Speech #550168141

United States the same principles were reaffirmed. and were applied to a Chinese person. born in China. who had acquired a commercial domicile in the United States. and who. having voluntarily left the country on a temporary visit to China. and with the intention of returning to and continuing his residence in this country. claimed the right under a statute or treaty to reenter it. and the distinction between the right of an alien to the protection of the Constitution and laws of the United States for his person and property while within the jurisdiction thereof. and his claim of a right to reenter the United States. after a visit to his native land. was expressed by the court as follows: "He is none the less an alien because of his having a commercial domicile in this country. While he lawfully remains here. he is entitled to the benefit of the guarantees of life. liberty. andproperty. secured by the Constitution to all persons. of whatever race. within the jurisdiction of the United States. His personal rights"-That is. the aliens"when he is in this country. and such of his property as is here during his absence. are as fully protected by the supreme law of the land as if he were a native or naturalized citizen of the United States." Blackstone lays down that great principle of AngloSaxon: progress that one of the first attributes of personal liberty is the right of locomotion from one part of the domain to another. And upon original principles. as well as Ajmerican authority. it is fairly deducible that whenever we take the Filipinos under our jurisdiction the Supreme Court will hold that it is beyond the power of Congress to prevent them from passing between different parts of the territory of the United States. That has been the common construction of our Constitution for the last one hundred years.