~n the luprtmt 'oun gf the .uited Itatt~. OCTOBER TER~r" 1895.

THE l':SITI~f> ST.\TEl', AI'I'ELJ.A::ST, , r.. Xo. HO-J..

"o:s(; KDI AIU~, RESI>(I::Sf>E::ST, J

BHIEF OX HEIL\LJ

2

el~~~n of clti."u,,.llip in tklt n,'::.'Ill'C.'t, l'ontt'lllliug that ~\S the- n~llil)n~l~nt \\~ born or flli('., ji(u~ f,~, to wit, ~llbjects of' the Enlperur of ('bil ..... , he \\"3..-;: :It his birth a ~l1bject of

~ dniml"4'.l b~- tIt:lt mltioll to be ":Udl. mul tlu.'refore w::It$ not whl"n oorn u ~llbjl"lt to tbe juri::!oC.lil'tioll" of the UeitlNl St:.lte::: within tile m~wing mnl intl"llt of thl' ('.00-sthttuJl.ttion.

The di~trilt l"Omt. following no..; lx-ing :citll'f' (l''('i$;~ the mHing of Yr. Justil"e Fidd in tbe l'a."'C 01" 1.ook Tin Sillg (10 SQ'~'er, 35S), s\lStunl"l1 the d:lim of the l"l'spomlent, hel!d hlm to be :l dtizl'n by birth. and permittro him to bnl The questionl)n~lltt .. "(1 b~- this apIK"a1 ma~' be thus ::;;btl-d: IIII: fl pt:nroH' fxm. I(:;,M" tl., Gu"(n:l .... 1fll(.'( of alien p!I11N'NDIJIt.: dIf.llHHII;.:-il(,l t"Il"~;1I II r;fb'" t/It"'Cf!f b!J tlu' jfld (~,. /lis

6~! The aplk,U3Ilt maintains tbe nl"g:ltiw, and ill that breBmIf' a..,~.-res 38 error the ruling of the cli~trilt ('Ourt th::nt the ~-pondeDt is a n:lturnl-oom citizen, aUlI on that grownl holding him exempt from the pro\"i:-ioos of tbe Chlne5e exclusion act :wcl )lCrmitting him to land.

THE LAW.

We are aware that it i ... genel".lIl,Y 811ppo,oeci to be the bw that a )lCn;Qn bonl within the United Stat(';'. is ipJ

Plmft~ the iS8bjEri oW'e$ allegisnee to the king ro.d not !IQ~~IIa'.lliliw MriHf'tfl". fidel; a per.somd rela-tWma 101 fendll origin" ~le to tbe thl'Oretic.':t1 dh'ine

~bt: t.tl! Jmle" ~"'$t"rted b:r kings as the SOUI"l'l' UIld .ii~~':llt.- CJlf' their ll'o\-ereignty. The kiug therefore ~ JiiI.raIlII'fIII* J:mI";~r, tile go\'emment \\"~ paternal, and iot 1!II.~1lIm tIK- ~"subjl"f..'1:~" owed allegiance of a pe~mnl ~ ~iit" D::lmre. It \\"as tAal :ill.>giauC(' whid. con-sttiitt1lltllt.>ti ItM- ba.~ of the Q1l$i-political relation of king :md ,.,ouurt (A)" \". Onmlt':ll:ll: "" SlrafM.mry, ~ P. Wm..."J

l~-IJ)~ ::I1D1lql nut the .Itririne of o:.tio03li~"" This i:, wbat n..,. WdIIIIt hy writer.:;: on intl"m ... tiow law ",11(,11 thl'Y say .tt 1lBn-~ of II'tlhjl'cl: in Great Britian" re:,.1:s upon

.~\t'l=t~i:lrroD('("ptionoralll-giallC"l""" (W:.lker !OOIl ttBnil" $tilL-ott- of Int. Law~ 2.05.) .

I!Ill otther \ronl.""l, in....:tl"3d of thc. aUt>giaQ('l' arising from .. :r.I!tll!iJlHI* thc. bHl"r is m::td(' to :ari.. ..... from it, and thus we bi iillD tthf. (."t.'mmon law the Dle:lDiogl~ ... cloctrilll' tll3t an ::ull~1III diUt" lrithia tilE' ki"e,otlom is a :snbj(>f.t of tb~ King

(Kil"l~" 38). on the thOOl)" fllat tlat' laHt'r aith"l..:: him pMt:dUlOID,. :and th:it on thl" ::'3D11" tht'o~" tilt' ("hiM of such :m ::nlliiEe'D ~e:s a mturnl-bom :subjl"ct. ,,-(" Sl~' such a dwri.rillllil" i8 D!l"3Diog1~ ..... becaa--e it l"DtinI~ .. i~non':' and is

