Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-07-03

Ffon ths cineinnsu oasssEs-
Citlzsnshis.
Senator Douglas. in his Missouri
speech. says the Supreme Court decided
that negro. who Is the descendant Of
q slare is not citizen. This is quite
different idea from what Was put forth In
the original report ofths bred Scott case
Il Is not. however OF any great impor-
tance: for the question Is: Is citixenship
depede nj on cotor7 Il Q colorsd man,
who with bis ancestors have been free.
and performing all the nets Of citizenship
In New York, or Massachusetts,. citizen
Of the United Statesf We hold he l. as
much citizen as any man in The body
polite; and has been 90 treated from the
foundation Of the government
We shall not discuss she question q
citizenship in itself. but show what utter
confusion Of ideas exist on the subject.
There IL no political or social question
upon which 20 little IL positively defined.
Two facts viii be sufficient to illustrate
this. In Benton's Debates" Il will Be
seen that at = very early period Congress
got completely as ses on this very SUBJ
ject. AMI. exrrH presented his eredsn-
tails - member from South Carolina.
His right TO seat WAS CHALLENGED. on
the ground that he was not . citizen
We think the defect alleged was abser CO
at the adoption Of the Constitution. He
was born IN this country. and had per-
formed services In the revolution. A
debate arose. in which Mr.. Madison took
part, and 10 10 obvious. from the debate
that not q single member had clear
iaeo OF what constitutes citizenship.
The came confusion has prevailed ever
aimee. II arises from confounding suf-
frage, freedom, birth, and other incidsnts
which may enter into citizenship, with
citizenship itself. The fact is citizenship
does not depend on any Of these.
I. Citizenship does not depend on
suffrage. A man may be an old citizen.
born and brough upin the coutry. and yet
from varions causcs. notentiteled 10 vote.
Again an alien cannot become : citizen
till he Is naturalizsd By that act he
becomes both voter and citizen. In
his case they are identical.
2. Freedom does not necessarily make
q citizen: for foreigner In this country
may be free, and part Of the people.
but not having completed his naturalisa-
ton. he IL still an alien.
| 3. Birth does not make q citizen.
The children Of an American merchant
or ambassador born in France are citi-
Gems Of the United States; but In this
case they are not citizens eta particular
State.
4. Sex does not determine for or against
citizenship. The wife and children ola
citizen are 40 much citizens a. he is
when they are born in the country.
8. Color does not determine citizen
ship; for III colored man be free. citi-
zen Of one Of the States, he is entitled TO
be defended in all bis personal and
property rights. Mr.. TASxr viii not
deny that; nor can ii be denied. Free
negroes sue In all the Courts ofthe u. s.
and are part ofthe body polite. But
II their citizenship be denied. there IL .
criterion which will test Il at once. The
United States Government employs q
large number OF free negroes rs sailors.
Now, suppose that in boat. or hsrbor
or in any way, one OF these colored
sailors should be seized or impressed BY
the armed vessels of foreign power.
will the United States government per-
nit III No. Il will treat the act ss an
offence Of the gravest kind. But by
what right can the the Government in
terferes Only on the ground that the
man is its Citizens part Of its people.
Upon no other ground viii international
law authorize any interference. In .
question Of international rights every
human being musthavc status, men,
bcrship in some nation. The colored
sailor belongs to the American nation
and no other. He must be defended as
such. We know that there is great
deal said about the flag This is very
well, but the ultimate test ofthe rights
Of persons between nationsis citizenship;
and in regard TO that the government Of
the United States will defend the rights
of its colored citizens under all circum-
stances. nor could 1t do otherwise with
out beingi degraded In the eyes Of the
world.
The colered free men Of the states are
de facto part Of The American nation -
embodied in IL. They are entitled to ito
protection. They can sue in the courts
for their properly and their rights. To
say, in the face of such facts they are
net citizens, 10 an obvious absurdity.
We have hot examined the official report
Of the bred Scott case. and hope that
no such absurdity as that can be found
in IL. Whatever the Court may have
said, IL is plain that in the tribunal Of
public opinion no mere arbitrary dictum
will pass for law. The opinion Chief
Justice or q chief cook will be equally
unavailing to impair the just rights Of
the citizen.
D0TheiolIowing Is said 10 have been
uttered BY some. "orstor" last Fourth
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