Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-05-27
THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

The following is the civil rights bill as it
passed the Senate:
That all citizens and other persons, within the
jurisdiction of the United States, shall be en-
titled to the full and equal enjoyment of the
accommodations, advantages, facilities and
privileges of inns, public conveyances on
land and water, theatres and other places of
public amusement, and also of common
schools and public institutions of learning or
benevolence, supported in whole or in part by
general taxation, and Of cemeteries so sup
ported, and also the institutions known as Ag-
ricultural Colleges, endowed by the United
States, subject only to the conditions and
limitations established by law, and applicable
alike to citizens of every race and color, re-.
gardless of any previous condition of servi-
tude.
Sec 2. That any person who shall violate
the foregoing section, by denying to any per-
son entitled to its benefits, except for reasons.
by law, applicable to citizens of every race
and color, and regardless of any previous con-
dtions of servtude, the fall enjoyment of any
of the accommodations advantages, facilities
or privileges in said section enumerated, or
melting such denial, shall, for every such
offence, forfeit and pay the sum of five hun
dred dollars to the person aggrieved thereby
to be recovered in an action on the case, with
full costs, and shall also, for every such Of
fence, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanOr
and upon conviction thereof shall be fined
not more than one thousand dollars, or shall
be imprisoned not more than one year, pro-
vided that the party aggrieved shall not re-
cover more than one penalty, and when the
offence is a refusal of burial the penalty may
be recovered by the heirs at-law of the per-
son whose body has been refused burial, and
Ia g., III 81 90
sue for the penalty aforesaid, or to proceed
under cir rights at common law and by State
statutes, and having so elected to proceed in
the one mode or the other, their right to pro-
coed in the other jurisdiction shall be barred,
but this proviso shall not apply to criminal
proceedings, either under this act or the
criminal law of any State.
SEC, g. That the District and Circuit
Courts of tie United States shall have, ex-
clusively of the courts of the several States,
cognizance of all crimes and offences against
and violations of the provisions of this act
and actions for the penalty given by the pre-
ceding section may be prosecuted in the Ter
ritoral District or Circuit Courts of the
United States, wherever the defendant may
be found, without regard to the party and
their attorneys. Marshals and Deputy
Marshals of the United States, and Commits
sioners appointed by the Circuit or Territorial
Courts OF the United States with powers of ar
resting and imprisoning or bailing offenders
against the law of the United States, are here
by specially authorized and required to insti.
tute proceedings against any eperson who
shall violate the provisions of this act, and
cause to be arrested and imprisoned, or
bailed. as the case may be, for trial before
such Court of the United States or Terrific.
rial Court as by law has cognizance of the Of
fence, except in respect of the right of action
accruing to the person aggrieved, and such
District Attorneys shall cause proceedings to
be prosecuted to their termination, as in other
cases provided that nothing contained in this
section shall be construed to deny or defeat
any right of civil action accruing to any per-
son, whether by reason of this act or other
wise.
SEC. 4. That no citizens, possessing all
other qualifications, which are or may be pre-
scrbed by law, shall be disqualified for SER
vice as grand or petit juror in any Court of
the United States, or of any State, on account
OF race, color, or previous condition of servi-
tude, and any officer or other person charged
with any duty in the selection or summoning
of jurors, who shall exclude, or fail to sum
mon any citizen, for the cause aforesaid,
shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty
of misdemeanor, and fined not more than
one thousand dollars.
SEC. ). That all cases arising under the
provisions of this act in the courts of the
United States shall be renewable by the Su-
preme Court of the United States, without re-
gard to the sum in controversy, under the
same provisions and regulations as are
now provided by law for the review of other
causes in said court.