Poor Men Not Citizens

Mr. Rayner, of K . C. prcsented fo Con■ gress a ininority report of the committce on Commorce prcsptcting the imprisonment of colored seamen in Soutlicrn ports'. Ho deniesthut negroos are chizons of any of t lic Stutes, within the meaning of the Constitution. lic says: No.one can, in "ïbe correct spn?e of the term, be a citizen of the State, who is not entled, npon the terms presirbed by ihe intentions of the State, to all the rights and privileges conferred by tliese institutions upon the highest class of society." lie says tliat tlie free negroos of Massachusettsarenct elected to the Legislaturc, and therefore tliey have no ageney m making the laws. They do nol eerve as judges or jurors: therefore they do not administer he lasvs.- thcy are not enrolled in the'militia; therefore they ore not the defenders of the State. In reply to the objection that they are consti'tutionally digiblc to every State office, he.contends this only mákes his case tlie stronken "If, in the at)?ence of all prohibition, public opinión still exclndes tliem frorn olí places of honor and trust, it only proves the degradution of their condition, and that although thcy may not be thoorelically, yet they are practical !y, exoluded from th,eir privileges of citizenship. How then can tbey be ca'led citizens, unless the term citizen nerely means one who is entitled to the prolection of the law,so far as bis personal security is concerncd. And this the slaves of thé Söulh possoss." Wliat miserable sophistry is this, to be inserted in a Congressional Report! None are deemcd to be legal ly citizens by Mr. Rn yner unless thal they havo all the privileges of the finst class of society. It follows that in all those Stni.es wherea property qualification is rcqtiired of voters, those who sre so poorthat they cannot vote, are not recognized as citizens by the nationnl Consiitulion. Their righls wcre passed over in dignified silence l Previous to the alteration of the State Constitution of Rhode Island, nearlv onclinlf her cilizens - no - we stuud corrected by Mr. Rayner- one half of her male persons over 21 ycars of age, wore of this class. Half the men of Rhode Island might lme been irnprisoned in the" Charleston juils.and the C'onstitutional guarentee to "citizens" would not reach their case. What a beautiful doctrine is this"? Do not wovkingmen oí the North grcatly amdireit? Jt behoves those who do not belong to W:n hjghnt chss oj society" to examine it carefully.