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Citizen.

By a change in the political character of the English-American colonies, the word “citizen” took the place of “subject,” and was as comprehensive in its application to the inhabitants of the territories included in the United States [160] of America. In this republic every man, woman, and child is a citizen, with regulations as to the exercise of the rights and privileges of citizenship. In this respect the republic differs from the old republics of Greece and of Italy. In the former, citizenship was confined to a body of kindred families. They formed an hereditary caste— “a multitudinous aristocracy.” The system had no permanent vitality, and the Greek and Italian republics died for want of citizens. In the American Republic every one born on American soil was and is a citizen, by virtue of nativity; and, by the grace of statute law, foreign-born persons become citizens by naturalization laws.

Harper and Brothers Publishers. . New York. 1902.

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