The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-04-13
Civil Sights 8iII,
GREAT SPEECH OF Mr.. TRUMBULL,
Thc Presidents Veto Ably Reviewed.
The Bin EIoquentIy Defended.


The review of the Presidents late veto
message. and the eloquent defense Of the
Civil Rights Bill, recently made in tho SEN
ate by Hon. LYMAN TRuMDUTI, is conceded
by members of all political views, to be one
Of the few great speeches of recent years,
and masterpiece of clear and concise
logic. The opening and concluding por.
tons, embracing the chief points, are as
follows:
TuE VETO REGRETTEp,
Mn. PRESIDENT : fully share with the
President OF the United States in the regret
expressed, that he is unable to sign the
bill to protect all persons in the United
States in their civil rights, and secure the
rights for their yindication. regret it, IN
my own account, because of the disappoint.
ment of the inst expectation raised when
this bill was presented to the President,
before its introduction to the Senate, re.
gret it on the Presidents account, because
il is calculated to alionate him from those
who elevated him to power, and who glad
y rallied around his administration to sus-
tain him in the principles upon which he
for libcrty's sake, to secure which to our.
selves and our posterity this Government
was founded but if the bill is unconsttu.
tional and is unjust TO the whole people,
would not have had the President sign it.
~us PRESIDENTS OBJECTIONS REVIEWED.
That its provisions are not unjust to the
whole or any portion ct the people, and not
unconstitutional, ! shall eudeavor to show
l.. 4 al
animation of the Presidents various objoc-
tons. He begins these objections with the
very first lines OF the bill, which declare
that all persons born in the United States
aud not subject to any foreign power, ex.
cept Indians not taxed, are declared citizens
of tie United States. The BILL as originally
introduced, did not contain this provision.
1t was believed by my self aud many others
that all native.born persons since the abo-
liton of slavery were citizens of the United
States. This was the opinion, the official
opinion, of Mr. Bates, the Attorney Gener-
al of Mr.. Lincoln administration the opin-
ion adopted by his administration and acted
upon since by all the Departments of the
Executive Government including the Sec
retary of State, who has issued passports to
persons of color, recognizing them as ell-
zcns. 1t was the opinion expressed by Mr.
Marcy, when Secretary of State, that oil
persons born in the United States were cit
izens of the United States, not referring of
course to slaves slavery at that time eX-
isting in tie country. Tho President does
not object to the declaration IN the bill as
unconstitutional. lie does, however, say
that it does not purpOrt 10 declare or colt
fer any other right Of citizenship than Fed
eral citizenship. 1t does not purport, he
says, TO give these classes of persons any
status as citizens of States. except that
which may result from their status as citi-
zeEs of the Unitod States. The power, he
adds, TO confer the right of Slate citizenship
is inst as exclusively with the several States
as the power to declare the right 20 Federal
citizenship is with Congress Now sir, we
all know that no State has the authority to
make citizen OF the United States. The
Constitution of the United States vests With
Congress the sole power OF naturalization,
and il may make citizen of foreigner,
but no State can make citizen OF the Uni
ted States Of foreigner.
But is il true, sir, that when person be-
comes a citizen Of the United States, he is
not also a citizen Of the State wherein he
may be residing? On this point will re-
Ter to a decision pronounced by the SUI
preine Court OF the United States delivered
by Chief Justice Marshal, the most eminent
inrist who ever sat upon the American
bench The Court SAYS the defendant in err
ror is alleged in the proceedings to be
citizen Of the United States, naturalized as
in Louisiana, ard residing there. This is
equal TO an averment that lie is a citizen of
that State A citizen Of tile Uuted States,
residing in any State Of the U ion, is a citi-
zen OF that State. This was the only point
in the case This was the opinion OF the
highest tribunal in the country, pronounced
by the most eminent man who ever sat mp
on the bench in America. But, SIR unless
this authority is to te disrosarded, the