"..WB~-:a1l nan..mre with thl" prill.oi._I. of D:ltioll .. tlity. TnIKf'" nit i:.. ("IOIJIbob."'1lt"nt witb till" "IM~ldiar c:'(Jm"l"J)tion of :21ll1llf~"' :a&llO\'e n-fer'l'l.'d to. an.1 3.'" (}(-6nl'(1 L~ .. Black-Str/Jlllll(f'. dJapttf'1l' ]0. hook I. ,,,,hen" lu!' Sl~''': "Allel"PiaDcc i:;. ttJIni. til"" Oil' li!?f'I~I/lI"'nM. ,dl!(h bind . ..:: till" :;:Ill~('(t to the

~, 5l1li mum fhll'that prot('(-hm. ,,"hid. the king afforos ~H~. Imtt ":'luoh a dl~nl" a,. that, applying as it

,: . , i " I ,,~ .~

docs with equal reason aud with equal force to aliens 'thin the realm as well as to their children born tbere,

lYl 'd f 1 ' __ 1 is elltireh" foreign to the fundamental 1 en 0 a po 1~CUJ. status e~pre~i\"e of nationality; and when ,,:e cOIl:lder t,he fuet that the monarchical d()gma of allegJan'!c IS at the basis of the doctrill(>, its total uufitne.'lln:-:, :llil'll" as well a:-: :-:uhjeet:-:. III tIle one ea"e It was terlllc.cl/o("ul :md in the other mIl II ral. It 0p

6

~g~~tl'd thel'QlQlUool:l\\'3od themmwdlieal ~p Qf f~ty til) the Kiog was of oontrollillg furoe. n~ \ie~ ISft' folly mpported by the t"eIebrated ease or

(}'t,rjJJtIilJj~ ~Ed in ,;'Olume '7 of WM Coke's Rel)()rts, or ~ ~ it is; Iil:li(l in a note to 1 B:allam's Constitu-

~ H~~~ of Engiod. page 418: lit --:r be-~n-~ tha~ t~e high-ft~ing c:reed or

p!N'lNpti\"t" InIngled Itself IDtilD3teh; 'nth tins toeS-- Qf -tumliZ:ltion whieh '\"3$ much anrued on I!k- ~m.I prineiple of pe~ aUeiiance to

~ ~noMg1l :1$ ~ppN.'d to the balf-republican ~;y tb:at-lurked m the ('OUir.uy pn.l~ition.

It mllltiot be ",ery ::lpp::areot IMt the ('OmOlOn Jaw loclrine i;; ~ttimBlIy and p."mli::t.rl~. feud:al and DIOD:lrcbicoal, and ~fOI~ foreign to republi(:,lD ilL ... -titUtiOlL". wbl're the

~\"It'~'"'1l11ty or the Sbte re:o:id~ iu tile p."Oplt and each ri~ i:;;. :s oompmlt!'ot lart of that ~,c.reigntJo. I t must be- ~mBJy :spparent that the oommon law doetrinl' could ~ iIJIfi' thE' ~ of :1 gt"1k"r:d l,nndl,le of intl'nmtional b"," _ nt toblly di".-ng.ml. .. the "..tttu. .. of D:ltionalitv, and ~y:l ft"fE'ft"oCE' to thl' jll"" 9t'lMliulII "ill p~"e its ~pJle to IlJl" fimd:unent:.dIJo 0PICN'd to tbl' cioctrine of ~Olll bw. which :dtl'r:dl is hut:l municipal ~.-tem off' jtmrri;;pmtll"IIIn"_

Spemo:g of' th~ opposing mll"$, W(":l;'tlak(" in his ~ IOI1IlI iintem::ariou:d b.w. at page :12:1, SlJo'S:

t:'~ortun:J.b!oly tb~ rul~ an" fur fmm being the :,;;mne DIll :all c."OUutn~ Thl'Jo' n,,, .. lIt almo:.'t ewry-."Ire from a ndd!iet between thf' fc.u(lal prin

s

e:;.~all~ tlid '~l' of tilt.' United St-.. tes solenlDl~' repndi-Ide- it 3$ being "iut .. on.....istent with tbe rnndamentnl prin-eip!~ m the Rl'publie.. (Re",. Stat., sec.'. 1999,) In

th~ reJ"ltiug till' ootur..J Md di~1ingui8hiug attribute of the t'OOlwon-L"lw doc.1rine, to wit, tIlnt of lK"n;olml 311

10

~ ::mti~l_tetl notion of the common law, :md doubtless will ~tt :JIll l'l.U'I~ thh- n.-quin- =m moen.lmellt thnt will be ~ in hwrmon~' with prineiple. , _ ~,'n- =-n~ IOIth .. ,1' mtilOlll$ that were by ft':L"'On of 1)'--OJle, 11\" vi rtlll' of \iriDal'll In IJIl'.:'Ollll"'" tllt' "'1I1~t'.:t of :'Cllllt' - P:lrtj{'ular .'UJtIIIDD~! binding bim .. ~" the tit' of Il:ltuml btu. .. mal." d('p'nd on (Iinen'llt l:lw!' in

12

Am:d in the ~ esse the 10M chant'ellor pertinently ~_~.b~ ~ ~.

