The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-30
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT FOUR-
TENTH AMENDMENT DECISION

| WASHINGTON, March 29-Supreme Court
No. 1872 Minor vs.. Hsff.rsat Error to the
Supreme Court of Missouri This is the case
presenting the question whether under the
fourteenth Amendment a woman who is a
citizen OF the United States, and Of /. State.
is voter in the State Notwithstanding the
provision of the constitution and laws Of that
State contine the right Of suffrage to men
alone.
1t is said that women are citizens; they are
persons, and therefore, under tao Fourteenth
Amendment, declared 10 10 citizen. OF ths
State wherein they reside; but it did not r.
qulre that amendment to make them such
They were, before, persons and people, ana
We're not Ill terms excluded from citizenshie
by the Constitution. The Federal Constita-
ton was ordained by the people Of the
United States, composed Of the several States.
and whoever at the time OF its adoption wa
one OF the people, became a ctiz0n All
children born OF citizen parents within the
jurisdiction, are themselves citizens.
The naturalization laws are reviewed to
show that women have always been consid
cred citizens the same rs men; also, the laws
giving jurisdiction in Federal cases. It ia
then SAID the Fourteenth Amendment did not
affect the citizenship of women any more than
did Of men, and thus minors rights do not
depend upon it. She has always been citi-
zen from her birth, entitled to all the privi-
leSes, lmmunltles, etc., of citizenship. The
amendment prohibits the State in which she
lives from abridging any Of those rights.
The right OF suffrage is not made in terms
one OF the privileges OF the citizen The
United States has nc voters and 40 one can
vote for Federal without being competent to
vote tor State officers. The elective officers
OF the United States are chosen directly or in
directly by the voters Of the States. The
amendment did not add to the PRIVILEGES or
lmmunltIes OF the citizen; it simpy furnished
additional guaranty for the protection of such
as he already had. Nor is the risht OF suf
frage coextensive with the citizenship Of the
States.
When the Federal Constitution was aseet-
ed, all the States but Rhode Island lad C.n
sn'utlons OF their own, in not one Of which
were ail the citizens recognized as entitled to
this right. and under all these circumstances
IT canuot be for moment doubted that if it
n "a been intended to make all citizens of the
United States voters tho trainers of the
Constitution would have so expressed that
intention, and not haveslett so important a
chan9e IN the condition of citizenship AS il
existed then to implication, but if further
evidence IS needed, it is to be found IN other
provisions of the Constitution.
II suffrage IS necessarily part Of citizen.
snip, then that provision Of the Constitution
rt'N' tAiS 1itiLcuS vi Clcn State all tho
privileges and llnmnni.les of citizens in the
sew raj States, would entitle the citizens of
each State to the light to vote ia the several
States, precisely as the citizens of those
cttteS. There are other provisions. AMONG
them that relating to the apportionrnent of
to the etme point: but sin
l9aln, alter the adoption Of the Fourteenth
Amendment, it was found necessary TO use
n the Fifteenth Amendment the following
language:
The rsht Of citizens II the United Ssates
Q vote shall not be denied or abridged bv the
nlted States, or by any Safe on aceoun. Of
ace, color or previous condition Of seryitude
The fourteenth had provided against .nv
tbrdgemsnt Of the privileges or imrpnrtits
u CITIZENS, and il the right Of suffrage j. one
If them why amend the Constitution farther
o prevent its being denied On account nj
ace, color, etc. The duty Of the United
states to guarantee to the State. rennhlican
orm OF government il discharged in protecting
heae governments, which were reco,nized as
'elng republican il form by the Constitution
When adopted
Inc governments Of the States b.ino tL.
excepted, 1t must be assumed tina. tb., A..
och as are to be guaranteed. The .dDai.-
ION OF new States is then considered and !.
. found that there is nothing to favor tho
dea that suffrage is a right of citizenship bn.
verything to repel it. Also, the restorason
u the States to the Union after the war r.one
them having provided for female suffrage
eC0NTINCEb ON krcsrv p1o-