Edward Douglass White

“ It is true, as argued, that in some cases, if corporations were embraced within the terms of the act, an alien, who was a corporator, might be benefited. But the ascertainment of the purposes of congress by this argument of inconvenience on the one hand is completely destroyed by the overwhelming preponderance of inconvenience which would exist on the other; for, doubtless, while the alien corporator may be an exception, the corporator who is both a citizen of the state and a citizen of the United States is the rule. ”

“ Unquestionably, in the general and common acceptation, a citizen of the state is considered as synonomous with citizen of the United States, and the one is therefore treated as expressive of the other. ”

“ It certainly contemplated that citizens of the United States, even strictly speaking, should be made whole for the losses they might have sustained. But it is evident that cases might arise where, in order to make restitution to citizens of the United States, the term in question would require a construction embracing federal and state corporations. For, as the legal title to the property of a corporation is generally in the corporation, claims for damages to such property could not be presented in the names of the several stockholders. ”