Polynesian., 1844-08-03
To THE EDIroR OF TIE PoLYNEsIAN -

To TIE Epiron OF THE PoLyNEsIAN:-
Mr.. Editor, Having shown by numer-
Gus quotations, from the most esteemed and
approved authors, that children born in a
country, no matter who were their parents,
owe a native, intrinsic and paramount allie
glance, to the nation in which they first draw
breath also, that aliens, who come to live
in a country, whether permanently or for a
short time, owe submission to the laws, and
Difference to the rulers of that country and
that foreigners, who swear allegiance, be-
come metamorphosed into veritable subjects
by the law of nations ; | will, next in order,
attempt to show from authorities, without
circumlocution, and without the least attempt
at originality OH this everywhere admitted
doctrine, what ALLEGIANCE is, which these
several classes of people owe.
Allegiance is defined to be "the tie or lig-
amen which binds the subject to the king, in
return for that protection which the king az
fords the subject. The thing itself, or sub
%stantial part of it, is founded in reason and
the nature of Government, the name and
form are derived to us from our. Gothic an
cestors."-1, BIZ. Com. 3G6.
"The term my country, seems to be very
we'll understood by every body. However,
as it is taken in different senses, it may not
be u~nusetul to give it here an exact defini-
ton. 1t commonly signifies the state of which
one IS a member. In a more confined sense,
and more agreeably to it's etymology, this
term signifies the state, or even more partic-
ularly, the town or place where our parents
lived at the moment of our birth. In this
sense, it is justly said, that our country can
not be changed, and always remains the same
to whatever place we remove afterwards
A man ought to preserve gratitude and affec-
ton, for the place where he received his ed
%ucation, and of which his parents were men,
bcrs when they gave him life. But as sew
eral lawful reasons may oblige himto choose
another country, that is to become a mem
Der of another society so when we speak
in general, ofthe duty to our country, we
ought to understand by this term, the state of
which a man is an actual member, since it
is that to which he owes it entirely, in pref.
erence to all others. "-VaHeI Lar of Ma
tons, b. |. Oh. II, S. 122.
The allegiance due from citizens in rcpub-
hes, does not differ from that due in Monar-
chles from subjects. In the United States Of
America, the doctrine laid down in 9Th .Noss
Rep., 454 is, that the state in which the citi-
zen was born, is for all purposes of allepi-
ance, to be considered as the lawful success.
sor of the king of England, and as entitled
TO as much allegiance from him, as Great
Britain could have claimed, if the revolution
mad never taken place. In France too. the
rule holds as to those born in the realm
without regard to OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES T,o;,s
du d'ot de PropriAf, No. "a.
All these notions Of conscientious yencr,-
ton, and obligation to the country. where
Providence happens to cast our lot, (which
IS beyond our CONTROL have an instructive
lmPlantation, savoring ofDivine law. not ca.
silly effaced. Their antiquity is also great.
and we find the distinctions of alien and ma
i've existing in Egypt and Palestine. in