The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-02-14
Equal Rights.

The following important bill has passed
the State Senate, and will doubtless speed
lily pass the House. Is provides that
every man @ho pays his railroad fare
shall be provided with accommodations in
such cars as may be designated BY the
employees OF any railroad -
An Act making it m offenss for railroad
corporations within this Commonwealth
to make any distinction with their pas
sengers on account of race OF color, and
Furnishing such corporations and their
agents and employees for the commits
sion OF such offense.
Whereas, The cruel, unjust and unchris-
tan practice of many OF the railroad cor
porations OF our State, in forcibly exclu-
ding and ejecting from their cars colored
citizens, without regard to sex Or condi-
ton, or exposing them on dangerous
platforms to the rigors of storm and cold,
subjecting alike to Insult and abuse, men,
children and women, many of the latter
the widows and orphans of men whose
lives were freely given in their country's
service, is an oferse Of such magnitude
as to demand prompt action Of this Leg
islature IN order to save our State from
the merited condemnation OF this erlight-
ened age
And Whereas, The long continuance of
these grievances, which the courts of this
Commonwealth, after frequent appeals,
have failed to redress, is destroying the
fair fame of our State, and is virtually
reducing our treatment Of large portion
Of laval oik 20 lo-oI 1z1kh
barbarism which characterizes 40 many
acts of the States lately in armed rebel
lion therefore,
Section l. Be at enacted by The Senate
and House Of Representatives.. of the COM
naom,ce 'hh Of Pennsylvania IN General
assembly met, and 1t IS hereby enacted By
the authority Of the same, That on and
alter the passage of this act, any railroad
or railway corporation within this Com
monwealth that shall exclude, or allow to
Oe excluded by their agents, conductors
or employees, from any of their passenger
cars, any person or persons on account of
color or race, or that shall refuse to carry
In any of their cars thus set apart, any
person or persons on account of color or
race, or that shall, Cor any such reason,
compel or attempt to compel any person
or persons to occupy any particular part
OF any OF their cars set apart for the
accommodation OF people as passengers,
shall be liable In an action of debt to the
person injured or aggrieved, in the sum
of five hundred dollars, the same to be
recovered In an action of debt as like
amounts are now by law recoverable.
SEC. z. That any agent, conductor or
employee OF any railroad or railway cor
poration within this Commonwealth, who
stall exclude, allow to be excluded, or
assist IN the exclusion from any of their
cars set apart for the accommodation of
passengers, any person or persons on
account OF color or race, or who shall re-
fuse to carry such person or persons on
account of color or race, or who shall
throw any car or cars from :he track,
thereby preventing persons from riding,
shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor,
and upon conviction thereof shall pay
fine not exceeding FIVE hundred dollars
$500 OO) nor less than one hundred
dollars (Sl00 O0), or be imprisoned tor
period not exceeding three t3) months
nor less than thirty 800 days, OF both,
at the discretion of the court.
On the final passage of the bill the yeas
and nays were required by Mr.. Wallace
and Mr.. Lowry, and were as follow, viz
EAs--Messrs. Bigham, Billingfelt,
Browne (Lawrence), Brown (Mercer),
Coleman, Connell, Cowles, Graham, Ian
don, Lowry, NJ M'Conaughy, Ridgway, Shoe
maker, Stutzman, Taylor, WorthiDgton
aud Hall, Sreoker-17.
NAYs-Messrs. Burnett, Davis, Dono-
van, Glatz, Haiues, Jackson, James, M
Candless, Randall, Schall, Seawright,
Wallace and Walls-13.
So the question was determined in the
affirmative.