The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-07

seas made in this State and the provisions
bly, q ibis ssss a@anaaory hsrso srs hereby declared
not to 70 any Tree negro or person OF color catering
act Of assembly, passed Dscsmber is 1885"
In the same spirit OF aggression upon northern rights
and the rights OF noghen reemen. and TO- prevent the
either Of the federal government Of the State. another
act was passed on the same day, which subjects TO ban
shment and such fine and Imprisonment may be deem
ed fit by the court which shall try the offender, any per-
who on his own behalf or under any commission or
authority from another State, shall come within the linn
its OF South Carolina for the purpose, with intent 10
regulations passed. or which shall be passed. in relation
to slaves or free persons Of color, SC,
Thus it will be these free colored citizens OF
the northern imprisoned in the
jails Of South Caroina-not only deprived OF the right
Of resorng to the courts OF the United States by the in
erventon OF others in their behalf but the writ Of habeas
corpus before the tribunals OF the State is also denied
them. And, If this not enough, these unhappy
guilless OF crime the color Of their skin, when
thus deprived Of all opportunity Of deverance by law il
they are not taken away by others, and have not the
means Of paying the extoyonate demand for their
illegal custody, are to "be deemed and taken to be
and s0 tG M h thus
this law and deeply regret that such one should
be found on the statute book OF any OF these States.
y sr, M whom does Affect Cihzens o. the irse States M
izens as are men OF any other color or complexion
whatever Sir, when the constitution OF the United States
Thsy % IN ss STATE
in Pennsylvania in Massachusetts,, in Connecticut Rhode
Island New Jersey Delaware and North Carolina, and
continued to vote in the good old State Of North Caro
ma, and in Tennessee also But the right OF voting
not essential to citizenship The free colored nhabi
tants Of the United States are by the constitution much
the basis OF representation any other citizens. The
constitution Of the United States makes discrimination
Of color. There is no word swhe to be found in that
platform in regard to their political rights and
recognised in most OF the States OF this Unions How
then is II that one OF these States ventures to assa the
rights OF citizens OF other States, thus sacredy guarded
Mr. BADGER With the permission Of the senator. /
would ask whether free black persons allowed to
Mr.. BALDWIN. Mr. President they are not, but
they none the less citizens than if they allowed
TO vote They vote in all the New England States
cep Connecticut and in my judgment, they ought to be
allowed to vote there also; and when the proposition
was made not long since for amendment OF the con-
stion Of Connecticut to enable them 70 vote deposit
ed my ballot in favor of the right. should do again
the opportunity occurred. hold, sir regard to the
political rights OF reemen, whatever may be true in ref
ssPs s se 1s nc o %neh
dent, they are not only citizens Of the free States, but
they citizens Of the State Of Virginia to this day,
my hand the statute Of the State OF Virginia. passed De.
cember 23d, 1922, prescribing the qualification OF citizen
ship II provides that:
GAN free persons born within the territory OF this Com
taned right citizenship under laws, and also
all chden, wheesoever born, whose fathers mothers
ren shall deemed citizens of this until
they einqash that character in the hereinafter
1t is little curious to examine the history OF this law
of the State of Virginia II will be recollected by sena-
tors that Of the articles Of the old confederation (ar
Gle ~ was in these words:
The better and perpetuate mutual friendship
and intercourse among the people of the different States in
this Union, the free inhabitants of each of these States,
paupe, vagabonds, and fgtives from justice excepted,
shall be entitled all privileges and immunties of
citizens in the several Saes and the people of each sae
shall have free ingress and egres and from any other
State, and shall enjoy" &c.
On the 25h of june I77s the delegation from South
Carolina moved in Congress to amend that clause in the
ases q n oy & the WORD
ton taken and herewere found be ayes two
eight So that the article remained it originally
adopted IN nI'p before the articles q soneaeraon %
them bindings the State OF Virginia passed act prescrb
ing the qualifications OF citizens and inserted the word
+" whiten
In 1888, after the adoption OF the articles OF confeder.
ation Virginia repealed that act and passed another
in which she omitted the word white" and lef
her law standing in that respect substantially has
manned upon her statute book from that day this show
ing that the State OF Virginia, though concurring at that
time with South Carolina in the desire to insert the
word white" yet respected the decision OF Congress and
the States in the adoption OF the articles OF confederation
and conforming her law thereto, extended the privi-
leges of citizenship alike TO all, without distinction Of
color And 10 this day. in the State OF Virginia. free
colored persons, born in that State, citizens.
Why, sir, who ever doubted that coored inhabitants
were citizens oil the United States within the provisions o
the judiciary authorizing citizens OF State to
before the federal courts in another Stae Who ever
doubted that free colored inventor was entitled TO the
benefit OF the patent law, colored author oil the prvi
lege OF copyright, citizens OF the United States Who
ever doubted that coored citizens owning and navigating
vessels OF the United States entitled to all the prvi
eges conferred by law upon vessels owned by citizens o
the United Statesi They take the oath OF citizenship, I'M
der the act Of February 1893, for enrolling and licensing
American vessels Who ever questioned their right
Are not coored seamen entitled 10 protection under you
laws authorizing the granting OF protection To citizens
the United States who serving mariners board
your vessesl Why, sir, the form OF protection is II
these words:
"Tba, The said Z. F. is citizen OF the United States
America" t..N
Are they not citizens within the meaning OF the act o
May, 1920, making il criminal for citizens OF the United
States TO engage in the slave trade Are they not czen
within the act orbidding licenses TO carry trade with
the Indians any but citizens Are they not within Tho
in regard TO any property they may own' And they
not under the obligations imposed by treaty on our ct
zens Are they not within your bill OF rights, in the
constitution which adopted by their votes, securing
the liberty OF speech and the liberty of the press and al
the other personal rights to the people of the Untes
States II seems to have been supposed by some
tors that IN order TO make citizen, he must havt
right to vote in the State in which he claims to be
citizen. Why, sir. not females in all States ciii
OF the United Staesi They do not vote There
States in which naturazed citizens OF the United States
qualifications TO certain amount even though native
citizens are not required TO possess those
Such the provision in the constitution OF Rhode island
and similar provision believe, is contained in somt