as
citizens of the United States. The pow
er to confer the right OF State citlzen-
ship is just as exclusively with the sew
nj States as the power to confer tne
right of federal citizenship is with Con-
press. The right of federal citizenship
thus to be conferred on the several ex-
cepted races before mentioned, is
now for the first time proposed to be
given by law. II, as is claimed by
many, all persons who are native born,
already are by virtue OF the Constitn- .Ilc
ton citizens of the United States, the
passage of the pending bill cannot be
necessary to make them such. If, on
the other hand, such persons are not
citizens. as may be assumed from the
proposed legislation to make them
such, the grave question presents ltselI
whether, when eleven of the thlrty-slS
States are eunrepresented IN congress, at
this time. il is sound policy to make
our entire colored population, ana all
other excepted classes, citizens OF the
United States. -Four millions OF them
have Just emerged from slavery into
freedom. Can il be reasonably suppos-
ed that they possess the requisite quaIl-
fications to entitle them to all the priv
iIeoes and immunities of citizens ofthe
United States? Have the people OF the
several States expressed such a convic-
ton? 1t may also be asked whether 1t
is necessary that they should be declar-
ed citizens in order that they may pc
secured in the enjoyment OF the clvll
rights proposed to be conferred py tue
bill? Those rights are by Federal, as
we'll as State, laws secured to all domi-
ciled aliens and foreigners, even before
the completion OF the process OF natu-
raIization, and it may safely be assum-
ed that the same enactments are sum
cient to give like protection ana pene-
fits to those for whom this bill proYides
special legislation; besides, the policy
OF the Government from its origin TO
the present time seems to have been
that persons who are strangers to and
unfamiliar with our institutions and
our laws should pass through certain
probation, ut the end of which, before
allowing the coveted prize, they must
give evidence of their fitness TO receive
and to exercise the rights of citizens, as
contemplated by the Constitution ofthe
United States. The bill, in effect, pro
poses discrimination against large
numbers of intelligent, worthy and :
triotic foreigners, and in fnVor o. ---e
negro, to whom, after long years OF
bondage, the avenues to freedom, ana
intelligence havejust now been sudden
ly yopened. He must of necessity, from
his previous unfortunate condition oil
seryitude. be less informed as TO the ma
ture and character of our institutions
than he who, coming from abroad, has
to some extent, at least, famillarlzed
himself with the principles OF Gov
ernment to which he voiuntiarlly en-
trusts life, liberty, and the pur-
suit of happiness. Yet it IS
now proposed, by single iegls-
lative enactment, to confer the rights OF
citizens upon all persons of African de-
scent, born within the extended limits
of the United States, while persons OF
foreign birth, who make our land thelr
home, must undergo a Pro9ation o Oh nv; N.Y.
wears. and, can only then become citl,
moral character. attached to the prfnci-
ples of the Constitution Of the Unlted
States, and we'll disposed to the good
order and happiness of the same. Ihe
first section of the bill also contains an
enumeration of the rights to be enjoyed
by these classes, so made citizens IN
every State and Territory in the Unlteo
States. These rights are ito make ana
enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, and
give evidence, toinherit, purchase, lease,
sell, hold and convey real and persona
PROPERTY, and TO have full and equal
benefit ofall laws and proceedings tor
the security of persons and property as
is enioyed -by white citizens.n So, too,
thew are made Subject to thesame pun
ishments, pains and penalties in com
mon with white citizens, and to
none others" Thus aperfect equality
of the white and colored races IS AT
| tempted to be fixed by Federal law IN
| field of State Jurisdiction covered py
these enumerated rights. In no one oil
| these can any State ever exercise any
mower of discrimination between the
| different races. In the exercise OF state
policy over matters exclusively anect-
| ing the people of each State 1t mas re
ouently been thought expedient TO DIS
erin1inata between the two races. By
the statutes of some ofthe states, North-
ern as we'll as Southern, If Is enacted
| for instance, that no white person snan
| intermarry with negro or mulatto:-
Chancellor Kent says, speaking OF the
bIacJSs. "that marriages between them
and me whites are forbidden in some OF
the States where slavery does not exist,
and they are prohibited in all the slave
holding States; and when not absolute
ly contrary to law they are revolving
and regarded as an offence against pup
lie decorum.r I donot say that this bill
repeais State laws on the subject o. o.