The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-03-25

this power by the adoption of the consti-
tuition. Every State may confer the right
upon an alien or on any other class or
description of persons who would, to all
intents and purposes, be citizen of the
State; but not a citizen in the sense used
in the constitution of the United States.
He would not thereby become citizen
of the United States. and, therefore, could
mot sue in any court in the United States,
nor could he enjoy the immunities of a
citizen in the other States. His rights
would be confined strictly to his own
State. The constitution gives Congress
the power to establish "a uniform rule of
naturalization" consequently, no State,
by naturalizing an alien, could confer upon
him the rights and immunities of all the
States under the general government, 1t
Iisvery clear therefore. that no State can,
by any act, introduce new member into
the politaI Union created by the con-
lstitution. The question then arises,
whether the provisions of the constitu-
ftion of the United States in relation to
personal rights to which citizen Of a
State is entitled, embraced negroes of the
4 African race, at that time in the country,
or afterwards imported, or made free from
4 any State; and whether it is in the power
of any State to make such one a citi-
zen Of the State, and endow him with full
citizenship in any other State without
their consent? Does the constitution of
the United States act upon him, and
clothe him with all the rights of citizen?
The court think the affirmative cannot be
maintained; and, if. not, the plaintiff could
not be citizen of Missouri within the
meaning of the constitution, nor citizen
of the United States, and consequently
not entitled to sue in its courts.
! 1t is true that every person, and every
class and description of persons at the
time of the adoption Of the constitution,
regarded as citizens Of the several States,
became citizens of this new political body,
4 and none other. 1t was for them and
their posterity aud for nobody else, and
| all the rights and immunities were intend
ed to embrace only those of State COM
Smnnities, or those who became members
/ according to The principles on which the
/ 1eonstitution was adopted ltwas Union
/ of those who were members of the polit-
ical communities, whose powers, for Ger.
4 tain specified purposes, extended over the
whole territories of the United States, and
gave each citizen rights outside of his
State, which he did not before possess
and placed all rights of persons and prop
erty on an equality.
4 1t becomes necessary therefore, to de
termine who were citizens of the severa
States when the constitution was adopted
In order to do this we must recur to th'
colonies whep they separated from: Grea
Britain, formed new communities andtool
their place among the family of nations
They who were recognized as citizens o
the States declared their independence o
Great Britain, and defended it by force o
!, arms Another class of persons, who hat
been imported as slaves, or their descen
dants, were not recognized or intended t.
be included in that memorable instru
! ment--the Declaration of Independence
1T is difficult at this day to realize tn
state of public opinion respecting that I'M
& fortunate class, with the civilized and en-
. ightened portion of the world, at the tim
I the Declaration of Independence aud til
! adoption of the constitutions; but histor
!. shows they have for more than centur
been regarded as beings of an inferior OF
u der, and unfit associates for the white race
E either socially or politically; and had n
f rights which white men were bound to re
! speet; and the black man might be- rednc
!. ed to slavery, bought and sold and treat
: ed as an ordinary article of merchandise
3 This opinion; at this time, was fixed an
y universal with the civilized portion of tn
{ white race. ltwas regarded as an axiol
i lin morals, which no one thought of di:
Eputing. and every one habitually acte
e eIupon it, without doubling for momer
q the correctness of the opinion. And
!. no nation was this opinion more fxe
i or more generally acted upon than in Ell
a gland, the subjects of which governmer
not only seized them ON the coast of A
= rica, but took them as ordinary merchal
y disc to where they could make profit c
!, them. The opinion thus entertained, WI
. universally impressed on the colonists tn
IS side of the Atlantic; therefore, negroes
: the African race were regarded by the
E. as property, and held, and bought, al
!. sold; as such in every one of the thirtet
% colonies which united in the declaration
: independence, and. afterward formed Il
y constitution.
Of The doctrine of which, have spok,
nei was strikingly enforced by the Declar
d ton of Independence Z 1t begins thus
OF when in'the course Of human events
ai becomes necessary for one people to di
IS, solve the political bonds which have co
10 nected them with another, and to assun
esd among the powers of the earth the sep
il. rate and equal station to which the laws
n, nature and of natures God entities thei
ella decent respect to the opinions of ma
he kind requires that they should declare t
te causes which lmpeI them to the separ
Il tion;' andthen proceeds; aAVe hold the
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