Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-01
BABEL TN COUNCIL.

Out Of the tens Of thousands Of emigrants from
all parts of the earth who form 80 large portion
of the population, transient or permanent, Of the
American Babel, some four or FIVE thousand assem-
bled at Metropolitan Hall on Thursday night last,
for the purpose Of approving Capt. IseRAHAR 8
conduct in the Kosta affair, and voting to that Off
Ger the compliment Of gold medal. The Washing
ton Union describes it as an immense " meeting Of
French, Italian, German, Hungarian, Swiss, and
Cuban exiles, marshaled under their respective
revolutionary banners" with speeches in French,
Spanish, German, and Sclayonian' An American,
the Editor of the National Democrat, presided, and
by way of variety but not muca, We presume, to
the edifcation of his auditory, the Hon JOHN p.
HALE made speech IN Englia. The following
letter was read from the Hon. EDWARD EVERETT !:
BosroS, SHp1KxBHn 90, 1883
DRAn SrR have received your favor Of yesterday
with note from Mr.. PURDY, conveying the invita-
ton of the committee the IHGRAHAM testimonial to
address the meeting be held in Metropolitan Hall ON
the 22d. much obliged to the committee for the
honor Of their invitation. fully share the admiration
felt universally at homo and abroad for the rmness
decision, and intrepdity displayed by Capt IsGRAAM
on occasion novel and difficult II will not how
ever DO in my power to attend the meeting and express
these feelings in person
III
tiers Of Austria is authentic that Government complains
Of Capt. IsaRAHAa's act menace of and yio-
laon of the neutrality of TURKEY But in both respects
the wrong and the outrage we on the side OF Austria
Kosta residing ct Smyrna, as learn from Mr..
Bnows, under the protection Of teskere granted by
the Turkish Government at the instance of the American
Charge dAnares who interested himself in his favor be-
cause he had declared his intention become IN Ameri-
citizen Whether this circumstance entitled him to
such protection question for Turkey to decide
cordipg to her laws and usag's Under these oircum
stances that the Austrian Consul had any
more rghtto send on armed free to seize him than he
would have had two years ag to send armed force
up to Kutaiyeh to seize the whole body Of Hungarian
refugees,
Important questions Of law nth municipal and inter-
national, present themselves in he case of which
are new. On these questions our information of
facts is incomplete and unofichl-I my judy
ment There can be but opinion Of the noble conduct
Of Capt IsGRAHAM
Iremain, dear sir, respectfully yours,
EDWARD EVERETT
A letter was also read from the Hon. r j.
WALKER, espousing Capt INGRAHAM's course and
the right of Kosta tt protection letter also from
Mr. THOMAS FEA,CIs MEAGHER, who had the
good taste to decline attending the meeting for the
reason lie says, that am not yet citizen of the
United States" This modest apology was rebukc
of the leading resolution of the meeting for if Mr.
MEAGHERs declaration of intention to become
citizen, and his continued residence among us,
showing the honesty Of his declaration cannot give
him the poor privilege of attending public meet
ing in New York. how can the brid sojourn of
Kosta, his declaration, and immediate departure to
a distant country to reside (Nr. EvERRrT says he
was residing in Smyrna) give him he highest
privilege of citizen-that of protection in for
egn land /?
The pivot resolution Of the meeting, alluded to
above declares
That consider it to be fixed principle " this Gov
eminent that upon declaration of intention to be-
come citizen, and remuneration of his allegiance to his
former Government the individual is thereby entitled to
be protected in person and property" SC.
1t is not surprising that the various foreign nation
alties which composed the meeting should not know
better, because few of them, we suppose, can read
our laws; is it Innoh eurPriine A.. H.
person who put the resolution into English for the
meeting should not have been sensible that he was
stating blunder, seeing that some OF our Journals,
which We should have expected to be better in
formed, have fallen into the error The law of
the United States does not require an alien, when
he makes his declaration Of intention, to abure al
legance to his native sovereign. The remuneration
of foreign allegiance is made only when he comes
forward to be admitted citizen. The following
are the words Of the law
Be enacted &c. That any alien, being free white
person. may be admitted to become citizen Of the United
States or any Of them on the following conditions and
not otherwise:
ITrs That he sLdR IGce declared oath sfrma-
ton before the supreme superior, district or circuit
OF some Of the States Of the territorial dis
trcts Of the United States circuit district court
Of the United States three years at least before his adj
mission, that iona e his intention become c1en
of the United States and forever all allegiance
and fidelity to any foreign prince otentatc, state or
sovereignty whatever, and particularly, by name, the
prince poentae state sovereignty whereof such alien
may AZ the time be q citizen subject.
Secondly. That he shall, the time Of his application
to be admitted, declare oath affirmation, before
Of the aforesaid that he will support the
Constitution OF the United States and that he doth ALSO
te and entirely and abjurc oil allegiance and
fidelity to every foreign prince potenate state or soye
regny whatever and particularly by name, the prince
potcntate state sovereignty whereof he was before
citizen or subjects which proceedings shall be recorded
by the clerk of the court"
The reader will perceive, by the above clauses,
that at the initial step the alien is not required to
renounce his foreign allegiance; it forms only
part OF what he declares it his intention to do when
he shall come forward to swear fidelity to our Con-
stitution that is he puts of ono allegiance only
when he put on the other. II does not affect the
intrinsic merits of the Kosta case, but such is