The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-04-17
What are the Rights of a Citizen of the
United States?

In the case from Louisiana which was
noticed in yesterdays Di$patch (tIlc butchers
clsc) the supreme Court Of the United States
pronounced an opinion which is likely to
attract tue attention of every intelligent man
in the country, Us well is that Of many a
negro who has hitherto pridcd himself upon
his Federal citizenship; for nearly every
negro is utterly destitute of State pride and
clories in having strong government ut
Washington. The Supreme Court itself, in
delivering its opinion, asserted that that
opinion involved "the decision OF questions
more far-reaching and pervading in their
consequences, more profoundly interesting to
the people of this country. and more i'm.
Dortant in their bearing upon the relations OF
the United States andIof the several States to
each other, and the citizens of the States and
of the United States, than have been before
the Supreme Court during the official life of
any of its present MEMBERS Now, let lis
see what the court alluded to:
1t is not important to know why or in
decided. Yet it may not be amisS to repeat
that the suits arose out OF the efforts of the
butchers OF New Orleans to resist the Cres-
cent City Livestock Landing and Slaughter
house Company in the exercise of certain
powers conferred by the charter which ere
ated it, and which was granted By the Lcgis.
lature of that State, and were all decided by
the Supreme Court Of Louisiana in favor of
Court of the United States affirmed the de-
ci>ion Of The Louisiana court.
The record shows that the butchers relied
upon aud asserted throughout the entire
course of the litigation in the State courts
| that the grant OF privileges in the charter of
Slaughtcr-houSc Company, which they were
| contrasting, wa, violation of the most im-
portant provisions of the thirteenth and four
tecnth articles of amendment of the Constitu.
ton of the United States.
This of course gave the Supreme Court
| jurisdiction. Let us repeat, however, that
| it is not this case, nor the butchers, nor any,
body else than the negroes, that weare think
ing OF in connection with the case. 1t does
not matter TO lis what the State law required,
| nor what the plaintiffs in error complained
OF. We wish merely to let our readers un-
dcrstand what their rights are as citizens of
| the United States.
The court says that because of the peculiar
condition in which the war left the negro
! the necessary States ratified the Fifteenth
Amendment, which declares that " the right
of citizens of the United States to vote shall
not be denied or abridged by the United
| States, or by any State, on account OF race,
color, or previous condition of servitudc."
The negro having, by the Fourteenth AR
| ticle, been declared citizen Of the United
States, is thus made voter in every State
of the Union. Tue court adds that the pur-
pose of all the amendments WAS
The freedom of the slave race The security and
firm rsnbll hmcHt of that freedom. md the protcr-
| ti"h OF the ne"ly-inade freeman and citizen from
the oppression Of those who had ful ncry exercised
unlimited domiuion over him. II Is true thar uuly
The Flfttcuth Amendment In terms mentions the
negro race by speaking Of his color and his slavery
bul IL Is Just AS ,rue thai each of The other articles
was addressed To the grievances OF tsl race and de-
signed To tiDedy them rs the Fifteenth.
III oiher rights are a>sllcd by the Suites which
prorrl! and necessarily ta,l wtiLiE the protection
OF theSe ARTICLES, that protection will apply though
the party Interested may not he of African descent
bat what we 40 GAY, ana what wish to tlave
uhCtr TODD, Is that In any fair und sl
VI ANY sssslon or phrase Of these amendments Il ID