till que:;:u4lJlDS; of' intemation:ll law we should Dot "pm iium 3Dy ~ttloo dec.i....,joo...,\ nor la~' q~1OIIID or doruidBe, or, a. ... the Engli:-ob jud~"" tenll it, tbe-1IJI~1OIllI of C.iti.zeRL ... hil. \\-:18 mil,tlken fiJI' the I)riul'iple Iltdl:uttiitmg to watDonalilt.!--. .\ud tlmt account;,; for the a(lo .. -ttioom J the doctrilH." of da1ion by ;;ome of our :Xocn!'mries I/J!f Sir=ttfe' :m1 .\ttome)Hi(ncrnl, and it ,.;:eem,.. to u,; tJmt mE' ~- bI :uh-erted to the fuct tlmt f,y the Con,.;titution plittil-::d ~a.f:u'1 of dtizenship is fiXl-d at the birll, of .. ~I tL~- would not haTe iDTOked the doctrine of

~ fO!' obriously there is DO room for it. The

1 :s

-child when l) dtizen of the U nited S~atc.~~ at. birt;l ~n-t t) Lo a citizen until by 1Iaiul'alr::ail(m JO n lOre1bl"J) JOues ( 1J\:. coulltry he 113:-0 ('x}latrintoo himsd

'Ve imn 1l0W, in a gene!"'al dil!1cuSlSion, it i:o; true, referred to the origin, the nature und pro\'ince, and the mod:rn modifiC:ltiou in l

J.l

elrmImen/t alltl then-Ion "iooon..q:.'1ent with the fuuda-~td print. .... pI~ of .the Republit"." Tbt' judidal Ipse dlJJrtiH tQ be- round III t.bil!l oolmt~- to the eolltran- t'mnn:lted iirom ni....a pftVs t.~ of limited juri.~li(.tio~,' :md their nili. do not jU$tifj.- further notice. We now proceed tIIlI tIko 31gU1nl'nt of the }llemon of dtizen~hip, :1.8 nifeeted by the COJt!::titutioo. :md ~ clh"Oreed from the ImtenaLlc hlmt prewent theory. tb::at thl' doc-nine of thc CODlDlon bw eoDt5tituh~ the law of the Unitt'CI Stltes, to wit that th~ pb~ of' birth:,?d not tht' D:ltioll3li~- of the ~nt detlf'lrmioe;; tht' pohued 4(l1.,~ of the child_

X::atioo:al ~"ereignt}- ~ L}' tlat' Con:>titlltion vested es:clu.....awly in thl' Ullit("(l~te;;; therefore dtizl'lIship or tIfr.te Idwd/fll.~ of' Il3honalit". 31.penailL";; not to the Sl'\'eral ~ bot to the ~"ercignty of the General Gowrnment.

_ :nae l!n~tl.od Stltt".S ~ not only a gowrnment, but It 1$ a ~atiooal GO"eroment,:md the onh' !!'O\'ern-~t ~ t.hi$ oouotry- that ba... the character of lII3tiolll3hty. (per llr. J&-bee Bradley in Kllox Y. L'If'. 12 WaD., 45;. 5;j.5; CI.inese ExehL'Sion Oases I:JO 17. 8.. 6O.J; -\OOilllflI'U EkilL v. l."ilifnl ..... .,(I/rx' 142 l:. 8.. 651. 6;.19; Ii. IfY Q'((lrI~. 158 e. S., 535; CIolhur_ v. !7ry;II;a. 6 Wheat., 264, 413.)

The prmted State;; are a !5'O';''('reign and independ--em lII3tion. :md are "e,..-ted 1.,. the Constitution with thre- entire controJ of international n-lations and witb ::ill the powers of' government nece:s.. .... n to maintain tlat ront.rol an~ to make it ef!eetive. The only Gov-e~t of tht:' ~untry whleb other nations ~_ m.ze or tftat \\"Itb L'l; the Government of the U niOD :mel th; ooJy -lmeriCiD ffag known tbrougllOut th; lI'orld IS the ftag of the U ~uted States:. (PQlI!J ire TGfiD!!"-' l:iMilt.J ."i/mn; 149 U. S., ill.)

16

Botl, the States nnd the U nit(~ States existed befor(~ the Con:-;titution. The )~ople through that ill:-;trllment establi:,;}led a more perfe('~t UUiO!1 by suh-:>titutind only upon the States. (Lalle Co. v. 0/'('9011, 7 Wall., 71, 76.)

Citizenship, tben, in its political and international signi-fieation, relate:> exclusively to the sovereignty of the United State:", and is of the essence of that sovereignty ... On reference, therefore, to the Constitution, we determinc for whom the sovereignty was created and established. The Constitution in it'> preamble proclaims:

He lite prople 0.[ the UIli1~ S!afe,,;, in.order to form a more perfect Ulllon, establIsh JustIce, lDsure domes-tic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, })romote the general welfare, and secure the . hl('ss-in(1'l; of libert, to ourselves alld ollr poxiel'lt.l/, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

It \Va:" ~llled, and ruled correctly, in the case of Drcd Seoff v. SaJldford (19 How., 404) that-

The woros "people of tile U uited States" and "dtizens" are svnonvmOU>l terms and menn the SiDle thin"'. Thev ~th descrihe the political body who, aceo~ing to onr republican institutions, form the s()Ye}"('igntv, :md who hold the I>ower a~l con-duct the Goycrnment through their l'epreseI1tative:-;. They are what we familiarly call the "sovereign Peol;le," and every citizen is one of this people and a ('Qllstituellt member of this so,ereignty.

