The Shasta courier., 1859-07-23
Adopted Citizenshfp,

letter addressed by Gen. Cass to Mr.. LeClerc.-
We were surprised that these gentlemen did not
have the fairness to give Gen. Cass the benefit OF
subsequent letter written by him in explana-
ton of his position on this question. Both OF
these letters will be found on our first page. We
ask every adopted citizen to give this latter let
ter careful examination. If, after SO doing
they say there is aught therein to find fault with
We shall be very much surprised.
Gen. Cass lays down the doctrine that desert
ers from the armies of foreign countries, it. after
becoming American citizens, they return to their
native lands, are liable TO be arrested and forced
to fulfill that contract entered into before they
became American citizens. To illustrate: Sup
pose Citizen of France owing another citizen Of
France ten thousand dollars, should escape to
this country and become citizen, and after
wards return to France, would his American
citizenship save him from the debtors prison
No. Or suppose he had committed a murder in
France previous to his becoming an American
citizen, would that citizenship, if he voluntarily
returned to France, save his neck from the gull
lotine? No. fnot, how then can any man find
fault with the declaration of Gen. Cass, that
adopted citizens, if they voluntarily place them
selves within the jurisdiction of their native
| governments, are q liable to any "duties
penalties which % were in existence a; the pc
riod of their emigration p
IT, then, there be in our midst an adopted cit
izen who escaped from the army of his native
country, or from justce-if there be an adopted
citizen here who is deserter or a criminal, let
him beware of returning to his native land All
others can do so with perfect safety, and the
American eagle will guard them in their travels
with the same jealous care that ever attends the
| footsteps of native citizen.
But let US illustrate further this doctrine of
Casa doctrine declared years ago to several
foreign Governments deSerters from foreign
armies are liable to punishment if they return to
those countries, even though they may have in
the mean time become citizens of the United
States. By the last European news we are in
formed that Austria has determined to make
conscription of 900 men. Now suppose one
thousand of these men were to desert and es-
cape to the United States, and become citizens,
does any sane man believe that if they after
wards voluntarily return to Austria, she could
not return them to her army? How would the
United States act in such case? Suppose an
American soldier were TO escape from the army
of the United States, and become citizen of
Mexico, and afterwards were to return to San
Francisco and fhere meet his old American
commander does any sane man doubt but that
that commander would Immediately have him ar
rested Us deserter and restored to the Ameri-
can army? And does any sane man believe his
Mexican citizenship would save him from the
"penaltes" incurred while in the American ser
vice, and before he became Mexican citizen ?
We just asked how would the United States act
in such a case--now we ask how did she act in
such case? During the Mexican war num-
Der of men deserted our standard with Captain
Riley, and went over to the enemy. They al
once abjured allegiance to the American Gov
ernnent, took the oath of allegiance to Mexico
and became Mexican citizens. They were after
wards taken in battle, on Mexican soil, and then
ui'A lhch NiIiHShshiP save tHNiH IiOAh
the " penalties" which they had incurred before
they became citizens of Mexico, and while they
were citizens of the United States? No Bul
like dogs they were taken out and hung. Will
any adopted citizen say they were not dealt with
justly?
The fact is, that man is a demagogue who
with Cass last letter in his hands, will persist
in declaring that be has enunciated doctrine
that, if carried out will render the citizenship
of adopted citizens valueess. That man is a
demagogue who will persist in saying, in the
face of that letter, that Gen. Cass holds that the
American Government not protect adopt
ed citizen in his native land. He simply holds,
as we d, clared before, that criminals deserters,
or those who have incurred " penalties" by Vi
oating some law or contract in their native
lands before they became American citizens, are
liable to be proceeded against according to law,
if they voluntarily return to the lands of their
nativity. They alone incur risk in returning =
All others may return as free from danger of ar
rest as though they were " native and to the
manor bora"