The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-10-07
Secretary Marcy,s letter

We have received our Washington ex-
changes containing the correspondence Of our
Secretary of State, with Chevalier Hulse-
man, the Austrian Minister; which we shall
publish in full before the issue of our next
Weekly. The extreme importance of this
correspondence and the deep interest felt BY
every American citizen in the maintenance
of the doctrine heretofore affirmed, in relation
to the "rights of citizens abroad" induced us
to defer its publication until we could Jay it
before our readers entire, and thus enable
them to form an intelligent conclusion for
themselves.
The letter of Mr.. Marcy is admitted by
all who have, as yet, ventured word OF crit.
icism upon it, to be an exceedingly able State
paper, and in the main, correct in the doc.
trine it maintains. The National Intelli-
gencer questions the souEdness of Mr.. Mar
cy's positions, in according equal rights and
privileges, and equal claims to the protection
of our government, to the individual who has
only declared his Intentions to one who is in
the full enjoyment of all the rights of citizen.
ship. The editor of that able paper is Of tn G
opinion that to extend full p protection to those
who have only declared their intentions to
become citizens, would expose our govern
ment to imposition, and that the American
people place too high value on the boon Of
citizenship, willingly to concede it on terms
so slight and cheap. We are unable to dis.
cover, at mere glance at SO important a sub.
ject, why distinction should be made be.
tween the kind of protection that a citizen
Of the United States shonld claim and re.
ceive, whether at home or abroad. Our gov
eminent secures equal projection to the life,
liberty and property of citizen; during his
probationary period denying him only the
right of sufrage) that it does to o:e in the
full enjoyment of all the immunites of citi-
zenship. To except then. TO that portion Of
the doctrine, as employed by the Secretary,
would rencer the great American doctrine Of
protection nugatory, perhaps, when most
needed and deserved.
We extract the following paragraph from
Mr.. marcy leltcr, WHICH eHuOuieS CouCISe-
ly the whole subject of allegiance:
There is-a great diversity and much con.
fusion OF opinion as to the nature and obliga-
tons of allegiance. BY some it is held to
be an indesiructible political tie, and, though
resulting from the mere accident OF birth ayet
forever binding the subject of the sovereign,
by others il is considered political connex-
ion in the nature of civil contract, dissolu-
bic by mutual consent, but so at the opposi-
ton of either party. The sounder and more
prevalent doctrine, however, is, that the cit
liens or subject, having faithfully performed
the past and present duties resulting from
his relation to tina sovereign Power, may at
any time release himself from the obi alton
OF allegiance, freely quit the land Of his birth
or adoption, seek through all countries Il
home, and select any where that which Of
fers him the fairest prospect of happiness Tor
himself and his prosperity. When the SOW
ereign power, whosoeyerit may be placed,
does not answer the ends for which it is be-
slowed, when it not exerted for the general
welfare Of the people, or mas become oPPres.
siye TO individuals, this right to withdraw
rests on az firm basis and 10 similar in prin'
cipal to the right which legitimates resls
lance to tyranny.
l.