American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-12-04
Amsriton Republican,
AND
BALTIMORE CLIPPER.
FRIDAY MORNING, DEC. A, l846.

@ezico had resolved 10 issue letters OF marque,
il is still considered doubtful, whether prlva-
seers will be fitted out ltis evident that she has
not seamen to man any number OF such vessels
and to remedy this difficulty, it was stated
that she proposed to naturalize and make Mexi-
can citizens Of all foreigners who might engage
on board of her priVateers. But here she Is met
by the som-offcial declaration of our govera-
ment, that such persons will be considered and
treated as pirates. The New York Sun says
--"No power has the right to naturaIIze Tor the
special object of privateerng. Mexican YES
sells, manned by subjects OF another country,
and preying upon the commerce OF the United
States, must be regarded as pirates. How can
naturalization ticket make Mexican out Of
an lgh,hnan OF Freedman in an hour.
These IDEAS are contrary to the doctrine and
practice Of the United States, 1t is known that
during Our last war with Great Britain, we con-
tended that the flag protected all persons under
it; and that person Of foreign birth having
Certificate Of naturalization from our courts,
was considered by our government as citizen,
and that we insisted upon his being respected as
such And how is it at present! Have we no
men engaged in our war against Mexico, who
are not American citizens! And where is the
difference as to the justice of the thing, wheth-
or a man serve in the army or on board OF
priya'eer? We see none. If Mexico has no
sight to enlist foreigners to fight her battles by
-, il,o, to EfYlt mr.
battles by land. If the principle be admitted,
(which will not be denied in the United Statcs)
that All individual has the right to expatrlate
himself and become citizen or subject OF
foreign country, the moment that he is admit
ted to that right, no is entitled to be respected
and protected in his new charactel-and that
TOO, whether the law by which he is admitted,
prescribe residence of FIVE years, or one hour,
or none at ALL We admit foreigners to the
rights of citizenship after residence of five
years Suppose the time were restricted to five
days only-would not a man admitted under
guch restriction be as much citizen, as he, who
IS now admitted under the five years act? Who
IS 10 prescribe limits to US upon this SUBJECT
Certainly not any foreign power. How then,
can we undertake to say, that Mexico shall not
naluralizo persons as she may think proper; and
that we will treat such persons as pirates, if
found OH board of her privateers? We must
adhere to principle; and rights which we have
exercised and maintained to be just in our own
practice, we must not undertake to deny to
UNI
60 Mexico may be denied to us by the powers
Of Europe, who may insist upon the doctrine
which some of our newspaper writers apparent
ly favor, viz: once subject, always subject !
This would place the naturalized citizens Of the
United States in an embarrassing situation, as
they might he tried and punished as traitors,
when taken in arms against their native coun-
Ivy. We fought England once for Gree trade
and sailors rights" and we hope that we shall
d. no act which will condemn the principle
chen avowed. We maintained that our vessels
wBie entitled to sail on the ocean without mo-
lestation, and that the star-spargled banner
guaranteed the safety of all who sailed under
it; and the cessation Of all attempts at Impress
rnont has sanctioned The principle for which
we fought
We should regret, as deeply as any one, to
have our commerce hurasscd by Mexican pri-
yaleers, manned by hastily adopted citizens; bu,
we cannot repudiale our own principles and
practice We cannot make that wrong in the
cas- Of another, which we pronounce TO be
right when done by ourselves.
RUMoRs FROM WAsHINGToN. The Wash .
iDgton correspondent of the n. Y. Journal Of
Commerce, writing from Washington, Nov. so,
says that the correspondence recently publish
cd, purporting to have passed between Mr..
Buchanan and Mexican agent, is authentic
ard is acknowledged TO be. He also states
that we shall soon have the official account of
The affair of Santa Anna being passed by our
squadron, which ought to have been given long
~eo--that we shall "probably" soon have peace
With Mexico-or if not an attack will be made
Oh tho castle of Vera Cruz, by a naval force
SHder Com Stewart. He also gives it as fact
that the administration CiH not recommend u
seyisal and relaxation Of the sub-reasury, as
had boen supposed, Mr.. Walker was III favor
Of it, out Mr.. Polk utterly averse to it.
GREAT SHOT. We are informed by gen.
tleman ofthe Eastern Shore of Maryland, says
the Philadelphia Chronicle, that, on Thursday
last, no less than tWeniy five Swans were killed
at one "blmd ;" in the vicinity of Swan Point,
On the Chesapeake Bay. One gentleman alone
killed seven. This is said to be the largest
number of these immense birds that have been
killed In that Yiclnitu In ONO dow Cor rnnn %