Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-12-29


j, paramount allegiance, of which he
cannu! divcst himself by being received
as the citizen or subject Of another state
While he fcmains ih the state adopting
h,m natious lave not hitherto deemed it
an uhiecs Of sufficient magnitude to re-
t!,;,a i.in, and 10 make the refusal to
deliver him up Cause OF war-but il
IL returns Ia the country OF his birth or
is !uuDA On The highway common to all
naions, they a,.crt the right of compel
Ing him tt perform the duties springing
!r~m tic allegiance owing to the govern
snens und&r which he was born. The
question between the United States and
Great Britain Is simply this--Sha!l we
OF ll.e i,az,rd Of war protect persons born
wiii.i., the limi,s OF The British govern
menl tom perinrn'ins the duties OF thcir
anvgince to he country Of their birth !?
i II Just in us so to act?
Isl; our interest SO TO act I:
"A proper decision o: tnese questions
viii bring us TO right conclusion.
II caanu, be jas; Tor oar nation to act
towards another in manncr, which we
woui:! not wish ,i,st cation to act towards
us in similar circumstances.
We sl:au!d deem it a most enF"iendly
act, i while WE were engaged in war,
neighboring natl n should dccoy cur
native citizens from the defence Of their
ccua,ry aud refuse 10 permit Us tc re-
claim them. BIT ,hio Is aur conduct
towcyds Sscat 3. Rap, i'Y admitting her
aatiye subjects to tic rights OF citizen
ship in our country, and by maintaining
that they are thereby s5soivcd from all
the duties attached to the natural allie
glance which they owe to their native
land. We haze before stated that no
indl pendent nation recognizes Prlnu-
ple So susversivc Of tic most sacred oi
duties, and even We ourselves would
vehcment!y resent such eon"uct IN any
o,kc: government. Washington, when
the war between France and Britain
broke cut in 1891, warned our cltlzens
orthc duties required from Them as the
subjects Of q neutral goveruncnt.-,
Madison, when the present war was de-
cIared against the United Kingdom OF
Great Britain and Ireland, warned them
OF the duties incident 10 such state
Both these p'ociamailons were 1ooHoea
On this basis, that our native citizens
owed an un4Iicn;s,ir, and our adopted
cir,zens qualified allegiance to our go"
yernnient We claim all persons born
in our territory IS subject - our 60
;ernnen,. except c;iid;cn born from
for-i.ru parents not ra,uraiized. BY the
circumstance Of t!.~ir birth we claim
item. we % not require natives to
tukc an oath e allegiance As VIC doto-
rsjrpcrs. We consider citizenship their
birth rigj,,-.Md al ,he consequent du-
ties Of aljyginnce are required IRON
,hem. Different Ihe contAuon OF onr
pa,uraiizrd citizens VIZ gT2;uitously
co..f:r on them the rights ct cl'l2cnshp
on tSeir swearing t" he f,lhini to u.s.
& abinri"g allegiance 10 all other coun'
tries. The RIGHT OF any iHd!vlduat to
abjure allegiance to the country OF his
birth, is denied bv the British govern
ment, aud II is believed by all other go
vs:nner,s four own not cXccpted>-
Certainly this abjura'ion Comet be ct
Eas;,,, without The Consent 0i his native
government. By his birth tacit obii-
paticn is contracted ny every ird'''dasi
To be faithful to it during the remainder
Of his lie, ali obligation which eAnao' be
dissol,cd wi,hou, The etpse"t OF his pa
rem; state, This seems to be tee oict2'e
of natural iusi're-on which as sure
foundation, rests every human naAohai
.ssoc;a,;ai. But s..ch individuals must
Sc excepted, as before stated who are
children of the subjects OF foreign
,,ovs, n, have never been formally