de geofroy riggs argued decided february hubley ashton appellants john selden appellees justice field stating facts delivered opinion complainants citizens france fact one born pekin china change citizenship father frenchman law france child frenchman though born foreign country retains citizenship father case also father engaged time son birth diplomatic service france minister plenipotentiary china public law children ambassadors ministers accredited another country retain citizenship father question presented solution therefore whether complainants citizens residents france inherit interest real estate district columbia uncle citizen resident district died seised general terms question citizens france take land district columbia descent citizens complainants contend inherit estate property described force stipulation article convention france concluded february provisions act congress march restrict ownership real estate territories american citizens ering effect article act brief reference laws maryland force february day declared act congress force district columbia language act laws state maryland exist shall continue force part said district ceded state accepted part laws common law two acts maryland one passed march declare ascertain privileges subjects france within state passed december ratify cession entitled act concerning territory columbia city washington common law unmodified statute treaty excluded aliens inheriting lands citizen thereof doctrine aliens inheritable blood title transferred operation law act maryland modified law far allow subject france settled state given assurances allegiance attachment required citizens devise french subjects purpose deemed citizens state dorsey laws md also provided decedent died intestate natural kindred whether residing france elsewhere inherit real estate like manner decedent kindred citizens bearing however upon inheritan subject france except frenchman domiciled state act maryland december provided sixth section foreigner might deed thereafter made take hold lands within state manner citizen thereof lands might conveyed transmitted inherited heirs relations citizen state away disability foreigners take real property within state inheritance citizen held effect spratt spratt pet pet september convention peace commerce navigation concluded france seventh article provided citizens inhabitants shall liberty dispose testament donation otherwise goods movable immovable holden territory french republic europe citizens french republic shall liberty regard goods movable immovable holden territory favor persons shall think proper citizens inhabitants either two countries shall heirs goods movable immovable shall able succeed ab intestato without obliged obtain letters naturalization without effect provision contested impeded pretext whatever article terms suspended existence treaty provisions common law maryland statutes state far prevented citizens france taking inheritance citizens property real personal situated therein treaty power extends proper subjects negotiation government governments nations clear also clear protection afforded citizens one country owning property another manner property may transferred devised inherited fitting subjects negotiation regulation mutual stipulations two countries commercial intercourse increases different countries residence citizens one country within territory naturally follows removal disability alienage hold transfer inherit property cases tends promote amicable relations removal within present century frequent subject treaty arrangement treaty power expressed constitution terms unlimited except restraints found instrument action government departments arising nature government contended extends far authorize constitution forbids change character government one cession portion territory latter without consent railroad lowe sup exceptions perceived limit questions adjusted touching matter properly subject negotiation foreign country ware hylton dall chirac chirac wheat hauenstein lynham ops atty people gerke cal article convention force act congress adopting laws maryland february passed law adopted continued force law maryland existed adopt law maryland isted previous treaty effect repeal treaty far district columbia affected adopting existed adopted law provisions suspended continuance treaty far conflicted words treaty part law land controlled statute common law maryland whenever differed treaty expired limitation eight years pursuant article inserted senate continuance citizens france take property district columbia inheritance citizens expiration right limited provided statute common law maryland adopted congress february convention france concluded february seventh article convention follows union whose existing laws permit long extent said laws shall remain force frenchmen shall enjoy right possessing personal real property title manner citizens shall free dispose may please either gratuitously value received donation testament otherwise citizens case shall subjected taxes transfer inheritance others different paid latter taxes shall equally imposed union whose existing laws aliens permitted hold real estate president engages recommend passage laws may necessary purpose conferring right like manner reservation ulterior right establishing reciprocity regard possession inheritance government france accords citizens rights within territory respect real personal property inheritance enjoyed citizens article happily drawn leaves doubt meant union ordinarily terms held apply political communities exercising various attributes sovereignty compose distinguished organized municipalities known columbia yet separate communities indopendent local government often described though extent political sovereignty limited relations general government countries halleck int law term used general jurisprudence writers public law denoting organized political societies established government within definition district columbia government much state political communities compose territory government questioned district columbia within meaning international law perceived less state within meaning territory also government hepburn ellzey cranch question arose whether resident citizen district columbia sue citizen virginia circuit chief justice marshall deciding question conceded district columbia distinct political society therefore according definition writers general law held act congress providing controversies citizens different circuit courts referred term used constitution therefore one composing similar concession district columbia separate political community certain sense state made recent case railroad district columbia ante decided present term aside question significations terms used convention think construction article free difficulty aliens permitted hold real estate take inheritance right hold real estate reference words first clause alluded second clause permitted others manifest read second clause first construction well observed counsel gives consistency harmony provisions article comports character agreement intended confer reciprocal rights citizens country respect property held within territory construe first clause providing frenchmen shall enjoy right possessing personal real property title manner citizens long laws permit enjoyment give meaning article nothing conferred already possessed leaves adequate reason concession france rights citizens made third clause think construction admissible rule construing treaties well laws give sensible meaning provisions practicable interpretation therefore says vattel render treaty null inefficient admitted interpreted manner may effect prove vain nugatory vatt law nat bk read article declares union whose laws aliens permitted hold real estate long laws remain force frenchmen shall enjoy right possessing personal real property title manner citizens shall free dispose may please donation testament otherwise citizens whose existing laws aliens permitted hold real estate treaty engages president shall recommend passage laws may necessary purpose conferring right determining question sense terms union used borne mind laws district territories existing time convention concluded allowed aliens hold real estate therefore terms held exclude political communities government placed inconsistent position stipulating citizens france shall enjoy right holding disposing inheriting like manner citizens property real personal whose laws permit aliens hold real estate citizens france holding disposing inheriting property shall free disability alienage order may like manner free disability whose existing laws permit aliens hold real estate engaging president shall recommend passage laws conferring right time refusing citizens france holding property district territories power respect unlimited ike release disability alienage thus discriminating favor citizens france holding property similar legislation plausible motive assigned discrimination right government apparently desires citizens france enjoy hardly refuse district embracing capital territorial dependencies last clause article government france accords citizens rights within territory respect real personal property inheritance enjoyed citizens limitation territory france right inheritance conceded declares right given like manner right given government citizens france insure reciprocity terms treaty necessary hold union meant political communities exercising legislative powers country embracing political communities constitute also communities constitute political bodies known columbia general principle construction respect treaties shall liberally construed carry apparent intention parties secure equality reciprocity contracts independent nations construction words taken ordinary meaning understood public law nations artificial special sense impressed upon local law unless restricted sense clearly intended held treaty admits two constructions one restrictive rights may claimed favorable latter preferred hauenstein lynham citizens rights within territory respect real personal property inheritance enjoyed citizens indicates government considered similar rights extended citizens within territory whatever designation given different political communities therefore opinion meaning article question shall reciprocity respect acquisition inheritance property one country citizens political communities legislation permits aliens hold real estate disability frenchmen alienage disposing inheriting property real personal removed right disposition inheritance property france accorded citizens enjoyed citizens construction finds support first section act march section declares shall unlawful person persons citizens declared intention become citizens thereafter acquire hold real estate interest therein territories district columbia except may acquired inheritance good faith ordinary course justice collection debts previously created plain implication property district columbia territories may acquired aliens inheritance existing laws property acquired district inheritance except virtue law maryland existed adopted existence convention seventh article convention conclusion complainants entitled take inheritance interest real property district columbia uncle died seised decree therefore reversed cause remanded direction overrule demurrer defendants ordered