Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-26

Now, sir, this means that when a man s
house Is burned because he is black, or be is
whipped for like reason, he may bring his
suit tor damages in the United States courts :
that when man Is killed because lie is a
ChInaman, his murder shall be an offenSe of
which the United States courts shall have
/ jurisdiction But no man IL guaranteed by
( the Constitution, on account of his race.
color or previous condition of servitude, the
enjoyment Of any more rights than every
citizen has ty that instrument the guaranty
OF. The Constitution holds over no man any
additional shield on account of his britt
place, or parentage, or previous condition
v e have provided by the fifteenth amend
melt that the right to vote shall not be denied
OF abridged on account OF race, color, OF pre-
yIous condition Of SeTyitude but we do not
oy reason Of that give person any redress
IN our courts, except when there Is a denial
Ut just what the Constitution declares he is
entitled 10. This instrument gives him as q
citizen no rights which it does not give TO
me or any other man. 1t gives him as a citi-
zen no rights which are not given TO white
and black alike. Alike they are entitled TO
the equal protection OF the laws, and when
that protection Is denied 10 them We have
already provided for them some measure of
redress The Constitution now calls them
all citizens, and gives TO al the protection
which II gives - any citizen and II Is the
most patent inequality and injustice 70 give
lrIshmen or Cinnamon u colored men a rem
edy against county, and in the United
States courts, when a white native citizen
can only have his remedy against individuals
and IN the State courts.
Ii is true that a person may suffer this
damage BY reason OF bis previous condition
Of servitude HIS old master may have
some feeling against him becau.e he sees him
a Tree man and q voter: and tor that reason
be may lnHIct some injury upon his person
OF his property but every Ufenee has some
thing peculiar in its character, and which
constitutes the motive for its commission
agaInst that particular individual. But tie
hie eot cOlOred person, the hOuseof colUred
person are no more under the peculiar pro-
t,ctIOn OF the United States than .he life
and property Of citizens OF different complex
ions and where the guarantee l. the same
II = clear that the remedy must be the same
len :" have just got rId, We hoped, BY
Lhe amendment to the constitution, Of tile
inequality. both IN rights aud remedies.
which made G Government practically deny
Lat our fathers ssze rted 10 Il e Declaration
OF ludept tndence, the equality Of ali men, let
us not LON begin 10 gUUyer u the other eide
and give greater rights and more etectuaI
remed e u one man Z an 10 another, 70 one
men than 70 another OF course, / deny
tnat We have any constitutional power
70 do this; but do not here urge the po.nt.
a. l purposed at the outset 10 eOuhne
my rtmarks manly 70 a consideration
81 the Justice Of the legislation proposed By
this amendment. | believe back man j.
ust a. goo a d white man believe that
the freed slaFe l. Ju-;as od as the free born
cit.z-D and wulIc Syuld give u hun the
-sme rights and the same protection Which l
would give 10 any one, would uot give hIm
any greater IgLt- Of a. ) higher remedies than
are allowed 10 other citizens. We have made
hin. a. Gud made him. Our quaI a mem eIs
0t The political community. and It Is better
% him, a. well us tyr u, that We rhOuld
leaTe him there, and not attempt to still keep
up tie idea that be IL - lar interior - Us
aIeT all that We must make him an ezcep-
uOnal and favored class n the administration
Of our laws