He becomes at once an inhabitant.
If he comes from England or from any of the countries of the world he becomes that moment an inhabitant; and if this bill is to pass in the shape it stands he can buy, he can sell, he can hold, he can inherit and be inherited from and possess all the rights of a native-born citizen," without being naturalized.

Mr.Johnson pointed out another difficulty which perhaps the senator from Illinois did not foresee.
Many of the States in the North as well as in the South forbade the marriage of a black man with a white woman or a white man with a black woman.

This law would destroy all State power over the subject; and the man who offended in the matter of marriage between the races, so far from being punished himself, could bring the judge who attempted to enforce the law against him into punishment.

The bill, after much elaboration of debate and many amendments offered and defeated, came to a vote on the 2d of February and was passed by 33 _yeas_ to 12 _nays_.

Mr.Dixon of Connecticut, one of the Administration Republicans, voted for the bill; Mr.Cowan and Mr.Norton against it; Mr.Doolittle did not vote.
The bill immediately went to the House, and on the 1st of March that body proceeded to consider it without its reference to the Judiciary Committee.