INHABITANT (Lat. in, in, habeo, to dwell). One who has his domicil in a place; one who has an actual fixed residence in a place.
2. A mere intention to remove to a place will not make a man an inhabitant of such place, although, as a sign of such intention, he may have sent his wife and children to reside there. 1 Ashm. Penn. 126. Nor will his intention to quit his residence, unless con summated, deprive him of his right as an in habitant. 1 Dall. Penn. 480. See 10 Ves. 339 ; 14 Viner, Abr. 420 ; 1 Phillipps, Ev.; Mass. Gen. Stat. 51; Kyd, Corp. 321 ; Anal. des Pand. de Pothier, Habilans; Pothier, Pand. 1. 50, t. 1, s. 2 ; 6 Ad. & E. 153.
3. The inhabitants of the United States are native or foreign born. The natives con sist, first, of white persons, and these are all citizens of the United States, unless they have lost that right ; second, of the aborigines, and these are not, in general, citizens of the United States, nor do they possess any political power ; third, of negroes, or descendants of th e African race; fourth, of the children of for eign ambassadors, who are citizens or sub jects as their fathers are or were at the time of their birth.
4. Inhabitants born out of the jurisdiction of the United States are, first, children of citi zens of the United States, or of persons who have been such ; they are citizens of the United States, provided the father of such children shall have resided within the same, Act of Congress of April 14, 1802, 4; second, persons who were in the country at the time of the adoption of the constitution; these have all the rights of citizens; third, persons who have become naturalized under the laws of any state before the passage of any law on the subject of naturalization by congress, or who have become naturalized under the acts of congress, are citizens of the United States, and entitled to vote for all officers who are elected by citizens, and to hold any office ex cept those of president and vice-president of the United States ; Aura, children of natu ralized citizens, who were under the age of twenty-one years at the time of their parent's being so naturalized, or admitted to the rights of citizenship, are, if then dwelling in the United States, considered as citizens of the United States, and entitled to the same rights as their respective fathers ; fifth, persons who resided in a territory which was annexed to the United States by treaty, and the territory became a state ; as, for example, a person who, born in France, moved to Louisiana in 1806, and settled there, and remained in the territory until it was admitted as a state, it was held that, although not naturalized under the acts of congress, he was a citizen of the United States, Desbois' case, 2 Mart. La. 185;
sixth, aliens or foreigners, who have never been naturalized, and these are not citizens of the United States, nor mritled to any poli tical rights whatever. See ALIEN; CITIZEN;