Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-08-20
Civil Rights Bill.
X. Butler Votes
for it'll!

reelection to Congress mainly on the
ground of his opposition to the Civil
Rights Bill it is due myself and the peo.
pie that his record on this measure should
be known. l therefore give the follow.
ing plain statements Of facts as the re.
cord shows them to be-.
The Sumner Civil Rights Bill having
been amended in the Senate on May 81,
1872, was passed on the same day by a
vote Of yeas 22. Nays 20.
The following is a true copy of the bill
as thus adopted by the Senate:
whoever being a corporations or nat
ural person, and owner, or in charge of
any public inn, or of any place of public
amusement Or entertainment for which a
license from any legal authority is requir-
ed or of stage coaches, railroads or 9th.
or means of pablo carriage of passengers
or freight, shall make any distinction as
to admission or accommodation therein
of any citizen Of the United States, be.
cause of race or color, or previous oondi~
ton of servitude, shall, on conviction
thereof be fined not less than .tve hundred
nor more than flee thousand dollars for
each offence and tho person or corpora.
ton SO offending shall be liable to the
citizens thereby injured in damages to bs
recovered in an action Of debt.
Sec. That the offence under this act.
and actions to recover damages may be
prosecuted before any territorial, district
or Circuit Court of the United States
having jurisdiction of crimes ct the plac e
where the offence was charged to have
been committed"
COMMENTS,
Tho reader will observe that to make
the distinction specified is by the above
bill made a crime and the penalty is a
fine not less than $500, but may reach as
high as S., 0
Moreover the fact need not be disguised
and shall not be by me, that the purpose
of the bill was to do away with all dis,
tinctions which have obtained among us
founded solely on race or color aud to
force social equality upon US by law in
all the places specified. Under this bill
the hotel keeper, railroad conductor and
managers of theatresand places of public
amusement licened by law, dare not make
any distinction or regulations which make
a distinction as to cars, seats, tables,
rooms or any accommodations whatever or
separation Of the company solely on
the ground or by reasen Of race or color.
If he does SO, he is liable to the above
penalty and to an action at law to the
party thus offended or alr,eved. Now
how did Mr.. Butler vote on this bill?
Let the truth be known, hurt whom it
may.
So late as May 28tb, 1872, this bill
before the House.
Mr.. Maynard, moved to suspend the
rules to take from the speakers table the
above bill, Yeas r. R. Butler and Others,
SO.
See hand Book of Politics by McPher-
son, Clerk Of the House Of Representa-.
tives United States for 1872; page "A.
But this is not all. On June the 9TH,
1872 about twelve days later then the
above vote. Mr.. POLAND, moved to
suspend the rules and PASS THEl
BILL-the above bill-with an amend.
changing the penalty SO that it
not exceed 81 1000 ard leaving
minimum amount to the discretion of the
Court. The vote was taken on the pas.
sage of the bill with the proposed ameud-
and stood, Yeas, R. R. Butler and
So others, Nays, 70. See same manual
page "a.
The bill did not pass and become q
law because two thirds of the House did
not think as Mr.. Butler did at that time.
The Republicans Of this district will
remember the averment and pledges made
to the people In i~s65-6-7, and by every
speaker and Republican paper in the
State that the Republican Party, would
not at any time interfere with our social
relations or in any way force social equal.
lty upon us by law. I know I made such
and Mr.. Butler did the same.
voting for said bill has he not ignored
his pledges and betrayed us, If he had
made this an issue in 1867. and declared
for the above bill be would not have
been elected. Now chat the issue is up
shall he be reelected with this record be-
fore the Republicans whom he has thus
Betrayed.
MIXED SCHOOLS.
In the HERALD AND TRIBUNE OF
March last it was stated that Mr.. Butler
refused to vote to take up the Civil
Bill or set it for a day certain