Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-23
RICHMOND, DECEMBER %. 1920

is again before Congress; in shape moi
so dangerous 10 the peace ofthe country,
as that which il took al the last session,
but still involving questions of nice and
critical nature. The law of Congress
anihorising Missouri TO form cons,tu-
ton and state government, has been
acted upon, and she now Stands a, the
door of the legislature, with this insiru
ment in her baud, and requests the ac-
cepiance OF il, az the final ratification of
her independence aud righ, OF self.gov.
ernment. Bat we are told that this cou-
siitution contains provision. prohibiting
free persons of color from migrating into
that state. aud that such provision
clashes with the clause of The cOns,iiu>
lion of the u. 5. which declares that
90 the citizens Teach state shall be en,i-
tied 30 all The rights, privileges and i'm
muuities of citizens in The several sta,rs"
Ehe first and most obvious reply 10 this
objection is. HAT these free persons of
color are not citizens q! any state in This
Union. How are persons made citizens in
auy Hf The Uaitrd States Either bv be-
Ing born within it, or by being adopted
as such, III conformity with laws pres
crlbiag certain conditions (; which are To
be performed by every foreigner, before
he Ia entitled 10 the character Of citizen.
tAese free persons OF color were burn
wit'.il The q. States that "ipso factn"
they are cit z'ns. THIS would prove too
much, !or the same rule woud convert
alt oar slaves into citlzsn<. Something
more than nativity. then, is necessary in
regard 10 lh!s species al the human race,
10 constitute ihem citiz lt,heu lheY
are not cltIZ us hy birth, are Ihev so by
adoption II is uni pretended that they
have been expressly adopted by any state
OI iins cOnteltracy, ~ naiaralized ciii.
zans; wherefore contend thrv are moi
citizens al al, and consequently uoi with
~ the cnm5ass nl the cliJ>e of HE con
sli'utlou OF thr United States alluded to
Th's argument, conceive w0uli he
entitled tn great weight, If il could he
shrN0 (is confidently believe it rannatO
that there is slugir ale 81 this Union
IN ahlch these pec*DuS are allowed al The
civil and political rights 0f cliizrma there
III. For Without an express adup:inn.
without a process Of naturalization. they
would only BE- citizAns by inference, even
Wien ad'nlitei 10 ali he civil and polit
cal rights of citizens. in Ills case it is
true, that the distinction w0mld be with
onl difference, and not worth caYicnd
lng To-; the sufSlaHcc wOull be gone
AMI only 'llc shadow IeA, the matter
would have been given up, and il would
be useless TO hold g. The furn. Bui are
these tree persons Of color substantially
ci'lzrnS, ia a single stale AS far my
inquiries have reached, The iic, is far
~her~iSe. in one STATE ynu wall fad
them admitted solely to HE rights of pro-
pefty, aud IN a partial manner. Thai IL,
they may. hnlyi real or personal estate,
they may sue or he sued BAT they can
MOI give evidence against Whi,e man in
coHr' o. jas Ice whereby their right TO
property llaeli Is eaGeted IN some degree
Insecure. And here yOu will find them
without any participation in political
rights, or STARE IA sell government. and
thns are they placed upou dtIrrrnt and
disadVan!ageGus gr0u;li in regard 10 nr0~
per'y Itself. the oulg species of right
winch constitutes i!,pir claia 80 ci,z n
ship In another STATE, you will find these
peFSoua. admitted To tie right o! suiFrage,
No doubt, more I'1 lew 10 the repre-
sFn'att"n Of their property which is taxed,
ihan III considerations Ui lie personal rio hts
which will be iOnnd 10 differ little from
those al The slaves of that STATE For OBJ
serve, here they ave GOt entitled. either
20 give evidence against a white man. or
10 81 on jury IN Which the property of
even free person Of color is Us. II The
matter 10 he decided on. I.aok into the
criminal code Of This state and YOU fad
Tree persnns OF color as we'll as can dis
cover, Standing pari pee" wnh the
slaves. ! might say will Horace. " de-
IissSare lpquacem Fabian" we're iotrace
the various mod ii atiuns of The citi! aud
political rights 81 this class Of peoBl. IN
every stale Of the Union, even il | had
The materials al Iiand, 10 extract This in
formation accurately, which | confess I
lave nat. Yet presume iimay be stated
without The hazard OF error, ihal the civil
and political rig Is at free persons Of CO.
Tor, are different IN every state from those
OF either native citizens, or nsluralzpd
foreigners. This being tie fact, 10 infer
ence is clearer than that fhey are not ri
iiZens III The sense of the term as used i'm
The constitution Of u. States nor in lac
sense of any rational definition wbicI,
can be given OF it,. What consii-
tutes citizen, Or wherein does the cha
racier consist? Not / presume in resi-.
deuce alone, or iii The posses ION aud use
OF the ordinary functions of humanity
What else ten! Why il consists besides
IN rights. privileges and in,nunflies, and il
has been the object of the foregoing re-
marks TO shew that Of the greatest and
most valuable proportion Of these, the
Tree persons ct color, are totally debarred
and 10 the miserable remainder buI parli.
ally entitled. Can such persons be ciii-
Zens? This clause in the constitution OF
the u. States, furnishes no bar then To the
admission Of Missouri as a member OF
this Union, and il is a real hardship upor
that people, 10 set IL up as preiext TO
exclude them from the HUMOROUS adyan
iagts about TO result 10 them. | have
not seen The constitution Of Missouri. bal
presume there is no other possible topic
oil objection else some political lyns