16 ... -\g:l~ lilt ~ 400.\1 the t'OOri: l!S3~":

It is; u.. e'~n- pt"1$00.tt aud e'"t'.,." du .. ~ and .~ri~WI!l cd' I ... r .. __ ~ wLo '\"("rt" at tile timt' of th(. ~(jJIb of' tilt" C'~1iturion ll'l"Og'lliZ('(1 a~ t"iti7.t'lll'1 in Itie ~wr:.tB ~tl~ ..... "Sme :ll~ dtiZt'lll'1 of this Ilew pllDittir.tD ~j, but eooe other, It W;t;: fc.mwd b~" 1tBk."JDiIl.tt :lDh1 fur them ::md their PO:O::('ri~". but t(.r llo tllUllf(' t..J..~, .lol tilt pelli!OoaI right::;: :md prh"il(~"l"::;: 1,2!11II::ld!:ftaltt'tod to l"itizeas; of' thi ... lie\\" SO"ert~jgllt~" w(,rt. iaattt"JDitBfed ttI!~ (mbr..al .... tI~ (0)'" who w(.rt' tbell 1lll'1U-~lf:l;; IOtf fthl" ll'(""l"131 Sbte ('O ... niuniti(~ or who ::;:ltouJd ::dh'Jf'\\':Iln1,;: In' bDrt.hri~t or otLen,"i~ I)('('ome nU'm-~.lr.:',. ::JIt"ll'lOlnli'Og to th; pro"i:sion::;: of tltt. ("o1l1!

IS tUIaIi Britti::J. ::iAAil mtttlll' OUt' 3. subject., In Or/ri"',,, Of~' it

i~ s:nid: ~.\UII! it ~ to be obser,'ed tI .... t it is "t"t" roto/'WI, /JiIIe 1$IIi/{ft/JfiJi~ neither the ("lilWltt- nor the 8(liI, but ligCfmliu ::II\ltl lilI4tt.eHFttwaHie.w that make the subject bonl,"

A~ to Ithl" ~"''Olld) the (:OllllUon law Ill','l'r considered or I\"t~m..'(l bJl the &~jllri..;;;dil'1ion of tbe laws" ,ill defining \'I:'halt t"W1....ntnted :1 ootnr.d-bom subject..

.\Ull~nll'e being::1 quruity of tIlc mind, not "i.,-enml$t-rlr.ro bJ>' ~lc."l",ducto the l)l'r:sonoftll(': ~in.r, inn.,:.mUl'h :as his; ootur.d. person ('8n not he

20

M ~ tik- GO\'l!'mmeIlt being ODe Qf enumerated power:s. n;, ~-~ we \\~re to make the jurisdiction of the law mten()Il of c,itizeD.'Ship by birth we would be iu\'e..rt. ieg tilt' III:ltnnd oMer by sulb-tituting law, the creature 6f

::;o\~ty~ (01' so're~~ i~lf, and thus \\itla us,. in 001' lUnn of go\"eDl.Dlell~ we would be destro~ .. i~lg tile \"le:I'\" ~~1lCe' of dtizen.. ...... ip. 'iheo~ ~ if thl" ee jurisdicti6n 6f the law" "1'---~pb,,.ll.'i.!" th ... t~ it would apply t6 alien. ... :l8 ,,'ell ; ..... it lIOI)Q)d tQ ci_1I$; socl if ~dent in the latter ca..--e, or r.atht-r if' $ldlil"ient to make a perl'On born IOn tile ~oil :t ... i~ it ~""t with ~nal n"3..""Ou make.- a J"e:'ident alien :1 d'&.m" UDI~ ,\"t' 3.."Cribe t6 the accident Qf birtll on l!lOil::oQlUl" nmgic:- (lnali~' in tile nature of a IlOlitic.:ll

~rpIaM..... It t"ertaini,!-" run.--t be apparent th:at "" .iiqli:;dit-ti~m of the." 1all1'" h:l8 n6 n.-)('\":lIl('y w)mtc.','er illll ~ dt-t .. 'nnill3tioo Qf a (lue:-"tion 6f t'itiz(Ill"hiJl. Th(. ('(()I~mbOill ~'" nothing Qf til'" 13W~' juri,..lidioll. It ~ or the juri~lit"tinDi of tlat" U Ilit(ocl 8t:ltt'l"-1Ilt':1Il-

