National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-10
CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

d. A. STRAKBR RELIES It'd DIR. SPEAR
To tAs Editor Of the Hatsoaal Repr5Iicas:
6iR. In your issue Of Saturday. It'll inst, an ar
Fticlo appeArs subscribed "a. N. NJ which in
dorsss letter written b Rev. Samuel 7. Spear
D. D., Of Brooklyu, N. Y, Is Appearing in re
cent numbsr OF the Independeaf, which letter af
nrns the right Of the States only to regulate civi
rights. It Is not to the reverend gentlemsn'i
views directly that ask sPaoe In your columns t
reply, but moro 30 to the Endorsement Of &c. n
NJ II b nothing strange that the Church, BY IL
repressntasfvein-chief should be against us
n wss n
vision, and not ray Of light shadowed forth tn!
day oil freedom, the so-called Christian Churcl
Slavery, ssppossns ITSELF f Upon false inserpreta
t0ns Of Scripture; snd in this livery Of Christ dit
It serve the devil, few only Of these
cHRIsTiAs CHURCHES AND NlNIsrERs
excepted. So strongly was human slavery, will
as we'll as the forum that God, in His mercy 70 The
oppressed, sent war that II might stride over oul
polished: country a. z giant; He ssnt pestiiencs
Inc to brood over It until every slave holding State
Territory, hamlet and village was unpe0pied--
until every dwelling was z sepulchre; during
bowed In obsequiousness to . false and malignant
theory Of the equality Of human rights. But
will leave the wickedness Of the Church and its
opposition to human. rights to some more appro-
pirate occasion, although It should be observed
that its disciples Of human slavery, which Is hu-
man 6esbsrlty and sin against God, having sown
the Wind hay, " !, reapsd the rhrIwind. ,.ro
Whatever may 30 thought of the ;expediency Of
nover or the IeSisIature to enact n ), on the NV.
pothesis that State Le9isatures possess ali ieris
lstiye powers, except as they arc restrained by
the q United States and Othe
Ihit inference isillogical and unsupported by
facts The reason Why the question Of civil rights
cause II sfects CITIZENS Of the United Slate, IN
their unified capacity and not as CITIZENS or n
State. Its national purport begets the jurisdic-
to sse how impractIcabie It would be for q State
In Its best estate and rood wilto frame respective
M. Sfsss anE sPars ~ us Legslature from
In their riSht Of travel In othpr States and IN the
canal and indiscriminafc treat ment in 80 Wv
INNS, THEATRES, SCHOOLS
sfsf s :Gs s. n
ssaxS ss e to s they he s
Wis: the impcssibiiity Of uniform and equal State
jurisdction Moreover State, have no special
oftheir territory. The civil rights bill works the
beautiful harmony and Justice Of not only local
sns f ias the s sie
&c. n: NJ" indorses the statement that the
tourteentu nmeuument stateSLn0L mo STATE snail
mako or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities Of citizens Of the United
states"
The point urged Is, that the bill In its prohibit
lions and penal sanctions aims at several classes
Of private citizens or corporations and makes GER
Il simni1 rastsss,;on a, tHo 49, ~ s, ~.So
or enforce any law which abriiees the priyiieres
or immunities Of citizens of the United States,
Now let us suppose this view 10 be true. what
objection can there be to an charging statute de-
remedial and pepal in its nature and
hold that the civil rights bill in
question enlargcs the prohibiting power Of the
we'll as it is declaratory Of the subject matter.
and remedial as to its violation. Asto the fears
of
d.
CONGRESS IhANsckNpINe ITS POWERS,
and illimitablc, I should say that the powers Of
Of the people, and It Is worse than foolish to ex-
pect Of Congress moro than an adherence to the
spirit Of the Constitution when the letter does not
Meet lis wants for public good.
Again, he urges that 'the privileges or immu-
mites Of citizens Of the United States" which no
State may BY law abridRc, do not embrace the
items recifed In the House bill.
on equal terms be admitted to public inns, to
places of Amusement or public couyeyances pub
lie schools and cemeteries-these, he remarks are,
upon their very face, like admissions to the bar,
to the practice Of medfeine local questions to be
determined 6y State authority, and properly
have nothing TO do with those 0privileges or i'm
munities" which the Constitution guarantees to
.sitisens OF me United states Is against my
I'M = arott S ;nSor.er:.n, ~. NJ N and
as have already stated the rem son why the civil
rights bill cannot be matter Of local settlement,