Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-09


right TO life, liberty, the use of our faculties,
and the pursuit of happiness,u derived not
from the charters of Kings or legislators"
but from ssthe King OF Kings" In 1917, he
said-'I believe, too, might safely affirm,
that there is not another nation, civilized or
savage, which has ever denied this right
France. Great Britain, and think all Euro
pean States, are in the habit of naturalzing
foreigners, and are therefore estopped from
dissenting from it as legitimate in the United
States. The adoption of citizens of foreign
birth is usage as old as the earliest known
tion in Europe and necessity for population
in America, have rendered it advantageous
both to the peoples and governments of Eu-
rope and America to favor naturalization in
the United States. Under its vast results, it
has now become but an act of justice on the
part of the United States to maintain the right
of national protection to its adopted citizens, against
any musty pretensions of tyranny which may
still linger in the old world. The timidity
which would shrink from this duty will very
probably destroy any Administration disclos-
ing such startling weakness. The duty of
governments to protect their own citizens, at
home or abroad, is no new dOctrine-it is
common to all nations. 80
OF course this protection does not shield
the citizen who commits crime, or subjects
himself TO the penal laws of another country
AS, 1 understand, was the case of Simon
IT
rested in 1854, under the Pierce administra-
ton. But, in such case as is cited by Gen.
Cass, in which foreign government "cLfinas
military service" Of an american eitizen-claims
allegiance from one whom we have required
to ''abjure" that allegisnce-from one who
has sworn to give his whole allegiance to
the United States-claims military service,
(perchance against the United States,) from
one whom the United States would punish
with death, if found in arms against this gov
ernment-if our government does not pro-
tect its citizens and its own plighted faith
against such wrongs. it would be humiliated
among the nations of the earth. If the usage
of our government in favor OF the right of
protection in such cases, required any settling,
the case which has been published, of Mr..
ALIIBERT, under Mr.. Fillmore's administra-
ton in 1852, was precisely in point, and well
settled it. Mr.. ALBERT; French naturalized
citizen, resident in Louisiana, it seems revis-
tied France and was seized and impressed
into the French military service, under the
"claim," granted by Gen. Cass, of right to
military service from all natives Of France
who may be found within its jurisdiction"
Mr.. Fillmore's administration gave prompt
attention., and caused the government of
France TO set at liberty this naturalized
American citizen. Surely this is what should
be done in all such cases. Mr.. Webster,
while Secretary of State in 1912, had already
obtained from Lord Ashburton. the British
Minister, a similar Acknowledgements of this
great principle of justice 10 naturaliZed citi
zens of the United States. Lord Ashburton's
words to Mr.. Webster are full and emphatic
IL must admit" said he, "that when a Bril-
fish subject, Irish, English or Welsh, becomes
an american, and claims no longer the protec-
ton of his own country. his own country has
no right to call him subject, and to PIT him
position TO make ,oar upon his adopted country"
Mr.. Marcy, while Secretary of State in 1858,
in note to Mr.. Hulsemann, the Austrian
Minister, lays down the principle in this
broad language: r e q
Whenever, by the operation of the law of
nations, an individual becomes clothed nth
national character, be he native born or ma
turalized citizen, an exile driven from his
ri hxrr
igrant enticed from it by the hopes OF 4 BET
ter fortune for himself and posterity, he can
claim the protection Of this government, and it
may respond to that claim without being OBJ
liged to explain its conduct to any foreign
power, for it is its duty TO MAKE IT'S NATIONAL
ITY RESPECTED BY OTHER NATIONS. AND RE-sPEC-
TABLE IN EVERY QUARTER OF THE GLoBE.2
Again Mr.. MARCY said:
international law looks only to the ma
tional character in determining what country
has the right to protect. II a person goes from
this country abroad, with the nationality of the
United States, this law enj0ins upon other
nations to respect him, in regard to protec-
-tions, as an. Americon citizen. II comedies to
every country the right TO protect any and all
,oho may be clothed acih lis nationality"
So far, therefore, from the position assum-
ed by the Buchanan administration being in
accordance with international law, or with the
settled policy of this government, it is, to my
mind in positive conflict with both--in con-
travention of all known precedents in our
bistory--in violation of the plighted faith of
the United States to its own citizens, and i'll
derogation of the high standing of our coun-
try among the nations of the earth. 1t is q
great step backward. 1t tamely surrenders
back to the monarchies of France and Great
Britain what they had once fairly aud fully
conceded to us. 1t lops from the naturalized
citizen part of his vested rights" secured
by the Constitution and the laws of nations.
1t renders an American passport of protec-
ton" in the hands of naIuralized citizen, a
dead letter. and gives to American flags, and
guns, and war-ships, and sailors in foreign
ports, far less value than they have had. 1t
is altogether position remarkable for the age
aud times in which we live.
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't.
+. K. ZoLLIcoFFER.
The BALLOON Voyage from Missouri