Speech #860203490

It merely invests citizens of the United States with the constitutional right of exemption from discrimination in the enjoyment of the elective franchise on account of race. color. or previous condition of servitude. In a further portion of the opinion. namely. the part on pages 637 to 639. the Court had this to say: It is. however. strenuously insisted that the legislation under consideration finds its warrant in the 1st and 5th sections of the 14th amendment. The 1st section declares "all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States. nor shall any State deprive any person of life. liberty. or property. without due process of law. nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The fifth section declares "the Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this amendment." It is perfectly clear from the language of the first section that its purpose also was to place a restraint upon the action of the States. In SlaughterHouse cases (16 Wall. 36). it was held by the majority of the Court. speaking by Mr.