of the evident propriety there is of having
it settled, so far as it can be by such a decision, we have
concluded to waive all other considerations and proceed at once
to its determination.

It is contended that the provisions of the Constitution and laws
of the State of Missouri, which confine the right of suffrage and
registration therefor to men, are in violation of the
Constitution of the United States, and therefore void. The
argument is, that as a woman, born or naturalized in the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, is a citizen of
the United States and of the State in which she resides, she has
the right of suffrage as one of the privileges and immunities of
her citizenship, which the State can not by its laws or
constitution abridge.

There is no doubt that women may be citizens. They are persons,
and, by the XIV. Amendment, "all persons born or naturalized in
the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof" are
expressly declared to be "citizens of the United States and of
the State wherein they reside" But, in our opinion, it did not
need this Amendment to give them that position. Before its
adoption, the Constitution of the United States did not in terms
prescribe who should be citizens of the United States or of the
several States, yet there were necessarily such citizens without
such provision. There can not be a nation without a people. The
very idea of a political community, such as a nation is, implies
an association of persons for the promotion of their general
welfare. Each one of the persons associated becomes a member of
the nation formed by the association. He owes it allegiance, and
is entitled to its protection. Allegiance and protection are in
this connection, reciprocal obligations. The one is a
compensation for the other; allegiance for protection and
protection for allegiance.

For convenience, it has been found necessary to give a name to
this membership. The object is to designate by a title the person
and the relation he bears to the nation. For this purpose the
words "subject," "inhabitant," and "citizen" have been used, and
the choice between them is sometimes made to depend upon the form
of the government. Citizen is now more commonly employed,
however, and as it has b