~" or ('1IlIUr"o(. tLt- I.oliti("".al juri~l;(,tion. tht jllri,..1idioll off IID.boaal "'O\'(n.i~lt~ .. ; II"~ tb(, iIlCid('IIt:l) )IIIW('r to 1II:1k(, :armtli ("Df!ii~n"(' bw"",,, 011' du' olll"rntioll of tluJ:o't' law,.. wh('n

lIJl1l:!iI~" hut tBu. jlllri..~li(ri"lI m ... 'r ",,",('h wt'wber uf till'. h'Kly IP"~Djjtlii(" I~,!>- n':L""Im of hi.,;: m('mlll"r..-:bip. .\11 uwr tht wurld, Il110' 1Ie., t"3t juri:"dit'tiull It"stt("I!IIIII,.; ',.altn ........ dll' jllri..;cIictioll of tilt 1:lw,.. i~ (''Unfillt'd

1!~. ttL.i tt~mton- of lbt> ['uill(>d smt..,. 3ml O)Kmt(,.. unly ~m ttL.,.,...., who -;'n" witl.ill it. ... hOilOllaril""',

.\,. tto lb." tlBliil1i1 '.rmIlJa into wbidl tilt' dl'fil~ition of tlBn.- ("nUI14tiitmuollJ let,. 1111/."('11 tr.:an"'IIIlHocl. to wit: ",\11 IK'r-

21

8011S born within the allegiance of the United States are citizens," there was no such pro\'h;ion in the common law. There was no allegi:mre to Great Britain; it was due to the King in person as lord parnmuunt. It was .c a quality of the mind," and invQh-ed the offense of tre:lson if the subject e\"cn imagined the dentb of the KinO' although there wus no overt act wbatever. In ~, . H:tle':o; PI~,-... of the Crown, puges 115, 116, we are told that onc Thomas Burdett, IUl\'ing u wbite bl1

ad. di...nnt.'tl~- mOll:ln'bil":ll :md rend:tl, :\u(1 \'''Oufim~ to thl' King ::md bn,-ing no refl'n'nce wlmtc\"l'r to the natiou. "'1t:lt nil nbsnnlit~- it ,,"u1IM be to :>lleak of the Pl'olll(' of th~ Unit\~1 Sbtl":$. ~ i'li~' :>llbj("Cts." AmI ~oct it would be quitl" prolM!'r to do :.00 if tht"n' i:> ~ul'h :\ thing :l~ being born within tltl' ~"'i.yim.("r. of till' U nited St:lte~. Till' entin' tllOO~- nml r:ld uf :llll'gi:Ull"C an' e$...'Cnti:llly n'~ll ud lltn-rl,Y im'ompcltiblc with :1 rellUblit'ml till'ill of gm"-emml'nt. Al!l"'~:lUl"l' \\"':18 judidall~" deserilx> juri";lli,otiu)) or allY othlr natiulI, or wlao OWl' :llll"gi:\IJ("(' tu any .fiu'(ign prinl'" .... tl"ntatl", "tatl". or ...u'-ln.i~nt~-. Stu-h i,. tl\(' ("111-tl"mllllwr.:aOl"otL'" lxl .. ~irioll of tht, CUII"titution'" ()l'finition

~- till" '-('I~- ("ongn""'-'" tlmt f ... .lIU("() it, :1" i" t',-idl"W('(l hy w.""It i. ... 00\\- >'4.""tion 1992 of tbt, U('yi,;:('(1 ~t:ltutt'" of thl' Cnit...d St:att""". It j" thl"1e (':mct("CI: ".-\11 1ll'1"l"I1Il" hunt ill tlal" r nitl"Cl St:.tt""" :lOll not ,,"I~l"Ct to :lily fiJr('i~1I puwer, t"x.lmling IOlIi:m" not t:lx"l, :In- (Il'!"hln'(l tn h( (itiz('Il"; IIf tIw rnitt"d St:lt~-"' ("1l"3r1~-, tll('n, it W:L": 1I1"'"t'r iuttltd,..-)

that chiJdr('n hom ill till' Ullit(,cl Statl'>' of uli('n pal'(,uts sboul

24

A...~ the pueots of Woug Kim Ark were, at the tUne of his; Wrth, subjects of the Emperor of China, he W88 born in the alleymllre and. $Object to the juri.....w.ctiol' of a fur-eign ~wel' and therefore c.'OuJd not be a citizen of, the

Uni~&ates.. ..... It is true~ he was born in the United States; hut" ~

mtS not at the time of his birth, and certainly at no time ~ "subject to the jnri...qfiction thereof;" we mean, of coo~ the political jnrisdiction of the nation~ not the territorial jori...~ction, or 'l"hieh is the same thing, tire juri.

