The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-08

The entire interest Of Congress was cen
tered in the Senate on the 4th INST, the moor
being occupied for nearly two hours and
balfby Senator Trumbull in review of the
Presidents late veto message, and in support
of the Civil Rights Bill. The speech is con
sdered by everybody 70 be one of the few
great speeches of recent years, and is COM
mented upon by members of all political
views as masterpiece of clear and concise
logic The opening and concluding por-
tons, embracing the chief points, are as fol-
lows:
SENATOR TRuMBuLLs SPEECH.
Mr. 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 means for
their vindication. | regret on my own ac-
count. because of the disappointment OF the
Just expectation raised when this bill was
presented to the President, before its intro
duction to the Senate. | regret it on the
Presidents account. because it is calculated
10 ALLEVIATE him from those who elevated
him to power. and who gladly have rallied
the principles upon which he elected
But above all. sir regret it for liberty S
sake. to secure which to ourselves and our
poSteritv this Government was founded. But
If the bill is unconstitutional. is unjust to the
whole people. | would not have had the
President sign it. That its provisions are
not unjust to the whole or any portion of the
people, and not unconstitutional, / shall en-
deavor to show by calm and dispasslonate
review and examination OF the President 5
various objections He begins these objec
tions with the very first lines Of the bill,
which declare that all persons born in the
United States, not subject to any foreign
power, except Indians not taxed, are declar-
ed to be citizens of the United States The
bill, as originally introduced, did not contain
this provision. 1t was believed by myself,
and many others. that all native born per-
sons. since the abolition of slavery. were cit-
zens Of the United States. This was the
opinion, the official opinion, Of Mr. Bates,
the Attorney General of Mr.. Lincon's Nd
ministration; the opinion adopted by his
Administration. and acted upon since by all
the Departments Of the Executive Govern
ment, including the Secretary of State. who
has issued passports to persons of color,
recognizing them as citizens 1t was the
opirion of Mr. Marcy, when Secretary Of
State, that all persons born in the United
States were citizens of the United States, not
referring, OF course, to slaves-slavery at tba,
time existing in the country. The President
does not objec; to the declaration in the bill
as UNCONSTITUTIONAL he does, however, say
that it does not purport to declare or confer
any other right Of citizenship than Federal
citizenship. II does not purport. he says, to
give those classes of persons any status as
citizens of States except that which may re
suit from their status rs cilizens of the United
States The power he adds, ito confer the
right or State citizenship is just as exclusively
with the several States, as the power to de-
clare the right to Federal citizenship is with
Congress.
Now, sir. we all know that no State has the
authority to make citizen of the United
States 'rhe Constitution of the Uuited States
veSts with Congress the sole power of natural
ization, and 1t may make citizen of for
eigner but no State can make u cit zen Of the
United States OF foreigner but it is not
true. sir that when a person becomes a. cti-
zen the United States, that he is not also a
citizen Of the State wherein he may be re-
siding On this point will refer to deci-
sion pronounced By the Supreme Court of
the United States, delivered by Chief Justice
Marshall, the most eminent .Iurist who ever
sat upon the American bench. The Conrt
SAYS: 1.-The defendant in error alleged in
the proceedings to be a citizen OF the United
States. nataraized as in Louisiana. and re-
siding there. This is equivalent TO an aver
ment. that he is citizen of that State
This was the only point in the case. lhis is
the opinion OF the highest tribunal in the
country, pronounced by the most eminent
man who ever sat upon the bench in America;
but. sir, unless this authority is to be disre
garded, the President Of the United States is
mistaken in his law. 1t Is not true that when
a man is made u citizen of the United States
he is not 81 citizen of every State.
The President next alleges that the right o
Federal citizenship thus 10 be conferred in
the several excepted races before mentioned
is now, for the first time, proposed to be
given by law. Now, sir, this is mistake
no. of the law, but misapprehension q
fact; and it will appear by the reference te
which shall call the attention of the Senate
in a moment that the Presidents facts arc
as bad rs his law There have been in the
United States several cases of collective
naturalization by the annexation of Terrific
ries By the third article Of the Convention
Of April ~. 1909, with France, in the cessor
Of louisiana il is provided that the inhabi
tants OF the celed Territories, to be incorpo
rated in the United States. should be admit
ted as soon rs possible. according to the prln
ciples of the Federal Constitution. to the en-
loyment OF the rights, privileges and immuni
ties of the citizens of the United States. 4
provision to tile same effect is to be found IL
the sixth article OF the treaty with Spain TO
the purchase Of Florida and by the eight
article Of the treaty of 1913. with Mexico
also. by the annexation of Texas under
resolution of Congress of March, 1915. in it
admission into the Union on an equal footln!
with the other States. Collective naturaiza
ton. saws the authority from which quote
may also take the place of class of person
natives of the country or otherwise-who
without any act on the part Of the individ
uals. may be made citizens OF the Unite'
States
1t is incorrect to suppose that aliens, q
opposed To citizens, implies foreigners as res
peet the country. Indians are subjects Of th
Cnited States, but they are not. therefore
cltizens. or can they become citizens, unde
the existing naturalization laws; but the
may he citizens by some competent act OF tn
6enerai government. by treaty or otherwise
by these various treaties, resolutions ant
acts q Congress, 1t viii be observed tha
Frenchmen, Span'ards. Mexcans and Indian
have all been made citizens of the Unite,
Siates-some OF the very classes spoken o
in the bill-and yet the President teils ne tba
this rightl OF Federal ci,izenship-as i
there was such thing as Federal ci,;zensb,,
as contra-dstnguished from State Citizenship
he tells us that it is now for the frst tin,
proposed to be given by law s'if. saws th
President sas is claimed by many, all per
sons who are native born are by virtue of tn
Constitution. citizens of the United States
the passage Of the impending bill cannot b
necessary TO make them such Well. nov
this is rrue. hut is The President to leart