The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-08-22
-
Arc Negroes Citizens of the United States:

Oome OF our democratic cOtemporafleS
have been conjuring up all manner Of argu-
ments to prove that a negro cannot become
a citizen Of the United States, and sshas no
rights that white men are bound to respect"
Our neighbor of the Bugle, published few
days since an extract from u speech made
by HENRY CLAY, for the purpose Of showing
that that emepent statesmen considered that
negroes formed no part of our s'pol;tcdi sys-
tenn" That does not prove that free ne
gro is not, and cannot become a Citizen
In this connection, We would call the atten-
ton of our neighbor, to the following ex-
tract from the Lac Reporter for june
Hon. CHARLES Francis ADAMS brought to
light the facts detailed below. We would
like our neighbours opinion upon these acts
of JEFFERSON, MONROE and Gen Jackson:
Since that part of the foregoing review
which relates to the citizenship Of free ne
groes was printed, our attention has been
directed to the case Of the seamen taken out
of the American frigate Chesapeake, by the
British ship of war Leopard, in 1907, which
was the beginning Of the difficulty between
the United States and Great ksiaAia, that
ultimately led to the war of 1872. The
Committee Of the House Of Representatives.
to whom the subject was referred, reported
to the House shat it is incontestably proven,
as the accompanying printed document No.
will show, that three Of the men taken
(naming thein) are citizens of the United
States By the document referred to, it
appears that two of these three men were
coiored, one of them the child of female
slave, who had himself formerly been held
as slave. See Report of the Committee.
PIP. 3l-36, 43, A, 40. President Jefferson,
in his proclamation interdicting our harbors
and waters to British vessels, issued imme-
diatrly after the outrage, said-'That no
circumstance might be wanting to mark its
character, it had previously been ascertain
ed that the seamen demanded were natives
of the United States.'. p. +. This proca-
nation was countersigned by Mr. Madison,
then Secretary ef State.
Mr.. Madison, in his letter to Mr.. Monroe,
then the minister Of the United States ut
London, instructing him to demand repara-
ton OF the British Government, dwells upon
the fact that the men were citizens of the
United States; and Mr.. Monroe, in his for
NAL demand upon the British government,
said-'i have the honor to transmit you
documents which will, presume, satisfy
you that they were american citisens."-
Correspondence between Mr.. Madison, Mr..
Monroe and MIR. Canning, en- the subject of
the attack on the Chesapeake, PIP. 6, 10, q.
All the above references are to the public
documents printed by order Of the House
Of Representatives, at the first session of the
tenth Congress. 1t thus appears, not only
that three of the first FIVE Presidents of the
United States, two of them men who had
taken great part as any in framing our
national policy and system of overnment,
spoke of colored men as citizens of the
States; but that the government made the
defence Of their rights as citizens cause
for putting the nation in hostile attitude
towards foreign power.
Wemay also well allude in this connection
to the proclamation issued by Gen. jackson,
dated Mobile, Sept. 81, 1914, addressed sto
the free colored inhabitants of louisiana
in which he says: Through mistaken
policy you have heretofore been deprived Of
a participation in the glorious struggle for
national rights in which our country is en-
gagged. This shall no longer exist. As sons
OF freemen, you are now called upou to de-
fend our most inestimible blessing. As
Americans, your country looks with conf
dence to her adopted children fora yalorous
support, as faithful return for the advan-
tages enjoyed under hor mild and equitable
government. On enrolling yourselves in
companies, the Ma or- General commanding
will select officers for your government from
your white .feilow-citieens. Your non com
missioned officers will be appointed from
among yourselves