Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-11

told, and there is not chapter of it We would
not be glad TO copy for eur readers. Oul llm-
It's, this week, however will not permit, although
We may al some future day make some extracts
from the book.
Speech Of Senator Trumbuii Oh
the Veto.
Nj. President | fully share Nth the Pres
dent of the United States in the regret ex
pressed that he was unable TO sign he bill TO
project al. persons In the United States in their
civil rights, and secure the means OF their vim
dcatIOn. | regret it on my own account, be
cause he Just expectations raised when this bill
presented TO the President, before its intro
ducton into the Senate, have been disappointed.
| regret ii on the Presidents account, because
It is calculated 10 ALLEVIATE him from those who Ell
eyated him to power, and would glad, have raj
he'd around him and bis administration 70 sustain
him in the principles upon which he was elect
ed. But above all, sir, regret It for liberty :
sake, To secure which 10 ourseiye, and our pos
terity, his government was founded. Yet If
the oil Is unconstitutional, Or unjust 10 the
whole people, | would not have had the presl-
dent approve II. That the principles not
unjust 70 the whole, or any portion OF the peo-
pie, nor UNCONSTITUTIONAL, | shall endeayor u
STOW by candid and dispassionste examination
OF the Presidents various objections.
He begins these objections with the very
first lines Of the bill, which declares that " All
persons born in the United States and not sub
Ject to any foreign power, excluding Indians
not taxed, are citizens OF the United States
The Oil orig lnally introduced dId not contain
tails provision. IL was believed by myself and
many others that all native born persons since
the abolition of slavery were citizens of the
United States. This the opinion OF Mr..
Bates, the Attorney OeLer4l during Mr. Lin
Gins administration, the opinion adopted by
his administration and acted upon since 10y all
departments OF The executive government, IN
Guiding the Secretary uf State, who mas issued
passports to persons of color, recognizing them
IS citizens. 1t was the opinion expressed by
Mr.. Marsh when Secretary of State that all
persous oorn IN the United States were citizens
OF the United Staies-not referring of course
10 slaves s-.lavery at TINT time existing in the
country. he President does not object TO
this declaration IN the bill as unconstitutional l.,
and he does, however, say that /, does not
purport To declare or confer any other right OF
citizenship than federal citizenship. 1t does
not purport 10 give these classes of persons any
status citizens of states, except that which
may result from their status as citizens OF the
| United States. Inc power 10 confer the right
OF state citizenship IS Just exclusively with
the several states as the powers TO confer the
right of federal citizenship is with Congress.
| W ali Know that state has authority to
make Citlzen OF the United States. The Con-
stitulon of the United States vests in Congress
the sole power of naturalization, and !; may
make ciuzen of foreigner but is il true that
when person becomes citizen OF the United
States he IS not also citizen OF every state
where he may happen 10 be? On this point
vii refer 10 a decision pronounced by the Su-
preme Court oi the United States, delivered
| Oy Chief Justice Marshall, the most eminent
Jurist VINO ever sat upon an American bench.
| In the case of Gaseieyes, Baleua, reported in
Sixth Peters, the Chief Justice, in delivering
The opinion OF the court, says The detenl ant
in error IS alleged in the proceedings to be a
cltlzen ct the United States, naturalzed in
Louisiana, residing there" This is equivalent
to an ayerment that he is citizen of that state
n citizen OF the United States, residing in any
state OF the Union, is a citizen of that state
Inc President next tells that the right o
| federal citizenship thus TO be conferred on the
| several excepted races before mentioned is now
! Tor the inst time propos, to be given by law
Tins is not mlsapprehension of the law, but
| a mistake IN fact, as will appear by reference to
which 1 shall call the attention of the Senate
and when will show that the Presidents facts
are as bad as bis law. Here Mr.. Trumbul
read extracts from Wheatun's InterLationa
Law, showing that by various ueasies, resolu.
tlons and acts OF Congress, Frenchmen and
Spanlards, Mexlcans and Indians, have at var
Gus times been made citizens of the United
States, and among them some of the person.
mentioned in the bill
AM yet said Mr. Trun,nnii th. kIras,a ~,
tells US that the right OF federal citizenship i,
now for the first time proposed to b. given by
| law. Z" if''-says the President-'' as i.
claimed bY many, all persons who native
born already are by virtue Of the Constitution
citizens of the United States, the passage of the
pending bill cannot be necessary to make the N
SUCH" That is true. But is the President to
learn now for the first time that rule, to be
found in the very horn books of the law tha,
an act declaring what the law is, is one of the
most common of acts passed by the Legislative
bodies When there is any question as to
what the Jaw is, and for greater certainty, it is
the most common thing IN the world to pass a
statute declaring it. My opinion is !; such was
the opinion of the Attorney Gene raj such was
the opinion of the President and Secretary o
State such was the opinion of MIR. Lincoln's
administration in all its departments such
believe to be the prevailing opinion in the Uni
ted SIates-that ali native born persons, no,
subject to foreign power, are, by virtue o
their being 80, citizens of the United States
Some dispute this, and therefore, certainly, i,
is proper to pass the law and the fac, of it.
being declaratory law is not made reason
for disappearing it by President. But if suct
is not the law, says the President, =" the grav.
question presents itself whether, when clever
! of the thirty-six states are unrepresented IL
Congress at the present time. 1t is sound polio!
to make our entire colored population, and al
other excepted classes, citizens OF the United
States" This is standing objection in all th'
veto messages of the President-not urged, i
seems, against all bills, (for the President tell
US in this message that he has signed some fort,
bills.) 1t is general objection which he make
applica BILE alike to all bills and if there is any
thing in it no bill can pass the Congress of tn
United States till these states represented
here. Sir, whose fault is it that eleven state
are not represented? BY what fault of their
is it that twenty-five loyal states, which hav
+ stood by the Union and by the Constitution
are TO be deprived of their right to legislatio
if the reason assigned is good one? Nov,