The fourth section of this bill provides for equality in certain particulars where the equality of citizens is assailed. and not elsewhere. It is assailed or threatcued in many of the States of the Union. upon the ground that certain persons are of a particular race or of a particular color or have been subject in times past to the condition of slaves. Now. in order to protect those people against discriminations for these reasons. this provision of the bill contemplates that if they are qualified in other respects as the laws of the State require for other citizens. they shall not be excluded from the jurybox for these reasons. and. although there is not in the first section of the fourteenth article of amendmnt any reference to these conditions. there nevertheless is a de]aration which covers these conditions. and might cover and in fact does cover many other conditions: A1 persons born or naturalized in the U7nited States. and subject to thejurisdic. los thref. are citizens of the United States ad of this State wherein thoyresido. What does that phrase mean? It means. first and chiefly and preeminent. as the law of the land. that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States. and subject to the jurisdiction thereof. are citizens of the United States." That is the first great primal truth of the fourteenth amendment. and what is the first pivilege. right. immunity under that deelaration ? It is that they are citizens of the several States "wherein they reside." Therefore the leading doctrine of that provision of the Constitution is that all the persons described in it are citizens of the United States. and by virtue of their citizenship they are citizens of the State wherein they reside. That is Ihe first immunity.
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naturalized