Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-06-25
To the Editor of The Belmont Chronicle:

To the Editor Of the Belmont Chronicle:
SIR-Chief Justice Taney, in the cele-
brated "Dred Scott" decision, that is at this
time exciting some Considerable attention
in the newspaper world, says. in delivering
the opinion of the court in speaking OF cit
izenship under the Constitution, and of those
entitled to its privileges,
"In discussing this question we must not
confound the rights of citizenship which
State may confer within its own limits and
the rights of citizenship as member of the
Union. 1t does notify any means follow
because he has all the rights and privileges
of citizen or State that he must be a
citizen of the United States.''
And further:
Each State may confer them upon an
alien, or upon any one it thinks proper, or
upon any class or description of persons"
&c.
What, now, is the effect of this decision
of the learned Chief Justice upon the rela-
tions of the people of the United States!-
We were always of the opinion that the
people of these United States owed double
allegiance, an allegiance to the State III
which they resided, and also an allegiance
10 the United States as q General Govern
ment; but that State could take into her
bosom any "class or description of persons"
which they might see fit, and give them sail
the rights and privileges of citizens of the
State" without reference to the laws and
Constitution OF the United States, is new
to US. There are certain powers in the Con-
stitution given to Congress, among which
is "to establish a uniform rule upon the sub
ject of naturalization" power which Con-
gress has exercised. They have established
rule upon that subject, intended to be
uniform. Chief Justice Marshall, in the
case of Sturges Us. Crowninshield, held in
reference to these powers Of Congress, that
"Whenever the terms in which power is
granted to Congress, or the nature OF tie
power, require that it should be exercised
exclusively by Congress, the subject is as
completely taken from the State Legislatures
as if they had been expressly forbidden to
act on it," And again, "Consress is not
authorized merely to pass laws the opera
tien of which shall be uniform, but to estGb-
lish uniform iasos upon the subject through
out the United States" And the opinion
of the 'sgreat expounder of the Constitution %
Marshall, is that especially when Congress
exercises this power the States are prohib-
tied from acting. But it may be said that
this is not to the point. as the Court, in the
Dred Scott case claims that there is differ
ence between the operation of State citi-
zenship and citizenship of the United
States. This mag be all true enough. But
we think we can show that the operation of
two Governments (he State and Na:ionaD
| in the exercise of this power sometimes pro-
duce contradictions and absurdit les in our
system certainly net intended by those who
framed our institutions. The Constitution,
Art. lst, Sec. 2, says, ssThe House OF Rep
resentatives shall be composed of members
chosen every second year by the people of
the several States; and the electors iu each
State shall have the qualifications requisite
for electors of the most numerous branch of
the State Legislature" Now, this is GER
tainly the dearest and mcst important priv
| ilege of the citizen, conferred upon an
''alien," or upon .'any class or description
of persons" according 10 the ruling of the
court ill this case The privilege of de-
clRring war, of providing for the support of
the Army and Navy through their Repre-
sentatives, in fact all the most valuable
privileges OF citizenship, is by the express
! terms of the Constitution conferred upon
men who owe no allegiance to the Govern
ment upon which they are thus operating
in Congress. The connection between the
citizenship of State and the General Gov
ernment is so intimate tina: when you make
man citizen of State he is necessarily
invested with all the valuable privileges of
sn American citizen. Perhaps he cannot
sue in the Federal Courts, or claim the ben
eft OF the flag of the country in certain
cases, yet for most practical purposes he
enjoys all the benefits of one acknowledged
by the Government of the United States
Now, was this the intention of the trainers
of the Government! Did they intend to
leave the General Government in such a
condition that 'aliens" and "any descrip.
ton of persons" could be represented in
our National Councils! Surely not. When
the Constitution was formed they meant to
say by that instrument that Congress alone
should say who should exercise the dear
bought privileges of an American citizen.
We shall not pretend TO say here whether
Dred Scott or any person of the African
race is a citizen or not; what We wish to
call attention to is the very ridiculous posi-
ton in which the learned Chief Justice, it
seems, has placed the Government, in order
to exclude the negro from certain privileges,
and to give certain other very Gear privil.
eges Ito the Democracy to the "ahen'' and
other "description of persons"
UNION.