rinciple that he owes allegiance to the country of his birth,
and that country owes him protection. That is the foundation, as I
understand it, of all citizenship, and these are the essential
elements of citizenship: allegiance on the one side, and protection on
the other."

In reply to statements made by Mr. Davis, Mr. Morrill remarked: "The
Senator from Kentucky denounces as a usurpation this measure, and
particularly this amendment, this declaration. He says it is not
within the principles of the Constitution. That it is extraordinary I
admit. That the measure is not ordinary is most clear. There is no
parallel, I have already said, for it in the history of this country;
there is no parallel for it in the history of any country. No nation,
from the foundation of government, has ever undertaken to make a
legislative declaration so broad. Why? Because no nation hitherto has
ever cherished a liberty so universal. The ancient republics were all
exceptional in their liberty; they all had excepted classes, subjected
classes, which were not the subject of government, and, therefore,
they could not so legislate. That it is extraordinary and without a
parallel in the history of this Government, or of any other, does not
affect the character of the declaration itself.

"The Senator from Kentucky tells us that the proposition is
revolutionary, and he thinks that is an objection. I freely concede
that it is revolutionary. I admit that this species of legislation is
absolutely revolutionary. But are we not in the midst of revolution?
Is the Senator from Kentucky utterly oblivious to the grand results of
four years of war? Are we not in the midst of a civil and political
revolution which has changed the fundamental principles of our
Government in some respects? Sir, is it no revolution that you have
changed the entire system of servitude in this country? Is it no
revolution that now you can no longer talk of two systems of
civilization in this country? Four short years back, I remember to
have listened to eloquent speeches in this chamber, in which we were
told that there was a grand antagonism in our institutions; that there
were two civilizations; that there was a civilization based on
servitude, and that it was antagonistic to the free institutions of
the country. Where is that? Gone forever. That result is a revolution
grander and sublimer in its consequences than the world has witnessed
hitherto.

"I accept, then, what th