Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-08
AMERICAN NATIONALITY.

by the SECRETARY OF oTATE III MS repiy 10 eie
note of the AUSTRIAN CHARGE D AFFAIREs. The
performance of this duty was unwelcome, because,
apart from habitual ndispostion to cavil, we ad-
mired the ability of the paper as well its exem-
plary style and temper This, however, renders it
the more imperative that we should not permit an
error of highly dangerous tendency to 90 forth un
questioned with the sanction of so elevated an au
thority. We may add that we now proceed with
more alacrity to submit somewhat at length the
reasons of our dissent from one of Secretary
MARoY's doctrines, because we find that some of
our usually considerate contemporaries, dazzled by
the ingenious reasoning Of the Secretary have has
tened to approve every point of his letter, without,
as We presume subjecting it to the scrutiny which
so important a document demanded.
It is therefore in no controversial spirit that we
have studied this paper. Far from it. We should
experience the sincerest satisfaction in approving
every portion oti have in acknowledging hatit
contains many things which must command unver-
sal assent. But this is no mere lucubration of an
essayist. 1t is an important State paper. 1t as
serts in the name of the People of the United
States certain rights against all the World and it
assumes upon them, in their name, certain grave
obligations, to be discharged as it becomes great
people to discharge every acknowledged duty We
owe it, then to our readers and we may add to the
character of this Journal to subject it in these
spects to a calm but earnest examination
And, first, let us see what is the precise RIGHT
asserted by the Secretary, and upon what princi-
pie it is that such right can alone exist.
The right asserted is briefly, the right to protect
by force of arms, upon foreign soil, an alien who
is q clothed nth american nationality" The
language quoted is that of the paper before US.
Standing by itself it is well calculated to misead
for the idea, whatever it shall turn out to be in
and the figure presented is that of one duly invest
ed with the national character of an American
Accordingly, and inasmuch as it seemed to us that
nothing short Of this would suffice for the exigen-
cies Of the case, we SO understood the Secretary
and in our paper Of Saturday we took occasion to
express our prompt dissent to the application of such
national character to those persons who, like the
individual in question, had simply declared an in
tention to renounce at future time their natural
allegiance, and at such future time, to elect to
become citizens of the United States. 1t seemed to
rs, upon reason and authority too plain for contro-
Versy, that such person neither owed any duty as
citizen, nor could claim any right as citizen but
that after such declaration, as before he remained
TO all intents and purposes simple alien who
might or might not thereafter become citizen, |
upon certain terms, at his free will and pleasure
but not in any wise to be held to carry into effect
mere intention, which an hour after it had been
sincerely entertained and solemnly declared there
might be controlling motives to abandon. And we
are glad to learn from our contemporary, the Union
speaking as one having authority that in these
views we are but concurring with the true meaning
of the Government in the paper before US. We
have, therefore, stated the claim of right, with the
addition Of the now admitted term that the indi-
vidual in question was and is an ALIEN.
We shall presently consider what is meant by
Irrational character" as attaching to an alien and
We shall do 50 mainly By the light of the authori
ties for which are indebted to the references of
the learned Secretary himself, whose wellearned
reputation as lawyer and publicist is sufficient
guaranty that no stronger support can be found to
fortify his positions
But mean time let US inquire what is the princi-
pie upon which such right Of protection can alone
be maintained. We are dealing with it as a right ;
as something which by the laws of nations We may
rghtfully do without giving cause Of complaint to
other nations We are claiming it in our character
of Sovereign, and by virtue Of q supposed tie or
relation between the sovereign and the person in
whose favor it is to be exercised 1t is precisely
and solely because such person is clothed with
American nationality" is in some sort ncorporat-
ed into the American people, that this right is pre-
tended. Then is it not Of the very origin and
vitality Of such right that there is an obligation
resting upon the Sovereign to afford such protcc-
ton 1t is his RIGHT, simply because it is his
DUTY. lie can claim to interfere in such case
only because, owing protection to whatever is part
and parcel Of his people, he is bound to interfere
The right and the duty are inscparalc One can
not exist without the other II can scarcely be nc
cessary to remind any reader Of ours that VIC arc
not here treating Of the right Of tits nation, or any
nation, to thrust itself into any matter which does
not concern it and take up arms against the world
to set the world in order. We are treating of
right claimed under the laws Of nations right
therefore, the exercise Of which gives no Just cause
of complaint 70 any other ration.
1t was ia this view Of tbs nature n the rch. in
question that We characterized NJ N,acl' 3 paper
as assuming for the Government AMI People of tho
United States the grayost Obligations. lie himself
seems to have icit tic importance If expressly dis
claiming them; for il will bc observed tfa 10 stat
ing the conclusions II t3a President, he takes care