It was potentially a profound change in federal state relations.

这对邦州之间的关系产生了深远的影响
This Republican Congress and its leadership, at least,

至少共和党国会和领导层
was going to do some very new things with American federalism.

准备对美国联邦制度作出一些新的改善
Now, it had a bunch of flaws.

当然这也有不少瑕疵
It gave full citizenship to all Americans, regardless of race,

它将公民权益赋予所有美国人无论种族
creed or color; it said that, the first time ever, in our history.

无论信仰还是肤色这是有史以来第一次
We'd never had a citizenship law.

我们以前从未有过这样的法律
It had never been legally determined who was a U.S. citizen.

我们从未给美国公民作出任何界定
But citizenship had always implied whiteness, and maleness.

通常就简单认为公民权属于白种男性
It now had at least a definition.

但现在它至少有了定义
The problem in it, of course its flaw,

而它也有不少瑕疵
and there would be a flaw and a compromise element

各种瑕疵抑或是其它问题