~ :mJ not: that till' fUllItE'C."uth amembul'nt in (Mining ritizl.:n.. ...... ip o\-ermml'tl tht' dl'd:liioll, . Tu ., .... I('(l'(l with t:ht. .. ~nt: of til .... Imlill 'l"t":Stioll: III Ell .. Y. lIi/kiml (U2 l~ 8.11 ](0), th~ c:ourt held that ~he l'~)\'i:

:unl"iDgat majori~'lQ::ly either retain his porent'sdomicile Ol!' t!'Je.e.! to ~oire a new 000. .All such atremphl, while

~,-e ~ps; to\tud the abrogation of rules such as 1th&t of' thE' eoounon law, are neeessarily in,-oh-ed in a

~U .... iOD of domicile and nationalin-, and are thereCore to be reojected as being iutolel8bly anomnlOUs. &y~ \\"hartnn:

And by this Ia\\" the children born abroad of Ameriem" eitiRns are regarded as citizens of the enited States, 'With the right, on reaching Cull age, to elet.-l one 3llegiaoee aud repudiate the other, such el"lion being Goal. _

It is dii'6eult to undemand how Mr_ Wharton came to th:at OODt"Ins:ioD, in new of the pronsion!' of sa.1:ion 1993. of the Re,-i'';;oo Sbtutesofthe Pnikd Stat~,and \~'e (lis-

mi~ the matter 'Withont further romml'nt, other tIul .. to ,,;:t:at. that the principle of international law affixe; the :;.Uru~ of citize~hip to such children, and does not rec-~ the doctrine of election. Tnming to S(.'Ction 12 of' tbl" authority b.."t citro. we Gnd the law declared more m "I~f''"'Omnn.'',...ith the true dOl"lrint", but yet ioa("Curately_ T'B.k- :Author there :'i:l}-'" :

B,- the fourteenth amendment to the Constittltion nr tilE' t'nitro State;, whil-L In .. all'ead)' heen dted, .. aU pe~n.." born or oatur.ilized in the P nited States, mud :tAIIJIhjllrrl to f~ jlli'I~I;"';o" 1/'t'TfY!.(, are citizl"ns of tb.- Vuitell States and of till" State wherein tlll"Y re,:.i,L-."' .Are ChiDe5e born in the Uuited SCltl'S (:itizell':' "ithin the abo,.e dau...:e:' If the rea.o.;()Qiug aIJl(l)"1I;!' gi"("D, tt) the effect that the children born iu trill" l:"nitel St:lt(":O of a foreigner are uot interua-nomlly "1iI~ to the juri.-;(liction of the lJ nited

29

States, be correct, then Chiue:Se born of Chinese 1l0Dnaturalized parents, sl1ch parent.", not being here domiciled, are not citizens of the United Stat~.

Thl' ob,-iol1s objection to that statement of the law is tI,lat it makes domicile an element of nationality, T:Je COl!stitution does not countenance any ~uch' theory, neither does international law; and why tbe children of an alien would be citizens if born in tJI~ United Stntes

~\'1lile their parent had bis domidle there, nnd alien:,; if born tJlCre wbile he had his domicile elsewhere, is inex-pli~ble unless on tJle theory of Phillimore, referl'ed to and COUllllNlted upon b)' us in a preceding 11l.1rt of this brief, that tJlOse who a .. ~ domiciled in a countr,' "

l= ~ B.lI~~~ \",here he i,;; maN' I~nbjl'l,t to the juri:"()iction 1fJItt" Snlt.1I!'$ ttbm the Unin-d Stab.,,:>\ it c.~n"d not b~' 1ll1~'

~~biDit:!-- be tlD. clement in the ~(atlt.'I: or n:ltiomality of tl1k _~t1J';;;pring of thl~ domiciled :alien.

Wt' ma~' l"lGllll'l-de that the off.~I)ling from tbe tilDe of ihlnl!tb. \rourld be snhjl"t1: to tlu,' juri:.;(lit'tion of Ili~ f:rtber'~ .n..,.it:iil" Tel tlmt woultl lIot rllrui~h tilt' jnri:'4."(1 in ~"Ctioll~ ""'-'"(I-n ::m;t (ight of hi", work. :,llCl\'(' dtl'(I, wln'rl'iu be ::uh'l%I':IItt~ (!/OIn~il:iBl' :I."" tht' tt.""l of (i,il ,.!alm:, :111.1 im"i-"BII'uu11::uB rightt.."". (hUht":'. ::und (':D!l3('itit"::", :L"" a:r.,ill,.t nation:llity uDniid. Cl(.lID...;.1!Dmttt"::" tlal' tte-a: tlltn, .. t: in wlmt he hrm,. ... TfiJjl( DU"\" 11!::IiBi::m "",hnuD.""

