Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-07-27
VVhotD Doe. CltIrenshIp Confer?

gave strong appreciation 10 the Constitu-
tlonaI Amendment that Congress has sub
mitted to the respective States for ratitica-
'tion. wherein full and complete citizenship
is conferred on the Negro, denied that it
made him voter, and took Hon. JOSEPH
E. MCDONALD to task for having claimed
that It does do so. Itcertainly follows that
II q Negro Is, by the Constitution. declared
to be as much of a citizen as White man,
and that none oi the rights and immunities
thus conferred can'be abridged by any Of
the States, he is a voter as much as q White
man. At Bloomington, Indiana, Mr.. Nc
DONALD made q speech ON the 2lst, where;
In he discussed this question thus :ld h,7il
The first section Of the proposed amend
ment declares that all persons born or
naturalized in the United States, and sub
ject to the Jurisdiction thereof, are citizens
Of the United States and Of the State where
In they reside No State shall make or en-
force any laws which shall abridge the
privileges or imnuhities OF citizens Of the
fTnit nitad States. w lds7J1lT&'f asHiit *ffF@
7 A 4 citizen, according to Aristotle, "ls one
who Is q partner In the legislative and ju-
dicial power of the country I' ..A va
BOWLER haysN" q citizen isone who under
the Consultation and laws Of the United
States has right to vote for Represents
tives in Congress and other public officers,
and who is qualified to fill offices In the gilt
Of the people. i.'.n. ''.2 - a, .a.,
son native or naturalized, whohas the priv
ilege Of exercising the elective franchise,
:. ,,tktAh at,oknIo him m
vote for rulers and to purchase and hold
real estate" 's' Ai'i
These definitions are sustained by the
judicial decisions Of many Of the States, and
by the Supreme Court Of the United
States.
But, says Governor Morton, with an air Of
triumph, women and children are citizens,
and yet they do not votel 70 that l an
swer: Under the Constitution as it now
stands Tin a general sense), white women
and white chi dren are. But black women
and black children are not. II, however,
yot adopt the proposed amendment, you
confer the same rights upon negro wO-
men that are now enjoyed by white wo-
men, and upon negro children the same
rights white children have, and upon ne
gro men the same rights that can be claim
ed for white men, and no distinction eau
any longer be made on account OF color
or race, for the rights of citizen-
shin. both State and National, with
all the concomitant rights and immuni-
ties belonging thereto, are conferred
upon the negro race to the same extent that
they are now enjoyed by the white race,and
secured by the same constitutional guaran-
tees. 1t is claimed by Governor Morton
that because the States now regulate the
elective franchise, and that power Is not d.
rectly taken away by the proposed amend
ments, that after their adoption the States
may still prohibit negroes from voting or
holding office. To this answer, that un-
der the Constitution, as 1t now stands,
States may not only regulate the elective
franchise, but each State may for itself de-
teriline who may become citizens thereof,
and on what terms. In the exercise Of
this right, Indiana adopted the Thirteenth
Article of her Constitution, aided, l have
no doubt, by the vote of Governor Morton,
by which she In effect declared that negroes
should not acquire the rights OF citizenship
here; but the proposed amendment declares
that all persons born in the United states,
without regard to race or color shall ibe
citizens, not only Of the United States, but
of the State in which they reside, and at
once takes away from the States the power
blCN IlOW pOoNCooN VI ShOhAoSANOo
against the settlement within their limits
OF such classes as they may deem detri-
mental to them, and while State may still
prescribe term of residence for persons
coming into and settling within its limits,
the rule under the amendment must APP
ply to whites and blacks alike. so OF
the elective franchise, or any other
privilege Of citizenship; for, being alike
citizens Of the States wherein they reside
with their white fellow citizens, the negro
could not be kept from the polls by any
State law which did not, on the same terms
and conditions, keep the white man away.
The States might stiil, no doubt, prescribe
qualifications for voters, such ag properly
or education, but every citizen, white or
black, who possessed those qualifications,
would be entitled to vote. 70 State could
any longer say that none should vote but,
white male citizens over lineage of twenty
one years, for such a law would ''abridgel
the privileges and immunitles ofeitizens Of
the United States.p One Of the clauses Of
the Bill of Rights In our State Constitution,
declares that "The General Assembly shall
not grant any citizen, or class OF citizens
privileges or immunities which, upon the
same terms, shall not equally belong to all
citizens.1 Now, will any one say, II the
upon negroes born. in this. country, the,
right of citizenship. not only Of the United
States, but of the State wherein they reside,
that every native born negro residing In
the State of Indiana would not be the poT,
litical equal of the white citizens of the
State? And being citizens Of the State,
what rights enjoyed by the white citizens
could, on account oftheir color be denied
TO them? u ,. s.od3 sg .i1s Jrlc
But SAYS Governor Morton, 'sas to what
constitutes citizenship in State depends
upon its Constitution and laws. The con-
ditions differ in different States" That is
true under the eConstitutionas 1t now stands,
but how unfair to argue that twill be so
still after the adoption of an amendment
by which It is declared that citizenshipJin
the United States and residence In State
shall constitute all such without regard to
local laws or State Constitutions citizens Of
such State. Again, the Governor asserts
that one may still be . citizen OF the UNI
ted States and not citizen Of any state,
That is true, for he may reside 10 Terri
tory: but what benefit is tOresult from this
save discovery Of Governor Morton's am
unable to see. Let him or his friends an
swer, this question. Under the proposed
amendment can man be Q citizen of the
United States and q resident OF State and
not be citizen of such State2 And can
any State law deprive any class Of persons
of such rights? .5Bni
But 1 Will not pursue this question any
further at this time. Other subjects demand
vour attention and mine, The purpose of
these amendments is plain; II Is To make
ali persons born in tliis country, without
regard TO race or color, t'equal before the
law.o It's to divide the power 70 govern
with four millions Of an inferior race, and
this is well known to the Republican lead