Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-06-17

Natsralized Citizens Going Abroad.
The following important letter has been CON-
municated to A. v. Hofer, of Cincinnati, by Sec
rotary Cas-:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, June II, 1859
Sir: In answer to your letter of the 9th instant,
have to inform that the brief letter from this De-
partment % which you refer, dated the 18th May
last, and addressed to Mr.. Felix Leclefk, was in
reply to an application for information and was
natufalized fellow-citizebs, natives of France In
refurning TO that country as the operations Of the
French conscription law were not precisely known
here, and might bear injurlously upon that class
OF Americans. Most OF the Continental Euro
pean nations have system of military oryaniza-
ton by which their citizens are compelled 10
serve in the army by CONSUMPTION. as I'm France
where the duty is designated by lot, or by draft
take his turn soldier.
The conditon Of American naturalized citizens
returning to their native country where the system
OF compulsory service prevails, and who had left
before performing such service, has frequently
been the subject OF discussion with some of the
European Powers. Quite recently it has arisen
between the United States and Prussia, and the
representative of this country at the Court of
Berlin has brought the matter 20 the attention of
the Prussian Government. In the instructions
| which Were sent TO him, dated May II. 1852 il
was Explicitly stated that this Government is op-
posed to the doctrine of perpetual allegiance aud
maintains the right of repatriation and the right
| to form new political ties elsewhere Upon this
subject II Is observed that in this age Of the world
the idea Of controlling the citizen in the choice of
a home and binding him by a mere political
theory to inhabit for his lifetime a country which
he constantly desires to leave, can hardly be en-
tertancd by any Government whatever
The position Of the United States, as communi-
Gated to the Minister at Berlin for the information
OF the Prussian Government, is, that native-born
Russians, naturaliZed in the United States. and
returning TO- the country Of their birth, are not
liable to any duties or penalties, except such as
were existing at the period OF their emigrstion.
IT, at that time, they were in the army, or actually
called into ii, such emigration and naturalization
| do not exempt them from the legal penalty which
they incurred by their deserton, but this penalty
may be enforced against them whenever they shall
voluntarily place themselves within the local juris-
diction Of their native country and shall be pro-
| ceeded against according to law. But when nc
present liabilities exist .ainst them at the period
| OF their emigration, the law Of nations, In the
opinion Of this Government, gives no right TO any
| country to interfere with naturalized American
citizens, and the attempt to do so would he con.
| sidered an act unjust in itself, and unffiendly
| toward the United States. This question cannot
OF course, arise in the of naturaized citizen
who remains in the United States IL 10 only when
he voluntarily returns to his native country that IL:
| local laws can be enforced against him.
lam, sir, your obedient servant,
| LEWIS CAss