Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-04-17

style whereof was "Ihe United States Of A
merica.'
To determine whether any free persons, de-
seconded from Africans held in Slavery. were
citizens Of the United States under the Con-
federation. and consequently at the time Of
the adoption Of the Constitution Of the Unit
ed States. it is only necessary to know whcth-
er any such persons were citizens Of either of
the States under the Confederation at the
time of the adoption Of the Constitution.
OF this there can be no doubt. At the
time Of the ratification Of the Articles Of Con-
federation. it is fact beyond the reach Of the
most ingenious doubts, that all free. native
born inhabitants Of the Statos Of New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts,, New York, Now Jersey,
and North Carolina, though descended from
African slaves, were not only citizens Of those
States. but such Of them as had the other nee
cssary qualifications possessed the franchise
Of electors on equal terms with other citizens.
The Supreme Court of North Carolina, in
the case of The State vs. Manuel. 4 Dew. and
Bat 20, has declared the law of that State
ON this subject, in terms which ! believe TO
be as sound in law in the other States which
have enumerated as il was in North Caroh-
ma:
according hc laws Of ths State says Mr. Justice
Castor, IN delivering ihe opinion Of thc Court, "a hu-
man beings within who not slaves flll within or
two classes. Whatever distinctions may have existed Zoo
the Romou ltw between citizens aud free Inhabitants.
hy are unknown % our institutions. Before our kc,o-
luton, al free persons born within thc dlninons of The
King OF Great Britain, whatever their color complies
Of bis allegiance were aliens slavery dl not exist in
hnsi,na' oI, u ad in ne british Colon,e S'9rss were
inent eineapac,y-hc dsqaaidcati5n Of Ss,cry-vas
removed they became persons and were then either Brit
,orc o5 nere ro 5ord ,9ir ,o f ,5e f.6
King. Upon the Revolution. no other change took
pas la ne AVE 9i North Slr3nt ihan was consequent
49, n W g. .li'n l,oi s ,'''-l @ ~ IT, . '' So ~ '
maioei sla,e British sabiessn North C1roiina became
North Carolina ffeemen. forcisner,i until made men,
bcrs bsee o 9'I i,.d ,1 ,ss.rc h br oi,bi1
North Carolina arc citizen. Of North Carolina. and 200
&C. per9n, % e2rn within 'he sjs pre- '9Tn ef.nso ihe
to csery fccaan ho ad arrived st the are Of 2, and
paid public uyi and i s. mat'crof universal uotor-
ll.i , gl', ~ f, S'a'p, ,83,o :, ,, i,, so
rao Tree meo Of color f.w yoars since by OUT amended
C'9sa 9uon: ~ IN.
In the state vs.. NeWcomo' D W edeil H.
90 ooC'ueu IN ioli' 'le same oour' IeieI7
reu TO TINS case Oh 'no o'a'c vs. Nuluei' ana
Sai@ ,.,....... ..-......,..
bo,b b, tbe BAR and tbo bcnr6. Tbc c,.e ,,, b1aib
here 3 appeal and was felt g be one Of great Importance
~ os ~. Ts i,,i,,J o,d N ,i ,i,o. .'
controlling inauense aud authority on all questions Of
o similar character
An argument from speculative premises,
however well chosen, that the then state of
opinion in the Commonwealth Of Massachu-
setts was not consistent with the natural
rights Of those people who were born on that
soil, and that they were not, by the Coustitu-
ton of 1850 of that State. admitted TO the
condition Of citizens, would be received with
surprise by the citizens Of that State, who
know their own political history. 1t is true be
yond all controversy that persons of color, de-
sc9i'iet n'iH --i4i..ii 7''' s'' &c oy cana, g, -
sutuuon' maze citNehs Oh tne o'"'e' anu such
oi thein as nave hau 'he necessary qu1linc"-
uohs, nave helu anu eAeIoiSeu 'no eio'tiNo
Tahohlse as ciu4ehs iroin Una, uni' 70 inc
present loes Com' vs.. A'oS, 10 IGN ~
Inc IONS utuuon oi Ne" nam psiliie 0oH-
,erieu 'lc C'eC0'e lIal''li'So uPul o'oiy M
haoltahl Oh tne o"tc ua'ihB 'ne ne0o'7"'l
qul'iueAuonS' ol "nion oo'oi vi ueS0'n' was
NO, oHo'
me CONSTITUTION oi NcW iy'N gave une
IlBn. 10 No'o 10 eyer! n'"'e in1'oi''i' W"o
sn'n nave ies."eu' ~, iN'A'H5 "o N'9'iHO
"'n oo'"ccn "eC 00'oi0u P7'Sot' "lu 0'n0i -
lha' Oh New Jersey 10 al il'n'o''a"'e .n %,
'nls colon! oi luh '5e' VINO arc worm N'0
Proclamat'oh money e'ear estate
NeW loiN' D! lts Oohs' l'u''on ol io-V' re-
qplrsu coIoreu persons 70 maze sum- quS'lI-
cations as PFeIo4u ulsl'eS iur voting u'cn
While persons neeu not possess Anu Ne"
Jersey, py It's present oon'S 'uuo"' IDS'',c's
'ne rSn' 70 vote TO "hl'e maze ol''~enS pu'
'neSe onauSes can nave no o'ner eneC' upon
tne present inquiry except { snow "nap m
"cou Is lu,SpUNo.o, 'n"' oeioIe 'ney woIe
H"ue no sucn rostrlo'ioi oA'S'ou' anu ooioi
co, III common win "nie Pe,Sons' very no'
ON! cllllehs cl 'nose ''a'ss' ou' eu''lee ,.e 70
'nc elective lr"nchise On 'ilo same qual'lica-
,ons ~ "h,'e persons uS 'hoy no" are III
ne" hampshire a. anu NaSs"ohusc''s'
snaI no' en'oi iii'o an . eAain'n"''on Vi tne
VAlSung oplnio Is ol 'nu' Pertou respecting
'ie A'ric"h race nor ilt1 any u'scUssioh con
ceihihS .he meaning oi 'nose VINO "Ssetteu III
''e De0l"i"''oh Vi ln"uPeNuen0e 'nn' al n'en
are created equal tnat 'hey are endowed oy
tneH Nie"'oi win ocr'alu ih"'lon"u,' r'sn's ;
'na' "liioHS .ncSo arc me Hooi'9 anu 'ue pui-
sult OF happiness, MY own opinion Is, that
a calm comparison of these assertions of uni
sI n, -. - 1 - ~ - ~:
,idnal o,,;nions ond octs y,onid no. loa,.o
t,as ,,,,, ~. ,,,,, ,a,.,ooh or iroonsista,,