Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-26

other members of Congress from Ohio who
| did vote to pass the bill over the veto. ..
Hon. John A. Bingham, member Of Con-
gress from the 10th Ohio District, and one
| of the most radical of the Radicals, butwhC
seems to have some conscience yet in 9
speech in Congress opposing this "Ciyi
Rights BILL" said :ra1 .la 81 .rsyI.
! IF civil rights have this extent what
then, is proposed by the provision of tue
| first section? Simply to strike down, by
| Congressional enactment, every State Con-
| stitutiOn which makes discrimination on
account of race or color in any of the civil
rights of the citizens. l might say here
| without the least fear OF contradiction,
| that there is scarcely State in this Union
which does not, by its Constitution or by
| its statute laws, make some discrimination
| on account of race or color between citl-
zens of the United States in respect OF civil
rightsS
"By the Constitution of my own State,
| neither tile right of the elective franchise
! nor the franchise of Office can be conferred
upon any citizen of the United States, save
upon white citizen of the United States.
What do you propose to do by this bill ?
| You propose to make IL a misdemeanor,
| punishable upon conviction by flne and
! Imprisonment in the Penitentiary, for the
Governor of Ohio to obey the requirements
ofthe Constitution of the State, which re-
quires that none shall be elected, and,
therefore, Snone commissioned TO ONCE IN
that State, save white citizens of the United
States. .... ..o
"If the bill of rights, as has been solemn
ly ruled by the Supreme Court OF the
| United States does not limit the powers OF
States and prohibit such gross injustice by
| States, it does limit the power of Congress
and prohibit any such legislation by Con-
gress. -.....
But, sir, on yesterday, the honorable
! gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
BroomalD, than whom there is no more
candid or just gentleman in the House,
! treated, this measure as though it was a
bill simply for the protection of freedmen
| in their rights for the time being in the late
insurrectionary States. This is a great
mistake. 1t applies to every state in the
Union, to States which have never been in
| nsurrection. and is to be enforced in every
State of the Union, not only for the pres
ent, but for all future time, or until it shall
be repealed by some subsequent act OF
Congress. 1t does not expire by virtue OF
| its own limitation; it is intended to be per-
manent." ..- ... ......
/ Here you have the testimony of the wit
| nesses of the highest standard OF Republi-
can authority, obtaining this information
| from the inner circle OF the Republican
caucus, who disclose the object, the purpose
and the effect of the Civil Rights bill. Is
it any wonder that President johnson,
rising by his own merits and efforts, from
the people, and whose every sympathy is
| with the masses, should manifest his exec
utive displeasure to such an i'll gotten mon
strosity by placing his veto upon ity Had
he not done it, he would have condemned
his whole political education and repudiated
his whole record as public man. Yet,
with all the enormities of this bill as por-
trayed by Republican witnesses, with :he
| President standing as a breakwater be-
tween the people and the threatened de-
struction.cf their dearest rights, with his
! breast barred to the Radical desCructonlStS
and more than twO-thirds of JacObin
Congress pressing him 10 the wall, and
| looking to the people, in whom he hopes so
much, men are found in this community,
who live by his breath, and whose commits
sions bear his signature, who dare not give
| him an honest, candid, hearty support now
| in the hour OF his greatest trial.
| If further testimony were necessary to
| convince the most fanatical Radical of the
/
ham declares, strikes down the Constitution
| of every State that makes any DIsCRIMINA-
TON on account of RACE OF COLOR, In
any of the CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE CITIZEN
and undermines and destroys the State
| Judiciary, and cOmpelS citizen OF the State
to be dragged off without his consent from
State Court to be tried in the United
| States Courts, two witnesses whose testi-
mony no Radical dare question, will bt
produced. g
1t will be remembered that the "Fugitivt
Slave law" of 1850, was so offensive to
portion of the people of the non-slave,
| holding States, that many of them passed
what was called personal Liberty bills,
to harass and obstruct the U. 5. officers in
| the execution of their duties under that
| law. In 1865, bill was before Congress
providing that if any officer or other per.
son, should be arrested by reason of these
Personal Liberty bills, and taken before a
| State Court for trial, such person might
have his trial removed to the U. 5
Court by showing that lie was in the dis
charge of an official duty under a United
States law, when arrested. On page 2l3 o
the Appendix to the Globe, SD Congress
I'd Session, Hon. Benz. +. Wade, U. S
Senator from Ohio, in speaking on the bill,
and DEPENDING THE RIGHTS OF THE STATES
said:
| &c am one of those who, not only when
an election is pending, but at all times. be
lieve in the wisdom, the cOnstitutiOnalty
and the hepropriety OF the Virginia resolution,
OF 179S and 1899. ground myself upoI
/ those resolutions; and standing upon them
denounce this bill as violation, not only
of The spirit of those resolutions, but as al
attempt to trample upon the rights of thu
States and deprive them of the power t
protect their own oitizons from aggression
and abuse. Do gentlemen suppose that thu
States, now awakened to y keen sense o
their rights and the danger of consolida
ton, will ever submit to such bill? tel
| Won nav N.'. .r..
l. (" By this bill, it is proposed that the cause
of man who brings an actionlin the Statt
of Ohio against his neighbor for an injury
done him, may be removed without his con
sent, into the Federal Courts tor adjndica
tion, on the allegation that the injury Il
committed under color of some law-o tn,
General Government, Shall he be defraudeC
of his rights to litigate In the State Court
upon allegations like these? Does any gen
tleman suppose that the free States will eve
submit to any such proceedingsg -
''Who is to be the judge in the last re
sort of the violation of the Constitution
of the United States by the enactmen
Of law? Who is the final arbiter? Tht
General Governmnnt, or the States in thei
Sovereignty? Why, sir, to yield that point
is to yield up all the rights of the States Il
protect their own citizens, and to consoli
date this Government into miserable des
4 potism. tell you, sir, whatever you maj
Z think of it, if this bill pass, collisions will
arise between the Federal and State juris
dictionsAcohflicts inlwhich the States viii
| nhVar Weld u IL- .-.---- - y - .-------