pursuits of life, and compel them to support their existence in a
condition of servitude. And if this provision does protect the
colored citizen, then it protects every citizen, black or white,
male or female. Why may a colored citizen buy, hold, and sell
land in any State of the Union? Because he is a citizen of the
United States, and that is one of the privileges of a citizen.
Why may a colored citizen be admitted to the bar? Because he is a
citizen, and that is one of the avocations open to every citizen;
and no State can abridge his right to pursue it. Certainly no
other reason can be given.

Now, let us come to the case of Myra Bradwell. She is a citizen
of the United States, and of the State of Illinois, residing
therein; she has been judicially ascertained to be of full age,
and to possess the requisite character and learning. Indeed, the
court below, in their opinion, found in the record, page 9, say:
"Of the ample qualifications of the applicant we have no doubt."
Still, admission to the bar was denied the petitioner, not upon
the ground that she was not a citizen; not for want of age or
qualifications; not because the profession of the law is not one
of those avocations which are open to every American citizen as
matter of right, upon complying with the reasonable regulations
prescribed by the Legislature: but upon the sole ground that
inconvenience would result from permitting her to enjoy her legal
rights in this, to wit, that her clients might have difficulty in
enforcing the contracts they might make with her, as their
attorney, because of her being a married woman.

Now, with entire respect to that court, it is submitted that this
argument _ab inconvenienti_, which might have been urged with
whatever force belongs to it, against adopting the XIV. Amendment
in the full scope of its language, is utterly futile to resist
its full and proper operation, now that it has been adopted.
Concede, for argument, that the XIV. Amendment ought to have read
thus:

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge
the privileges or immunities of any citizens except married
women;

yet that exception is not found in the sweeping provision of this
amendment. It is provided that citizens may be disfranchised fo