:u

Whil(~ bi~ ,jews in thnt l'Cspect lUX', in the !lmin, IImlouhtl"Uy corn.(~t, y(~t is it not m~el~' tlUlt iu seetioll~ h'u :mcl twelve he went to the extreme of eonsitlering dmllic,il( :1 te~t of tilt' ]lOliticnl Ul:1 w(11 ns of the civil x1(fw.~! OdIN':' have done it-judges, writer:; on inter-natioll:lll:tw, SL"('retaries of State, and Attornt'ys-G('lleml of rhe Puitetl State;.;, I:'l it Ilut likely that Mr. Whm--tuu iHI intu tilt' ~uu(' el'!"ur? At :Ill e\'('llts, his positloll, \ilttl:llh Ilmki ... r domicil( suffici('llt to (,ollf(~r dtiz('II:'Ohip,

, "" i", c,lt'm'h' lIutenabit'. Howey(,I', Ill' is authority ill Sup-pm't of tlu principal point of our nrgulU('nt, tlmt tIl(> pro-visiun .. "ulUl('t to till' .iUl'is

~t the jurisdiction of thl" Ian of the United States: ad. DOlt i~ pili~ juri...' whll b:l\'(' hM.-n iI(n"uotfi.n" c'olt,...i.i(n~1 :1.-5 (itiz(lIs "f til(' F nit( .. l

33

'Sfntes and have always been treated as such, will . ,.. be to' all intents and purposes, denationalized and re~anded to a state of alienage. Included among

thC#iC are thousands of voters who are exercising the , . right. of suWrage as American citizens and ~hose

right as such is not and never bas been questIOned, because birth within the country seems to have been recognized generally as conclusive upon the ques-

tion of citizenzbip. In other words, that because the error ha.., become almost

universal and our poople through ignorance have estab-lished a course of conduct under the authority of wbat Lord Chief Justice DeJlilUUl terms" law taken for granted," that therefore the law has been superseded and nullified. In the first place, time or practice ~ill not sanctify error. In the second place, it is the cardinal duty of the judicial department to administer the law regardless of its con-sequences, leaving to the legislature the correction of evil results,

In the third pJace, the injury to our country arising froID the admission to citizenship of every person born on the soil, irrespective of his parentage, would be far greater and extensively more disastrous than the conse-quences apprehended from an enforcement of the law to those (and they are not numerous) who wouJd merely for a limited period be deprh:ed of the advent.itious, because colJateraJ, right of suffr.tge or right to hold a public office.

'V~ say "a limited period," for if desirable as ,and quali-fied to be citizens, they may become such by naturaliza-tion; and in no other way can we avoid a virtual repudiation of the well-settled policy of our country as

15987--3

3t

~ in ihllaabrnlia&a laws, wisely ~ Dc ira the ~ of __ aIieDs as are to be deemed eJiglble to ~p. . _.:'

For tile I'DO!it persussive ft&SOI1S '" ".ave refUsed ci~ zemhip toChiBe!e subjeds; ad yet, as to theirofFspriog, .... are just _oImoxioot, aDd towhoot the same ~ .. uelasiGD apply .uh eIl-f~ we are told that.-.e "fI.I1IM ~ them. as fellow-citizens, and that, too, ~ of the mere a:eiidest of' birdL 'J.'here certainly shoolclbe f!lQII1e hoaot ad dipity in Ameriam eitiaeoship tIa.t souId be I8lHftICI fmm the fOol and corrupting tlIint of

~ aIiemge. Ale Chineee chUdren hom in this cowmy to rsbIe with the desceDdanta of the patriots of the A.merieaa Revolution the eulbld qualification of I3e.iDg eligible to die Presidency of the nation, coofemd by the CoIISIimtioo in recognition of the importaoee aDd digaity of eitUeas.hip by birth! H 80, then verily there hti been a ~ degenerste departure from the patriotic idelIJs of' 0IIII' tOre&tbeJS; and surely in that CMe Ameri-em cirizemhip is DOt worth having.

In ~ we feel that the prevailing ~ ~ to the Jaw govemiDg citiPosbip by birth iaJ _ en'U!e tOr the ~ of gftevoas aud duge, ... emJIl'; we feel that the variable, and at times eaapirieal.

v~ ex:pessed by ::;ome of our poblie men in their dipIomstie co~ relative to ~ .,... of _ ITell.tihip is to be greatly deprecated and caD not he pel'-miUed to iDiIoeDl"e the deeisiOtl of this cue, the qDeltica

~ being lIltridIy judicial; we think it proper, how-eRr" to lItdrert to the &etthat when the first mUiwy dm&

36 wa& proposed in August, 1862, Mr. Seward informed Mr. Stuart, then in charge of the British Jf'g8tion at W 88b-iogton, that all foreign-born pel'l'lOD8 would be exempt who had not been naturalizOO, or "'MJ1De'e bom in tlte llni.led Sk:d.eM of foreign pat'eJWJ ~:'That "W88 Certainly a most solemn recognition' at a time of great public DeCe88ity for the services of every person who could by any Possibility he cobsidered a citi--, of the principle for wbich we are contending, and which denies citizenship by birth to the children born in the United Stares of alien parents. It is said in the district court's opinion that-

The doctrine of the law of nations, that the child follows the nationality of the parents and that citi-zenship does not depend upon mere accidental place of birth, is undoubtedly more logical, reasonable, and satisfactory. * * ~

It may be that the Executive Departments 1)f the Goyernment are at liberty to follow this international rule in dealing \\ith questions of citizenship which arise hetween this and othl>r countries, but that mct does not estnblit!h the law for the courts in dealing with. persons within our own territory. In this case the question to be detemlined is as to the political statos and rights of Wong Kim .Ark under the law in this country.

