Chief Judge Daniels said:
"There is not, it is believed, to be found in the theories of
writers on government, or in any actual experiment heretofore
tried, an exposition of the term citizen, which has not been
considered as conferring the actual possession and enjoyment of the
perfect right of acquisition and enjoyment of an entire equality of
privileges, civil and political."
Associate Justice Taney said:
"The words 'people of the United States,' and 'citizens,' are
synonymous terms, and mean the same thing. They both describe the
political body, who, according to our republican institutions, form
the sovereignty, and who hold the power and conduct the government,
through their representatives. They are what we familiarly call the
sovereign people, and every citizen is one of this people, and a
constituent member of this sovereignty."
Thus does Judge Taney's decision, which was such a terrible ban to the
black man, while he was a slave, now, that he is a person, no longer
property, pronounce him a citizen, possessed of an entire equality of
privileges, civil and political. And not only the black man, but the
black woman, and all women as well.
And it was not until after the abolition of slavery, by which the
negroes became free men, hence citizens, that the United States
Attorney, General Bates, rendered a contrary opinion.
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