79. It is a fundamental of government in America that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall private property be taken for public use without compensation.[204] The prohibition and protection as to due process of law extends both to the United States and to the States. The taking by a State of the private property of a person,—and a corporation is legally a person,—without the owner’s consent, for the private use of another is not due process of law,[205] and it violates the Fourteenth Amendment. A State possesses exclusive jurisdiction and sovereignty over persons and property within its territory and consequently may determine for itself the civil status and capacities of its inhabitants; may prescribe the subjects upon which they may contract, and regulate the manner and conditions upon which property situated within its territory—or jurisdiction—may be acquired, enjoyed, and transferred; but no State can exercise direct jurisdiction and authority over persons or property without its jurisdiction. The laws of a State have no operation outside its territory “except so far as is allowed by comity; any exertion of authority by a State beyond its territory is a nullity.” The sovereign power of the State over property within its jurisdiction, belonging to non-residents is exercisable as over the property of residents. But the property right of the non-resident cannot be invalidated save by due process of law, which means, _inter alia_, the right of the non-resident to appear personally, or by representative, in the courts of the State to protect his own interests. A State law under which a nonresident’s property should be taken without such notice would be unconstitutional by the Fourteenth Amendment.[206] But the Fourteenth Amendment does not deprive the States of their police power over “subjects within their jurisdiction.”[207]