, 1862-12-30
Can CO1ored Persons be Git
SZenS~

The important opinion Of Attorney Cen
,ra1 Bates on the question whether colored
persons can he citizens Of the United States,
written in reply to an official inquiry Of Sec
rctary Chase, predicated on tho detention OF
the schooner Elizabeth and Margaret by the
revenue cutter, because commanded by col |
orcd nan, covers twenty seven pages, and
argues the question with signal ability from |
the beginning Of our national history to the |
present time, orerturning completely the Drcd |
Scott decision. He saysas to voting and hold
ing Office, as that privilege is not essential |
10 citizenship, so the deprivation Of it By
law is not deprivation Of citizenship, no
more so in case of q negro than in the case Of
a white woman OF child; also, that, so fur as
the Constitution is cnno~.1Aota, IL l., q ,nhsa
assumption to say colored persons are incapa-
BILE of being citizens Of the United States,
because the Constitution contains not one
word Oh the subject. The exclusion, if it ex-
lists at all must rest upon some fundamental
priucip1e which, in the nature Of things, is 50
Inconsistent with citizenship that the two can
not exist in the same person. On the contrary
there is not, and never has been, a nation>in
Christcndom which does not regard such an
idea with hincredulity, if not disgust. There
can be nothing in the mere color to disqualify
a person from rendering true allegiance to his
native country, and demanding protection
from that country where true allegiance and
protection constitute the sum total Of the iu-
ties and rights of natural born citizens Of the
United States. As to the alleged degradation
Of the African race, every argument against
the right Of citizenship, based on that, applies
eQuallyto degraded individuals Of the white
race, and concludes as follows: And now
upon the whole matter, ! give it as my opin-
ion that the free man Of color mentioned in
your letter, if born in the United States, is
citizen Of the United States, and if otherwise
qualified, is competent, according to the acts
Of Congress, to be master Of vessel en-
gagged in the coasting trade.
The wounded Soldiers. Christmas
Dinner.
Nowhere else in the world than in America
could have been seen the sight which has
made this holiday in Washington remarkable
and memorable-the banqueting Of 5000
wounded and sick soldiers upon a Christmas
dinner, spread BY the hands Of individual
bencyolence.
Tables were set and abundantlY and e1e-
gant1y covered in the largest wards Of the diff
ferent hospitals. The rooms were ornament
ed by volunteer hands with eyergreens and
flowers. Volunteer walters, gentlemen and
ladies Of the first families in the land, tender
II and deyotedly served tile wounded war
riors in every hospital, waiting first on those
too much injured to he moved to the table
The feasting Of this army Of wounded thus
hunored and cared for was touching sight.
To make the festive occasion complete In
most Of the hospitals, hired or volunteer sing
CTS sang songs Of home and Of country in
others, members Of Congress and Cabinet
officers made speeches happily 1T to tho oeca.
sion, and moved socially among the tables.
In one or two the President found time tc
bring excitement and sunshine with him
| among the bandaged and becrutched reye1crs
Over 1000 turkeys and chickens were con
sumcd at this novel Christmas dinner.
This immense amount Of poultry CAME most
~ from Maryland and Pennsylyania, but fou1
carloads Of it came all the way from Chicago
Three hundred turkeys, sent from cver~gcn
erous Albany, came cooked and ready for th'
| tah1p