Speech #460009753

Under the I Dred Scott decision it was held by many that the United States had no citizens except those who were such through their quality as citizens of the several States. but now. under the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States. which has been accepted and promulgated and which the orators and leaders on this floor have declared they meant to accept. the citizens of the United States now are citizens of the United States by virtue of its Constitution. and citizens of the States because they are citizens of the United States. They are no longer citizens of the United States because they are citizens of the States. but they are now citizens of the United States by virtue of the organic law declared in this Constitution. which makes them citizens of this country wherever they are. and citizens of a State when they happen to reside in a State. because they are citizens of the United States. I read from the fourteenth amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States. and subject to thejurisdiction thereof. are citizens Of the United StatesAll persons coming within that described class are citizens of the United States. And what else?and of the State wherein they reside. They are citizens of the United States wherever they are. and citizens of the States. by virtue of their citizenship of the United States wherever they reside in a State.