The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-04-08
Are Nerroes Cifi.ensl

We cut the f6IIOwing from the Albany Argus:
WILLIAM WIKT's 0FTSToS.--When and by
whom was the dOcllins that colored men are
not citizens first oaieially decided? Not during
the present month BY the Supreme Court in
bred Scots case. Net IA 1898 by the Supreme
Court Of Tennessee in the ease Of the State vs..
Lovvlace. Nor indeed in 1884 BY Chief jus
tee Daggett in Prudence CrandAlrs case. 1t
had an earlier origin 1t was officially annouu
ced by WILLIAM Writ. in 1921, when Attorney
General ofthe United States and lest the (Al-
bany Evening" Journals reccolIsction should be
at fault in relation to that learned and distin-
gu:sAed jurist and Christian gentleman, we add
he is the same William Writ whom the Even
ing Journal Afterwards in 1882 supported as the
anti masonic candidate for the presidency We
proceed to state the views which Mr.. Writ put
forth upon the subject. s-..r
The navigation laws of the United States re-
quired that the masters Of vessels should be cit
zens. Under this statute question arose in
the Treasury Department whether free negro
of Virginia was citizen of the United States
and therefore entitled to be placed in command
ota vessel. The point was referred by the then
Secretary Of the Treasury to the Attorney Cen
eral of the United States, within the intent and
meaning of the acts regulating foreign and coast
ing trade, so as to be qualified to command YES
sells.
| To this query Mr.. Writ gave an official re-
ply in letter to the Secretary of the Treasury,
dated November Z, 1921, from which we make
the following extracts:
Looking to the Constitution as the standard
of meaning, it seems very manifest that no per-
son is included in the description Of citizens of
the United States who has not the full rights Of
citizen in the State of his residence. Among
other proofs ofthis, it will be sufficient to advert
to the Constitutional provision that the citizens
of each State shall be entitled to all the priyile
ges and immunties of citizens in the several
States" Now, ifa person born and residing in
Virginia, but possessing none Of the high char
acteristic provisions Of citizen of the State, is
nevertheless citizen of Virginia, in the sense
of the Constitution, then on his removal to an
other State, he acquires all the immunities and
privileges Of citizen of that State, although he
possess none of them in the State Of his nativi-
ty; consequence which certainly could not
have been in the contemplation Of the conven-
ton. Again the only qualification required by
the constitution to render person eligible as
President, senator, or representative Of the Uni
ted States is that he shall be citizen of the
United States ofa given age and residence. Free
negroes and mulattoes can satisfy the requisi-
tions ofage and residence as well as the white
man. and nativity, residence and allegiance
combined, (without the rights and privileges ofa
white man, are sufficient to make him citizen
of the United States in the sense ofthe constitu-
ton, then free negroes and mulattoes are eiligi-
BILE to those high offices, and may command the
purse and sword of the nation"
Mr.. Attorney General Writ after further dis.
cussing the subject, states his conclusion in the
following words: .-.
"Upon the whole, I am Of the opinion that free
persons ofcolor in Virginia are not citizens o
the United States within the intent and mean
. ng Of the acts regulating foreign and coastine
trade, so as to be qualified to command vessels
The Eastern (Maine) Argus gives later illus
tration of this opinion in the action Of the fret
state men who voted for the Topeka constitu
ton
Moreover the Republicans themselves have
very recently endorsed the same doctrin as ap
piled in Kansas. The famous Topeka Constitu
ton, for refusing which, the Democratic party il
Congress came in for large share of abuse, ex
pressly confers the right Of suffrage on sever.
= civilized male Indian who had adopted the hab
l its Of the white man." but refuses that right t
r negroes or mulattoes." .