The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-11-10
THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

REASONS FOR NOT PRESSING ITS ASSAGE-
THE PRESENT DUTY OF CONGRESS.
The Cannelton Inquirer contains the fol-
lowing editorial on the principles embodied
in the civil rights bill: In about a month
Congress will again meet, when, if the re-
publican majority in that body see fit, they
can take up and pass the civil rights bill as
passed by the Senate. The question is, will
they do it? We hope and believe they will
not. Nothing would more delight
the opposition than the passage of the
bill. for in that case nothing in the future
is more certain than the fact that the cOun-
try will return senators and representatives
to Congress pledged TO its repeal. It will be
infinitely better for the party to pause at
once in its career and give the country the
assurance of a disposition not to NEEDLE
with matters that belong exclusively to the
States. For our part we have confidence that
the States are as well disposed towards the
colOred people as the federal government,
and we hope and trust they will be al
lowed to regulate the affairs of all their
citizens without any interference by the lat
ter. Only a few days ago we received a let
ter from a prominent legal gentleman of
Iowa, in which he states that practically.in
that State the questions involved in the
civil rights bill are already settled. So far as
MIXED SCHOOLS
are concerned the few colored inhabitants
of hat State prevent n trouble on that
account, and in cases when persons have
been denied their rights of public convey
ance, the courts have given damages to the
complainant. This has all been done with
out any assistance by the general
government, without any civil
rights bill, and entirely by the
Cfato This is tho frrro fhonrv in N nnin-
ion, and is in strict accordance with our
idea of State authority. At common law
the rights of all persons are alike protected
without reference to race or color. Take
for example the law governing inn
keepers. Should they refuse to ac-
.commodate a traveller who applies
for food and lodging in proper con-
dition with the means of payment for the
same, and is refused without adequate cause,
he has his remedy by an action for damages.
This has always been the law, and it makes
no sort of difference whether the person is
white or black or copper colored. But the
common law never made such refusal a mis-
demeanor, and subjected the landlord to ar
rest and
I AND IMPRISONMENT.
The liberties of the subject, even in the
most arbitrary days of our English history,
were regarded too sacred to be thus inter
fered with in a matter that affected only the
personal accommodation of others. So in
relation to public carriers. There are two
principles involved in the civil rights bill
which are highly Objectionable, ard either
of which ought to secure its defeat.
One is, that it makes a misdemeanor of an
act which in itself involves 70 moral turpi-
tude, and which, if it be a wrong, should be
redressed by an action for damages accord
ing to The common law doctrine, which has
been found sufficient for more than a thous-
and years past. The other is, that it takes
from the States the authority to regulate
their own municipal affairs. 1t is
an encroachment upon the legiti-
mate sovereignty of the States, and an un-
due augmentation of the national authority.
The tendency of the law is to teach people
to resort to the national government for the
protection and enforcement of their rights,
instead of to the State. 1t invites litigation
in the United States courts, and In a meas
ure ignores local or State courts. Its influ-
ence is powerfully
WAR C~ENTRALIsM,
which we wish TO avoid, and which the peo-
pie are determined to avoid. There is an
opportunity yet remaining to the republican
party to extricate itself from the difficulty
into which extreme men nave plunged it.
Let Congress repudiate its errors and show
the people that they ave no grounds for APP
prehension that localauthority is TO be inter
tered with. Let national, not local affairs be
the object OF Congressional legisla-
ton, and the people will not be-
/ come FESTIVE. There nave been acts of in
terference with local authority on the part
OF the departments of the general govern
ment, aside from the attempted one of the
civil rights bill. which 1t would be well tor
Congress to look after and correct. We have
great hopes that the recent elections will
have the effect to teach our representatives
some practical lessons in craftsmanship,
and that the country will be largely bene-
fitted thereby. Should it prove otherwise,
then there is nothing more certain than a
total change in the administration of the
government at the earliest practicable Pc
ROD.