There lurks within that view a politiC31 heresy that am no~be pennitted to pass unnoticed. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land; it guverns all the depart-ments of government upon all questions, whether they be chn or political, national or international. In defin-ing citizenship, its provisions are conclusive upon

36

.~ upon the Exemti~upoo the judiciuy, upon ., the ~ upon the people of the United States, in the.:. ~ioatioo of .n the qlk'Stioos arising relative to: the: political ~ and on all issues pe.r1ai.oing to the sa'IQ~. I whedlei- they he of oatioaal or international origin. :' And" 6naIty the meming of any speci.6c portion of the.on!" ,'. mtnlioo majm*, 9Nnlion. and one to be allthoritMiv.ely:., .decided by the Supteme Court of the U niled States;~'" .. Iroie decisioo ~ law, and binding upon each of the;, odaer deputments of the Government and upon all who .. : 1m! subjec.ot to the supremacy of the (:Onstitution~: (1 Story GO the Constitution, sec. 38;.)

Theftofore 3 citizen of the United States, ",hen ascer-Woed to be such in aecord:mce with the c1efinition of the

OmstitutiOD~ ~ :I citizen fur all purposes-national and .. intematiOD:ll-cmd mwstbe so recognized by all the depart-ment:;; of the Go".emment whene".er and where,'er the question may ari.. ..... in ~--pect to his political MlaItUt.

To re".E-rt to the argwnmtllll' abillf:Ollf':'nienti, that has hem urged agaiIN the application of what may correctly he 1enDed the principl~ of nationalit~', the district court in ~ opinion i!!tates that-

Coon:.el rot' the United States ha,-c argued with . consider.tble foree against the common law me and its ~OD as being ilIogiml and likely to lead. to perplexing and perhaps serious international c:on-&idS if followed in all cas.s; but the;e obsen-atioJl8 3ft' obnOlJ.1;lyadclressOO to thE' policy of the rule and not its interpretation. , ,

Not l'O.. Tbf'\" are ad~ to thE' application of t~e me; there is DO di~te as fu its intcl1)J" ... !:ttion, The pol-

~ ,~ ,

37 icy of! a' rule oiren restricts its application, or at least defines it. It occurs to us, howe,-er, that the same objec-tion t~ court urges against our position applies to the court's position in reference to "denationalizing" those who 'supposed that they were citizens and by common consent were so treated and allowed to exercise the right of, suft'rage; we may add, and hold public office. But, aside ,from that, the right of suffrage ill not an incident of'oeitizenship; it is a right or privilege entirely inde-pendent of and collateral to it, as was decided in jlinor v. Happerseft (21 Wall., 168).

Therefore the detennination of the abstract question of citizenship can not possibly be influenced by consid-2ring the number of those who will no longer be enti-tled to vote if adjudged aliens; nor can it be influenced by considering the fact that such ~ judgment will result in ousting some persons who now hold public office. No election wiIJ be thus invalidated, for the voters in such cases wert' certainly voteJ"l!l de jaclo, and no official act wiJ) be open to attack, for the officials in such cases are officers de jado. So, where is there any ground for apprehension? The indh;duals affected may protect themseh'es and acquire citi7.enship, as we have already suggested, by becoming naturalized. We certainly insist that in any view of this case, or of the qu('stion involved, there is no merit whatever in the argument ab -incoll-t'ellienti, And ('ven if it were otherwise, the interests of the Government would. be paramount. Ralus populi 8lLprema. lu.

'J,'~e entire !5ubject of naturalization is exclusively under the control of Congress, and it would be an invasion of

it::;; t.'Uo...,,*itutiooal power iu that h'SIleCt to confer' by judi~l cIee.ne the statUlS of oath'e citizenship on the

~ born in ~ ClOWltry of alien pareu~. There ceril.tioly is 00 con8it.'t between the Constitution's de&ni-tioa m eiti~p and i~ pnt of power to CongresiJ to "et>tsbli... an nniform nile of naturalization ;:'1. but there would be:l ~ decided oou8.ict if' the de6hition of ci~p by birth was oonstrned to include tJ.e' clUldreo of aliens. It is only by a~oidiug that conflict tIw we l'8U logieally escape the exceedingly anomalOQlJ' :mel ,arnntly incoo...4stent poISition of denying citizeo... .... ip kII :l puticalar class of aliens and yet couferring the highest form of citizenship on their children, wbo stand in the SI.3lt" relation to the principle of exchL'lion 88 do their ptrenb.. The filet that such a result is possible ought of it:;elf to be su8icieot to condemn the doctrine inTOked in support of the claim of Wong Kim Ark.

We nspect:fulIy:r.bmit that in law as well as in fact the re.spondcnt is an alien-a. subject of the Emperor of Chioa-and therefore DOt exempt from the pro"isions of the exd...,.ion act.. \\"" e further snbmit that this conclu-900 is not answered by ~ng up the doctrine that while he is a snhject of the