Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-13
From the Opposition.
SOW. Harris writes a Letter of Com
structiOn.

IL Is generdl RUE Oh Tue DeHiOcfdtfC
party that all platforms, letters Of acceptance,
and other important papers for which the |
party may be held responsible, shall be so
worded AS to admit of two or more different |
constructions, each one of which may serve
its turn in its proper time or place to assist
the party in working its way through all
difficulties" In May last, Mr.. CAss, Secre-
tary of State, wrote short letter to Mr. LE-
cLERc, of Memphis. in the preparation of
which he evidently lost sight of this time
honored Democratic custom for it admits OF
but one construction. namely. lin the very
words of the letter.) 1.-The French Govern
ment claims military service from all natives
of France who may be found within its juris-
diction. Your naturalization in this country UiH
not exempt you from that clam"
This short letter could not be misunder-
stood and the " noise and confusion pro-
duced by the enunciation of a doctrine of such
humble pretensions, by the present d. mo-
cratic administration, brought from the vener-
able Secretary another letter. of greater length
to Mr.. A. V. HoFER. in which the adminislra-
ton does not reDounce, in the slightest degree,
the doctrine of the first letter; but we are
given a greater number of ,cords--words in
tended to be construed The Secretary first
explains the intention of his former letter.
He had not intended to neglect the usual De-
mocratic custom, and write a letter which was
not susceptible of a varied construction. He
had innocently blabbed right out. in few
words, just what be meantime more and no
less. If possible in this second letter, he
would provide materials which an ingenious
constructionist might fashion into shape
suitable for electioneering purposes, while
the Government at Washington would have
very clear right to act upon the construction
which the first letter evidently put upon the
second, as the second did not in any wise re-
pudate the doctrine of the first
Few, if any, however, of all the ingenious
commentators of the Democratic party could
find means to construe the language of the
second letter into any thing more or less
than the doctrine of the first, reiterated in
more lengthy, wordy manner, with explana-
tons intended to make the meaning of the
Secretary less clear. The Union and american
says;
1t 1.-THE Banner] must learn, then, that Gen.
Cas- has simply stated what has been the
practice. in certain case, since the origin of
our Government. That is what we, also.
have done. We haze said tclGt The Law is and
zoe haze also sand that consider the lac unjust
10 adopted citizeus. aud that ought to be resisted
Stupid! Why they did they not set about
constituting the letter? Or if they could not
construe the letter to their satisfaction, then
their is still another way: they should under
Sand' Mr.CAss to mean this or that-just what
ever might best suit the present emergency.
But our naturalized citizens in part feeling
still some dissatisfaction in regard to this sub
ject, dozen highly respectable gentleman of
that class of our fellow citizens, on the 9th
inst. addressed letter to Gov. IsHAM G. HAIR
RIs, asking no opinion or information con-
corning the first letter; but first, his 'conStruc
ton of the doctrine promulgated in the letter
to A.V. HoFER," and secondly his own opin-
ion. The first letter. to LECLERc, needs no ex-
PLANTATION, but the second, intended (proies-
srdly) to explain the first, needs the wise
head of the Governor of Tennessee, to constru.
it. But see what a change an explanation,
and then a construction of an explanation, can
work! The first letter says plainly, The
French Government claims military service
of ait natives of France found within its jur-
isdictiOn. Your naturalization will not ex-
empt you from that claim" Gov. HARRIS
conveniently ''understaads Gen. CAss in his
letter to HoFER, as rcpudiating this doctrine
of perpetual allegiance, and as simply adj
hitting the right of all governments to pun
ish crime, including the crime of desation,
according to the law of that government,
when the party voluntarily places himself
within its Jurisdiction" Capital. What fine
understanding" the Governor has. Put
these two together again, and look at them
well. You are a native of France, aud have
never performed military service for her. You
have been naturalized in this country, and
returning TO France, Gov. HARRIS ''repudiates
the doctrine" that you may be impressed into
the army, as owing perpetual allegiance to
France; but he viii ''smply admit" the right
of that Government to arrest you and punish
you as a ''DEsERTER," according to the law
of that government" What glorious privilege
Of american citizenship, as Coz Harris "under-
stands IL! A Freachn,an may return freely 10 has
former country. The FLAG OF HIS ADOPTED
COUNTRY SHALL. PROTECT HIM FROM ALL CLAIMS
TO HIS ALLEGIANCE, BUT NOT FROM BENG SHOT
AS A DESERTER. for leaving his nai,ve country
,rithout hdUing performed u'il0ry service! This,
gentlemen, is Gov. HARRIs's construction"
of the case, when you put the whole of the
materials together. That this is Gov. HARRIss
own view as we'll as that of Gen. CAss and
the administration, is clear from the follow
Ing:
Among the most important OF these, 1.-THE
rights and privileges of the citizen,] may be
mentioned the right to demand of his gov
rrnment the protection of life liberty and pro-
perty, at home and abroad; and the govern.
ment is bound by everscousideration of salf-
respect. good faith and, duty, to extend that
protection. This general rule, hotreper, Is not
.7ithoat exceptions, for il the native or natural-
ed American citizen has committed crime or no
lied tePa'ai lane Of foreign government, he would
re answerable to that government at any
iime when within its jurisdiction" This goes
farther in the direction of yielding the right
e either native or naturalized citizens to pro-
section in foreign countries than any thing
re have ever seen or heard of.
What conceivable case can arise in which
The citizen loses the right to the protection of
is government! II we step into the street
nd shoot down our fellow men in cold blood.
re are still entitled to the protection of our
government. We are entitled to it's pro-