The word  "inhabitant" has several meanings in law depending
upon on  the context.  (footnote omitted)  In some contexts it is
equated with citizenship, (citations omitted); in other contexts,
specifically that  of the federal civil rights acts passed during
the Reconstruction, (footnote omitted) "inhabitant" has been held
not to  mean "citizen." Baldwin v. Franks, 120 U.S. 678, 690-692,
75 S.Ct. 656, 32 L.Ed. 766 (1887) .... (italics in original)

     After comprehensive analysis of the intent of Congress which
drafted this  legislation, (footnote  omitted), this  court holds
that the word "inhabitant" describes any person who is within the
jurisdiction of the United States.

     Upon introducing  the provisions  which eventually became 18
U.S.C. 242,  its sponsor, Senator Stewart, explicitly stated that
the bill  protects all  "persons." (footnote  omitted)   He noted
that the  bill "simply  extends to  foreigners, not citizens, the
protection of our laws." (footnote omitted) (emphasis added)

     He added:

     This bill  extends the  equal  protection  of  the  laws  to
aliens, so  that all  persons who  are in the United States shall
have the equal protection of our laws.  It extends the operations
of the  civil rights  bill .  .  .  to  all  persons  within  the
jurisdiction of the United States. (italics in original)

                                      [United States v. Otherson]
                             [480 F.Supp. 1369, 1370-1373 (1979)]


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U.S. v. Otherson