Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-06-14
Naturrslized Citizenr.. What pro-
lection should they have?


Tho N. Orleans papers, complain OF
an impuicnt attempt ,!c by the spnn'
ish consul TO try before himself Nh
Vigil--u native Of Cuba, but since lsi7
a citizen o Louisiana a, d naturalzel
citizen OF the United Staes---ior some
ollcdgel crime against Spain. Mr. Vigil
is patriotic man, and feels sympa'
Thy with the land Of his birth in its
struggles against tyranny. Hence he is
summoned in one of our own cities, to
appear before this iribu, al Of the foreign
consul, 10 receive what punishment this
thing Of the Viceroy, or Of The Queen
may be pleased 10 award.
Have we any treaty with Spain VII h
authorize. such an exercise Of jYrs lie.
lion in our ,crritoryi Is i, so, that our
citizens arc liable 10 The arrests and
ju lgcmenls Of this Spanish consIl, and
iha, too, for political ohencesl II We
have. in the name uf good sense lc! US
Sc. rid Of such treaty.
The New Orleans Delta in rrler:ing
10 this subject, says:
"Spain asserts right 10 control, 10
try, and punish citizen Of the United
Ststes, and seeks TO exercise lba, right
on our own territory. llis true she does
no, attempt practically to enforce that
right, bat by her peculiar judicial pro.
cess she virtually does exercise it.
The citation of the consul served here
is suai.icn. 10 give the Cuban court ju.
tisdi!ion. Upon it they proccc TO rem.
der judgmcnt-conLemnin, Mr.. Vigil
20 severe punis!,men:, and confsca
tion Of his property. Now. is he no,
damaged by this action?--is he not de.
privcl OF rights secure TO him By our
ons,i!u.ion?-is al this lawlu!?-Ioes
it comporl with our ily?- il a5reaa
abe 10 the lows olnat.ons?'
WE are aware that it is yet on open
question with some publicisls, whether
a naturalizel citizen Of the Uailel
States is entitled to our protection,
when the couatry Of his bieih prefers Il
counter cl i'm. This question was in.
volvei in our last war with Great Brit
tain. She illustrated her view oft, by
arresting anI impressing into her nation
al service our adopted citizens. 1t was
not, however settled by the treaty Of
Ghent.
Since that war, emigration hi,her has
rendered it question Of greater magni.
,ule and aided interest. 1t has already
received much di plona,ic discussion.
Juring the visit Of A'hbunon to this
country, the matter was called to his at.
ten,ion by Mr.. Webster. Those who
are curious upon the subject may find
the correspondence published in Web.
s,er's works. Mr.. Webster redeemed
somewhat, his sentiments u,lerel du
ring the late war with Great Britain,
upon This subject; for he seize the qucs
,ion with all the mighty power Of his
logic and arguel the inequity anil un
co:scionableness Of siezins and pun
ishing as traitors, those whom the dense
and crowlel cities anil provinces Of
the Ola World threw annually upon
our shores.
: Ar' Everett, as is we'll known, wrote
a famous trpar,itc letter, for which he
deserves more commen lation ,ha" he
has yet received from the Democratic
press, especially as he darcl to ny in
face OF Wing precedent, practice and
opinion. In this letter he opened up
this question Of emigration and display.
ed 1t in its true colors. The surplus
population of the Old World have been
here rescued from the inevitable fate
which awaited them il, Europe. Penu.
~, starvation, burdens oftaxalon, disaf.
lection, mobs anil revolution-all the
many terribly consequences of over
crowIel land, finl mitigation, if not en-.
tire relief, in the large and liberal poll
cy, ana upon the large AMI increasing
area Of this country.
|, has been the policy of Europe to
send off her pauper population. Our
policy has exten led TO them a hearty
welcome, free asylum and homes of
comfort.
For the governments Of Europe then,
to turn upon these cmigrants anl sieZe
them as traitors, in time Of war; or in
peace, summon them before the tribu lal
as in the instance in New Orleans; or
/ us III tuC CuSC VI IL C1tILcu VI CUu|lcS'
ton, about a year since, who was i'm.
pressed into eight years military service
Of the King Of Hanover. on his return,
after many years, to his Fathcrlanl,-it
is surely the basest ingratitule, and vic.
lates the spirit Of the general law of
nations, which has no foundation un.
. less in the intelligent conscience of
mankind.
We npprehcnl ,ha! there are diff.
culties yet tosbc adjusted in connection
with thisquestion. Our Democratic di.
plomacy has but one course to pursue in
orler to NEE, it. Our adopted citizens
expect the same shield OF nationality
TO follow them throughout the world As
tho native ctizsus may have.
England, France, Germany, Italy and
Sardinia, must all know, that they can.
not ex,rpa,e their best men-their most
liberal champions; an. then turn rounl
in vengeance 10 reclaim tn IN, when
Time has cmbound them 10 our nation
and their destiny has become linkel to
Our urown-S1Hfnsm1u