The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-02
Richmond, Va. Jan.

RICHMOND, Jan. 81, 1861.
GENTLEMEN: Your note submits to me the i'm
portant inquiry, whether the relation which the
naturalized citizen holds to the Federal Union, by
reason of his oath at the time of naturalization.
any native born cirzens And whether the one.
any more than the other. owes allegiance to the
United states-which would make his assent to an
act of secession by State improper unreasonable
and against his oath and obligation of allegiance?
feel no hesitation. In reply to your question,
lied, stand upon the same basis in their obiga-
lions to the Federal Union, and are, in all re-
known in this country as an oath Of allegiance 70
the Federal Government, or TO the United states,
by foreigners in order to ms becoming sl, nn
cant for naturalization, Is that he will support he
Constitution Of the United States; and that he doth
absolutely and entirely renounce and ab)ure all
allegiance and fidelity TO every foreign Prince Po-
tentate, state Sovereignty whatever, and par
ticulary by name, the Prince, Potentate. state or
Sovereignty, whereof he was before Il citizen or
subjec
he swears no allegiance to the Government oil the
United States. ,
tits true he swears to support the Constitution
Government Federal and State. But no one ever
swears aEegianee t- any Gorernment; virginia re-
dnres her officers to swear to be faithful and true to
the Commonwealth Of Tirgina but not to hold allie
The reason of this distinction is obvious 1t Is
| a cardinal doctrine OF our American system that
| all governments '.instituted the common
| benefit, protection and security of the people,
quate contrary to these purposes, majority Of
! the community hath an indubitable, inailenabie
and efeasible right to REFORM alter or abollsh
| it, in such manner as shall be judged most CON
ducive to the public -lBill OF Rights OF Nir-
ginia, Sd article.
the United States, declared further that the doe
trine of non resistance against arbitrary power
and oppression, is absurd slavish, aud destruct-
| i've to the good and happiness of mani kind"
| Every citizen Of Virginia, under these solemn
| declarations, made when she was estapi lsnlng
| her Ii hprty and inIppeDteQce. aud when she was
ratfying the Constitution, must feel that he owes
no allegiance to any man, or set OF men, VINO may
| be changed and the Governments themselves be
abolished if inconsistent with the well being OF
| In the oath to support the Constitution, which
| the naturalzed citizen has taken, he is not only
not bound to allegiance to the gnted states, pql
! violation by the Government of the United states
| The Government, in violating the Constitution,
| commits treason against the States which formed
| it. 1t cannot be treason then in the citizen to
overthrow those who traitorously violate Con
| stitution which he is sworn to support. On the
| contrary it is his duty, and if his oath has any
force in the matter, his scorH duty to AID MS state
in arresting the violation, and in maintaining the
Constitution against the usurpiDg Government,
which tramples upon IT. -,
But it is urged I am informed, that the natural
lied citizen is citizen Of the United States, and
not of Virginia. This is Il great error:
Every man in Virginia is citizen OF the United
States only because he is citizen OF tins state
| Congress has power to naturalize for each State
| a power which each State exercised prior to IN
| Constitution. congress now, as Zach Sidtc
done previously naturalized foreigners tor eaef
State and the result Is the same IN each case u
foreigner becomes citizen o. the STATE wner re IN
rallied citizen resident in the state citizen o
Virginia. M, ...
The Constitution provides, that "the citizens o
each State shall be entitled to all privileges an
immunities of citizens in the several states: :
Thus the citizen of each State becomes the citize
! of everv State. in regard to privilege and lmmu
nity-and may well be called citizen OF tines
| United States because he is a native natural
I'D cir nf n n
Nor have any doubt that every citizen support
the Constitution when he finds 1t NECESSARY to "a
| vor withdrawal of his State from Union which
| has violated the Constitution.
Each state is bound to the other States by tn
bargain of the Constitution. Each has the righ
| to Judge finally when the bargain has bee
broken. No State is bound by bargain broke q
by hg 9hsr To
| to support it. To withdraw from the Union to pro
tect the rights which Virginia has reserved IN
the Federal Government, is the only way to sup
port it left to the people Of the state. .,..,o
Virginia, when she adopted the Constitution
declared as part OF her act OF ratincati0n, IN,
whenever the powers granted by her to the Fed
era Union should be perverted to the injury and Of
PRESTON Of her people those powers might be resere
or a-ithdrap1 by her. That was the condition
! knew it and that condition is, to her, part
! the Constitution. Her right to withdraw, whe
her people are oppressed, is a part of the Const
, tuition Of the United States for her citizens nc
: can they doubt they support it when they sba
support her in the exercise Of right which it r.
served and secured to her Nor can 1t be treason
, them TO obey her, who created the Government
rather tnan the Government, which is only ht
creature And it would be treason to her to n
fuse to obey her sovereign voice, should il be d
A clared, for protecting her reserved rights und
the Constitution, by secession from Union whl'
2 violated them.
| | Virginia is one of community Of States, as eat
citizen Is of the community of this state \
one denies the right Of a citizen to withdraw fro
; Virginia, in case she should Cypress him. Eve
? | naturalized citizen has broken the bond OF h
former allegiance to secure his rights, violated
impaired in his native country, and his right to
. | so is recognized and protected by the FEEDER
n | Government The right of Virginia to sece'
r from the Union OF States Is as clear as, | thin
: | clearer than, the right of citizen to withdra
| ! from his native land. The right of secession
. | a State is, therefore, stronger than the right.
| expatriation by the citizen.
g regret the length of my letter, which tru
y | Won WI excuse, as | desired to meet the who
= difficulty presented by inquiry.
: am, very espec'y, your ob't servt,
a n. TrrCEEP