A BILL

To declare and protect all the privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States in the several States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every person, being a citizen of the United States shall, in right of such citizenship, be entitled, freely and without hindrance or molestation, to go from the State, Territory, or district of his or her residence, and to pass into and through and to sojourn, remain and take permanent abode within each of the several States, Territories, and districts of the United States, and therein to acquire, own, control, enjoy and dispose of property, real, personal and mixed; and to do and transact business, and to have full and speedy redress in the courts for all rights of person and property, as fully as such rights and privileges are held and enjoyed by the other citizens of such State, Territory, or district; and, moreover, therein to have, enjoy, and demand the same immunities and exemptions from high or excessive impositions, assessments, and taxation as are enjoyed by such other citizens under the laws or usages of such State, Territory, or district, and to have, demand, and enjoy all other privileges and immunities which the citizens of the same State, Territory, or district would be entitled to under the like circumstances.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall by force, violence, threats, intimidation, or putting in fear, seek to, or shall in fact, deprive any such citizen of the United States of any of the privileges or benefits declared or secured by this act, the same being done without the infliction of any bodily harm, every such person, his or her counsellors, aiders and abettors, shall be deemed guilty of a crime, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars, or to be imprisoned not exceeding three years, or both, at the discretion of the court and according to the aggravation of the offence; and such persons, counsellors, aiders and abettors, shall, moreover, be jointly and severally liable to the party injured in double the amount of the damage sustained by reason of such offence.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That if any person, with the intent to deprive any such citizen of the United States of any of the rights of passage, sojourn, abode, or transit, or of the right to transact any lawful business during such passage, sojourn, abode, or transit, shall murder such citizen, every such person shall, upon conviction, suffer death; and every such person, their counsellors, aiders and abettors, shall, moreover, be liable, as in the last section provided, to the personal representatives of the person killed, for the damages, both in the loss of said life, and double the amount of the damages otherwise arising to the heirs of said deceased from said offence.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any person, with the intent to deprive any such citizen of the United States of any of the rights enumerated in the third section of this act shall commit the crime of manslaughter against the person of such citizen; or if any person, with the intent to deprive such citizen of any of the rights or benefits declared or secured by the first section of this act, shall wound, maim, or inflict great bodily harm upon any such citizen, every such person, his or her aiders, counsellors, and abettors, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars, and imprisoned not exceeding five years, at the discretion of the court and according to the aggravation of the offence; and such persons, his or her aiders, counsellors, and abettors, shall be also liable for the said damages resulting from said loss of life, and for double the damages arising from the other injuries as is provided in the second and third sections of this act: Provided, That no act declared criminal by any of the provisions of this act shall be deemed to come within the criminal provisions of this act, unless such crime shall have been committed within —— years next after the person injured shall have last come into the State, Territory, or district where such offence was committed; but this proviso shall not apply to any of the provisions of this act touching the liabilities for damages in this act provided for.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That no person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from justice; and no person who hath, or shall voluntarily engage in, or aid and abet any revolt, insurrection, or rebellion against the government or laws of the United States, and who has not been duly pardoned; and no person who, at the time he or she may claim the benefits of this act, doth not recognize and render full and true allegiance and obedience to such government and laws of the United States, shall be entitled to the benefit of the provisions of this act.

• H. R. 437 (introduced on 1866-04-02 12:00:00 - CREATE - e665791) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1866-04-02 12:00:00 - REPORT_PROPOSAL - e665793) [view current proposal at this moment]