ture--is concerned, an
independent government, subsisting by its own vigor, and pervaded
throughout by one uniform principle. Reject this definition, and the
popular national representation, loses at once its nationality, and
becomes a mere dependency on the will of local corporations--a mere
shuttlecock to be driven hither and thither by the arbitrary and
conflicting legislation of an indefinite number of separate states.
Adopt this meaning of the word "free," and the national government
becomes capable of knowing its own bases of representation and power,
and its own subjects of taxation. Reject this definition, and the
government knows not whom it represents, or on whom to levy taxes for
its support. Adopt this meaning of the word "free," and some three
millions of native born, but now crushed human beings, become, with
their posterity, men and citizens. Adopt this meaning--this _legal_
meaning--this _only_ meaning that can, in this clause, be _legally_
given to the word "free," and our constitution becomes, instead of a
nefarious compact of conspirators against the rights of man, a
consistent and impartial contract of government between _all_ "the
people of the United States," for securing "to themselves and their
posterity the blessings of liberty" and "justice."

Again. We cannot unnecessarily place upon the constitution a meaning
directly destructive of the government it was designed to establish. By
giving to the word "free" the meaning universally given to it by our
political papers of a similar character up to the time the constitution
was adopted, we give to the government three millions of citizens, ready
to fight and be taxed for its support. By giving to the word "free" a
meaning correlative with slavery, we locate in our midst three millions
of enemies; thus making a difference of six millions, (one third of our
whole number,) in the physical strength of the nation. Certainly a
meaning so suicidal towards the government, cannot be given to any part
of the constitution, except the language be irresistibly explicit; much
less can it be done, (as in this case it would be,) wantonly,
unnecessarily, gratuitously, wickedly, and in violation of all previous
usage.

Again. If we look into the constitution itself for the meaning of the
word "free," we find it to result from the distinction there recognized
between citizens and aliens. If we look into the contemporary state
constitutions, we still find the word "