The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-31
SOCIAL E0U4LITY.
THE ISSUE oF~rI HOUR.
Hopse of Representatives.
<(FRoM OUR own CORRESPONDENT

COLUMBIA, January %.
number of the colored Legislators who are
indignant because, as they allegc, they are
Disseminated against, introduced in the House,
on wednesday last, a bill ''to enforce the pro-
visions of the Civil Rights bill of the United
States Congress, and to secure to the people
the benefits of a republican government In this
State.n 1t was referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee, they recommended that it be passed,
and which was done to-day with very little
discussion.
The preamble recites that as ''in this State
the government is democracy, the people
ruling, and the government is also republi-
can one. in which all the things pertaining to
the government are in common among all the
pcoplc. and it follows that no person is cnti-
tied 10 special privileges. or to be preferred
before any other person in public matters, but
all persons are equal before the law; and that
rs these propositions lie at the very foundation
of our policy, and the American people have
embodied the same, in the most emphatic
manner possible, in their organic and statute
laws. and the same do by their sovereign will
and pleasure sustain; Notwithstanding all these
great and glorious facts. there are found some
brutal, evil-dsposcd and lawless persons In the
State who persist In denying and trampling
upon the dearest rights of some of the people;
an act should therefore be passed to sustain
these organic and statute laws" After this
long-winded preamble come sections, which,
as they embrace matters of vital Importance
to the people of the State, are published en-
tire.
SECTION l. 1t shall not be lawful for common
carriers, or any party engaged IN any busi.
ness, calling or pursuit, for the carrying on OF
which q license or charter is required by any
law. municipal, State or Federal, or.by any
public rule or regulation, to discriminate be-
tween persons on account of race, color, or
previous condition, who shall make lawful ap-
plication for the benefit 0f such business, call
ing, OF pursuit.
Sic. :. Whoever, being common carrier,
under any public license, charter, rule or reg
ulatlon, shall. by himself or another, wllfully
assign any special quarters or accommodations
whatsoever, to any passenger or person whom
such common carrier may have undertaken to
carry, or who shall, under any prctcncc, deny
or refuse, TO any person lawfully applying ior
the same. accommodation equal in every re-
spcct to that furnished by him to any other
person, for q like compensation or reward, III
a like case, having no regard to the persons,
per Sc. who may be applicants therefor, shall,
on conviction, be punished by hnc OF one
hard labor in the pcnitcntiary, for two years;
ard, If such fine be not paid, the convict shall
be confined in the pcntcntiary, at hard labor,
as aforesaid, for not less than four years.
SEC g. Whoever, conducting OF managing
any theatre or other place OF amusement or
recreation, by whatever name the same may
he, or however called or known, If such lhea-
tire or place be licensed or chartered. or be
under any public rule or regulations whatever,
shall wilully make any discrimination against
any person lawfully applying for accomnloa;l-
ton IN, or admission To. any sncr lhci're OF
place, on account of the race, color, or prevl-
Gus condition of the applicant, or shall refuse
or deny TO any person lawfully applying there
for accommodation equal in every respect TO
that furnished at such place, for like reward,
TO any other person, on account oil the race,
color. or previous condition Of the applicant
therefor. shall. on conviction, be punished by
fine of one thousand dollars, and also imprls-
onment at hard labor in the pcnitcntiary for
three years.
offender under sections two and three OF this
bill. shall aid or abet in or about the commits
sion of any of the offences therein mentioned
SHALL on conviction, be punished BY lmprlson-
ment at hard labor in the pcnilentiary for i've
years; and no such convict shall ever vote OF
hold any Office under any law OF this State.
SEC. 5. Every commandrr, conductor, man.
aner. or other ncrsOn, experimenting, or lav-
lnr charge of any vessel, or vehicle, or any
theatre, or other place mentioned IN this act
whatsoever, and, as such, having authority anu
mower to order and manage atfulrs in or ABOUT
the same. who shall suffer or permit to occur.
any violation of this act, which such COM
mandcr, conductor, manager or person so
experimenting, and having such CIarSe IT'S
aforesaid. can possibly prevent, shall be con-
sdercd an alder or abcttor in the commission
of any such offence, and, on conviction, shall
be subject to the penalties provided III section
1 of this act.
SEC c. Every party holding any charter or
license, under the authority of this State, VINO
shall be convicted OF the violation oi any pro-
vision of this act, shall thcrcupon forfeit every
snch charter or license; and any person or pei
sons who having so forfeited his or their char
lcr or license, shall, nevertheless, presume TO
use or operate under or by virtue oil the same,
shall. on conviction, be punished by imprlson-
ment mt hard labor in the pcniicntlary for five
years. ,
SEC. 7. In every trial for violating any pro;
vision of this act. when II shall be charged
admission to- or due accommodation in, nny
of the places in this act mentioned, on ac-
couut of the race, color or previous cOnultlon
OF the applicant, and such applicant IS color
ed or black person, the burden shall be on the
defendant or party or parties so having refused
or denied such admission or accommodation,
to show that the same was net done IN Viola
ton of this act.
SEC. 8. Every case, arising under the frst
section Of this act and not PROVIDED ior spc-
officially in some succeeding section, Shall BE-
prosecuted and decided in accordance with the
general provisions Of this act.
Sections nine, ten and eleven provide SIM
ply that the act shall take effect from its pass
are; that the several solicitors of this State
are specially charged to take care that the act
be promptly and vigorously enforced; and
that oil acts inconsistent with the act be re-
pealed.
The vote upon the passage OF the bill is as
follows:
Aycs-F. ]. Moses, Jr. Speaker, and Mcssrs.
Berry, Bowey, Brodic, Brown, Burton, Jos.
Boston, f. J. Cain, Cooke, DeLarSe, Dennis,
Drlle Elliott, Ezekiel, Farr Gray, Gardner,
Guflln, Grant, Hayes, c. d. Haync, J. \.
Hayne, Hoffman. Henderson, Harris, Hyde,
D. J. j. Johnson, s. Johnson u. Johnson
Jackson, Jacobs, II. James, Jervay, J. H..
Jones. Kuh, Lomax, G. Lee, S. J. Lee, Lang,
Mayer, VIM. McKinlay, Mickey, McDanicl.s:,
Milford, Mead, Nelson, Nuckles, 0'Conncll,
Puryis, Perrin, Prendesrass, Ramsey, Rush,
Rivers, Stolbrand, Smalls, a. Smith, Saunders,
Shrewsbury, Symthe, Simons, Smiling, Scott,
Sullivan. b. 4. Thompson, Samuel B. Thomp-
son, Thomas, Wilder, Whipper and Wells
,, p;.,,on Dnrln uorood