Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-06-04
The Civil Rights Bill.

This bill which passed the senate a
few days since is 'entirely uncalled
for by the people, and sure to breed
mischief of the most malicious sort.
Senator Salisbury rightly charged
that it would destroy the common
schools, beget unfriendly feelings
where none now existed, affect only
the poorer classes, especially in the
South, injure the schools already
established for colored peoble, extend
its malign influence into the hospitals
and common alms-houses, and that it
aimed to show hostility to the people
with whom the North had been at
war, in order to fatter and conciliate
the colored population for partisan
ends. This is the real danger which
it carries with it. 1t would reopen
old anmosities that it might cater to
the basest political prejudices. 1t would
hazard the best results of our civiliza-
ton that it might minister to a bigotry
and hatred which stick at no hypocrit-
ical professions to promote their ends.
Senator Alcorn, of Mississippi, said
that this State had a Civil Rights bill
already, and consequently asked for no
legislation of Congress in that direc'
ton. Mr. Boutwell, was compelled to
DENY the soundness of the Supreme
Courts decision in the slaughter-house
case in order to be consistent in his
advocacy NAV he measured nv his
assumption that the citizen derived
his first privileges aud immunities
from the General Government. In
that he is consistent again, for he long
ago maintained that the Federal power
was the sole sovereign power of the
Republic, and that it not only overrode
but CELEBRATED State lines and the
demaroations of local government.
Mr.. Stockton emphasized the signif-
cant fact that in order to uphold the
measure it was necessary to set aside
the decision of the Supreme Court, as
Mr.. Boutwell, had done; and he point
edly reminded the Senators that when
the whites Of South Carolina appeal
ed for their protection from robbery,
they answered that they could not
interfere with a majority in South
Carolina, though they found no diff
Guilty under this bill in interfering
with majority in New York or New
Jersey.
Senator Thurman properly character
lied the bill as a desperate bid for
eight hundred thousand negro votes,
a party measure, whose passage had
been predetermined in caucus. Sena-
tor Bogy, of Missouri, declared it to
be the Inauguration of a system of
Legislation which threatened the ruin
of our republican institutions. Sena.
tor Cooper argued that it would con-
fer no actual benefits on any man.
The black man is now in the enjoy
ment Of all the rights of citizenship
possessed by the white man. The
right to attend a theatre are to be re
ceived at hotel are not rights be-
longing to citizenship, since an alien
can enjoy them equally with citizen.
Mr.. Kelly, Of Oregon, saw in it the
determined purpose Of Capitalization,
to take away the rights of the States,
Mr.. Brownlow announced that it will
be deathblow to the common schools
of Tennessee. Mr.. Merrimon, Of
North Carolina, pronounced that the
power to regulate inns, theatres,
schools and cemeteries is police
power belonging to the States and
not to the Federal Government, and
that Congress, by passing this BILL
would violate the Constitution, de-
stroy all the powers of the States, and
overthrow the balanced system OF
our republican government. 1t is g
measure accompanied with such
warnings, that has been recklessly
forced by a selfish majority upon the
country.
AT the time of writing this it is