een considered better suited to the
description of one living under a republican government, it was
adopted by nearly all of the States upon their separation from
Great Britain, and was afterward adopted in the articles of
confederation and in the Constitution of the United States. When
used in this sense, it is understood as conveying the idea of
membership of a nation, and nothing more.

To determine, then, who were citizens of the United States before
the adoption of the Amendment, it is necessary to ascertain what
persons originally associated themselves together to form the
nation, and what were afterward admitted to membership. Looking
at the Constitution itself, we find that it was ordained and
established by "the people of the United States" (Preamble, 1
Stat., 10), and then, going further back, we find that these were
the people of the several States that had before dissolved the
political bands which connected them with Great Britain and
assumed a separate and equal station among the powers of the
earth (Dec. of Ind., 1 Stat., 1), and that had by articles of
confederation and perpetual union, in which they took the name of
"the United States of America," entered into a firm league of
friendship with each other for their common defense, the security
of their liberties and their mutual and general welfare, binding
themselves to assist each other against all force offered to or
attack made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion,
sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever (Art. Confed.,
sec. 3, 1 Stat. 4).

Whoever then was one of the people of either of these States when
the Constitution of the United States was adopted, became _ipso
facto_ a citizen--a member of the nation created by its adoption.
He was one of the persons associating together to form the
nation, and was, consequently, one of its original citizens. As
to this there has never been a doubt. Disputes have arisen as to
whether or not certain persons or certain classes of persons were
part of the people at the time, but never as to their citizenship
if they were.

Additions might always be made to the citizenship of the United
States in two ways--first by birth and second by naturalization.
This is apparent from the Constitution itself, for it pro