The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-26
Illinois.


SENATOR TRuMBULL's ADDRESS TO THE ILL
NoIs LEGIsLATURE-THE CIVIL RIGHTS
BILL.
The Illinois Assembly, on the 18th inst,
appointed Committee to wait upon Hon.
LYMAN Trumbull, to inform him OF his re-
election as United States Senator and invite
him to address them. In compliance, Sena-
tor Trumbull appeared, and thanked them
for their renewed mark of confidence in elect
inc him for the third time to the Senate. In
the course of his remarks he said:
Some misapprehension exists in regard to
the Civil ights Bill. That bill is not made
up of " glittcring generalities," but was in
tended as practical measure for the protec-
ton in equal rights of every human being
in the land, no matter from what quarter OF
the globe he or his ancestors may have come
or what color may have been stamped on
his face by a European or an African sun
The words declaring all persons OF African
descent, born in the United States, TO DE
citizens" constitutes neither the soul nor
are they any part of it as enacted III law.
The amendment was not accePtaoie W Tue
Senate in that FORM and it had to be with
drawn the next day, and substitute offer
ed. which now constitutes part Of the act.
The bill rs introduced was complete alb
olishing all determinations between the in
habitants of the United States on account OF
race, color or previous condition ofservltude,
and securing to all alike the equal benefit OF
all laws for the protection of person and
property, and subjecting all to the same pun
ishment, and none other, for like Offences
The insertion in the first section of the word
citizen" did not in the least alter the legal
effect of the section. All the rights belong
ing to the citizen were secured to any lnhab,
liant of the land by the terms of the first
section as originally introduced, and which
at that time and now constitute the vital
part of the bill In discussing this first sec
ton in the Senate, l treated it, and not the
words declaring persons of African descent
born in the United States to be citizens" as
the essence of the bill 1t was the general
opinion that after the adoption of the Con-
stitutional Amendment abolishing Slavery,
all native born persons were citizens. 1fnot
citizens what were they But this being so
or not, the legal effects of the Civil Rights
Bill would be precisely the same whether
the word g citizen" were in it or not, as with
out that word every inhabitant of the land
had secured to him all the rights pertaining
to citizenship. The words declaring "all
persons born in the United States, and not
Subject to any foreign powers, to be clti-
zens" were only declaratory ofwhat the law
already was. The only thing l have to re-
gret in regard to this act is that we have not
a President who is disposed faithfully and
efficiently to execute its provisions. shall
not, on this occasion, undertake to indicate
nv future action in regard to the complied
ted questions which are upon us. 1t Is I'M
safe for public man to commit himself IN
advance to any precise course OF action In
regard to the details of measures which are
liable to be changed by the varying circum-
stances of the times. But in the fundament-
al principles of right and justice there can
be no change Instead of making promises
for the future, may be permitted simply to
call YOUR attention to my past action upon
one or two questions, as the best Indication
of what my future course will be. At the
last session of Congress 1 declared in my
place in the Senate that the colored people
of the United States must be fully protected
in all their rights of person and property,
and that WIS prepared to do whatever
was necessary to accomplish this, even if it
were to place in their hands the ballot and
the bavonet" Not thirty days ago 1 advo-
Gated the overthrow of the disloyal political
organizations in the late rebelhous States,
and the placing of them under the control OF
loval men. Within the last ten days l have
voted for bill securing to colored persons
in the District of Columbia the right OF suit
frage to the same extent as it is possessed by
the white My past records commits me fully
to the protection of all loyal citizens against
the expressions of the dlsloyal, to the neces-
sity Of placing the political organizations,
in the late rebellious States, in the hands of
loyal men-to the securing of perfect free
dom and equality in the protection ofperson
and property to all the Inhabitants of the
land and now, Reimbursed by all my consti- |
tuents, l shall go back to my place in the |
Senate to labor with renewed zeal for the |
restoration of the States to their former pos
ition in the Union upon loyal basis, and
upon such principles as will. trust. for
ever secure to all the inhabitants of the land |
that liberty which belongs to the free citi-
zen of free Republic.
Again thanking you for the distinguished
honor your partiality has conferred upon me,
1 bid you farewell. Long and loud APP
Tlauae