The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-28
LOUISIANA.
ANOTHER RADICAL GOVERNOR TAXES A SENSIBLE
srANp-THE VETO OF THE LoUIsIANA SOCIAL
ror rrv prrJ

ANOTHER RADICAL GOVERNOR TAKES A SENSIBLE
srAND-rm VETO OF THE LoUrsIANA SOCIAL
| EQUALITY BILL.
New OR1LANs, September 26.-Gov. War
mouth to-day vetoed the Civil Rights bill,
thereby raising perfect storm Of denuncia-
ton at what they term his ingratitude and
| treachery to them and the party. The session
Of the House, after the reception OF the veto,
was occupied chiefly by the colored members
in it's denunciation, one threatening War
| mouth with impeachment, and repudiating him
| as no longer member Of the Radical party
The white members are confident of'sustainlng
the veto. The following is the veto message:
ITO the Hon. Speaker and Members Of Me House
of Representatives
Tretirn to the House of Representatives an
act to protect all persons In their PuDhc ana
civil rights without my signature, Tor the !oi-
lowing reasons, to wlt me rgnt: anu PEW, this
bib. and ought to- be enforced thereby, are full
" and explicitly recognized and established IN
the constitution of the State. Even foreigner
NOT q citizen has the same right to travel and
be entertained as citizen, and there is nothing
in our jurisprudence which makes distinction
on account OF race or color, except in SO tar
land gives to all persons perfect equality OF
civil and political rights, including the PRIV
ilege of enforcing these rights IN the courts,
and EMPLOYING all the legal remed1es Wnlcn
have heretofore been found requisite to secure
those rights to all persons. Inc means, nov, 3!,,
ever, propos ID in the fourth sectlon OF tne 9ln
for enforcing those rights are, In my Juog-
ment. not merely novel and unprecedented,
bnt irnpracticable and pernicious. 1t seeks to
make that O crime which has never, to my
l-nowledee. been so considered in those COM
munities where the highest regard ls PAID TO
personal rights Of men. There is, and always
ought to be, q broad line OF demarcaIon @ nsea
growing out OF civil contracts, and we memo
rialize the public conscience and confuse Its
conceptions Of right and wrong, when We seek
to obliterate so evident distraction. Our sta
tute book is filed already with criminal laws that
are never enforced and never will beuntl
public opinion rises to their respective levels:
The history of the world is full OF examples OF
this sort-when acts not in themselves criminal
have been vainly declared so-and in this
way leviiy Of feeling in regard to real
crimes is produced, and We relapse into
the legislation Of less enhehtened period
when We try to convert an act which 1s proper
ly question OF civil damages into IN onence
ii ought to be carefully borne in mind that we
cannot hope BY legislation to control questions
of personal association, much less can we hope
to force on those who differ from Us in our views
OF what is humane or courteous or Christian,
like. Mutual forbearance and kindness, and
the noble belief in the brotherhood OF men,
must spring from Gshigher source than The
fear of punishment. They can never be forced
to grow by pains and penalties. Again, 30 Tar
as railroads and steamboats, ar concerned, 1t
must be borne in mind that the regulation OF
commerce between the several States was wise
ly oonfded under the Constitution OF the Unit
ed States to the National Congress. The OBJ
ject of this grant Of power was clearly TO pre-
vent the confusion which would arise from
conflicting legislation on such subjects by the
different contiguous States; and the wisdom OF
the provision appears more clearly every Gay
as means Of transportation are increased and
improved. By the second and third sections OF
this act no distinction is clearly maze between
railroads and steamboats, whose routes are
wholly within this State and those whose routes
a1e beyond or course criminal jurisdiction
cannot 90 beyond our State lines, and in this
respect the act seems liable to produce unne-
cessary confusion and litigation; tor expert
mental legislation Of this kind, for which the
sanction Of no successful precedent can be pro.
present could hardly be imagined in the MIDST
or q most exciting political campaign, at time
when the passions, animosities and resent
ments consequent upon great war, and attend
ant upon great and sudden changes IN affairs,
are reused to the highest pitch OF intensity, and
when the prejudices regarding race are in
famed to the utmost.
: It is here proposed to enforce by penal rem
edy what is practically class legislation, and to
maintain and confirm class distinction. The
effect, in my Judgment, of such an act would
be to defeat rather than to promote the ends
appaI entity had in view by the author OF the
bill. The barriers OF race, instead OF being
hereby removed, would be increased IN nelgnt
and breadth and frmness and strength. 80
long as these barriers are maintained, so long
will be deferred the era OF peace, order and
prosperity in this State, to which mutual har-
mony and good will are essential; and 50 long
Till the rights Of the lately enfranchised hnger
in ths con 1ition Of doubt and insecurity. The
prejudices upon which these barriers are found;
ed have no foundation in reason Or nature, snd
will surely give way to the softening influences
of time, unless they are constantly fetted INTO
activity. In the meantime any person, colored
as well as white, is equally secured by the con-
stitution in the enjoyment of civil and political
rights, and in his remedy for their infringe
ment the courts. To all alike the same rule
obtains in national aRd State Courts. The
indges Of the State Courts AMI the officers are
ali enabled to depend upon all citizens alike.
Colored and white alike constitute jurles.
Those Of the lately enfranchisod who are
wise and rejecting will not ask for more. They
will rather deprecate KIM OF Legislation
which, instead Of advancing their present con-
diilon, only render the enemies Of their race
more bitter and determined in their hostility,
and furnishes them weapons whereby to assal
the rights which the colored men have already
In returning this bill without my signature,
it is hardly necessary for me to say that am
prepared, so far as lays in my province and
bower, to enforce the new constitution as it ex-
lists. Such is my desire as well as my duty;
but when find the act in question to be, in my
best judgment unnecessary, and unTise, and,
for the reasons have stated, calculated to de-
moralize the public conscience and intensity
distinctions, which will surely yield to the
power Of time and the growth Of more catholic
views OF Dur personal relations, it becomes no
less clearly my duty to decline to sign 1t.
(Sieped) b. G. YARMOUTH,
Governor Of Louisiana.
Condensed News by Telegraph.
Lopez, who betrayed Maximilian at Quere-
L.. 4, -ax, -, Con Eropciaco