The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-03-17


the Civil Rights Bill as passed by
both Houses of Congress, and ap-
proved by the President:
CAN ACT
TO PROTECT ALL CITIZENS IN THEIR
CIVIL AND LEGAL RIGHTS.
WHEREAS, 1t is essential to Just
government, we recognize the equal
ity of all men before the law, and
hold that it is the duty of Govern
ment in its dealings with the people
to mete out equal and exact justice
to all, of whatever nativity, race, col
or, or persuasion, religious or politi.
cal; and it being the appropriate OBJ
iect of legislation to enact great fun
damcntal principles into law; there
fore,
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives Of the Uni
ted States Of America, in Congress
assembled, That all persons within
the jurisdiction of the United States
shall be entitled to the full and equal
enjoyment of the accommodations,
public conyeyances on land and wa
ter, theatres, and other places of pub
lie amusement; subject only to the
conditions and limitations establish
ed by law, and applicable alike to
citizens of every race and color, re-
CARELESS Of previous condition of SER
yitude.
"SEc. 2. That any person who shall
violate the foregoing section by de-
nying to any citizen, except for rea-
sons by law applicable to citizens of
every race and color, and regardless
of any previous condition of servi-
tude, the full enjoyment of any of
the accommodations, advantages, IA
cilities or privileges in said section
enumerated, or by aiding or melting
such denial, shall, for every such Of
tense, forfeit and pay $500 to the
person aggrieved thereby, to be re-
covered in an action Of debt, with full
costs; and shall also, for every such
offence, be deemed guilty of a INSIDE
meanor, and, upon conviction there
of. shall be fined not less than $500
nor more than $1,000, and shall be
imprisoned not less than thirty days
nor more than one year. Provided,
that all persons may elect to sue for
the penalty aforesaid or to proceed
under their rights at common law
AID by State statutes; and having so
elected to proceed in the one mode or
the other, their right to proceed 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. And provided further, that a
judgment for the penalty in favor of
the party aggrieved, or a judgment
upon an indictment, shall be bar to
either prosecution respectively.
CSC. 8. That the District and Cir
cult Courts of the United States shall
have, exclusively Of the Courts of
the several States, cognizance of all
crimes and offences against, and vio-
lations of, the provisions of this act 4;
and actions for the penalty given BY
the preceding section may be prose
cuted in the Territorial, District, or
Circuit Courts of the United States,
wherever the defendant may be found,
without regard to the other party;
and the District Attorneys, Marshals,
and Deputy Marshals of the United
States, and Commissioners appointed
by the Circuit and Territorial Courts
of the United States, with powers of
arresting and imprisoning or bailing
offender against the laws of the Uni
ted States, are hereby especially au-
thorized and required to institute
proceedings against any person who
shall violate the provisions Of this
act, and cause him to be arrested and
imprisoned OF bailed, as the case may
be, for trial, before such Court of the
United States or Territorial Court as
by law has cognizance of the offense,
except in respect Of the right of &C
ton accruing to the person aggriev-
ed; and such District Attorneys shall
cause such proceedings to be prose
cuted to their termination as in other
cases: Provided, that nothing con-
tanned in this section shall be con-
strued to deny or defeat any right OF
civil action accruing to any person,
whether by reason of this act or 9th
erwise; and any District Attorney
who shall willfully fail to institute