The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-08
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR wIsE-TH

! LETTER FROM GOVERNOR WISE-THE
| RIGHTS OF NATURALIZED CITIZENS.
We extract the following from the Lynchburo
| Republican:
naturalized friend of this city has handed Us
for publication the suboined letter from Gov " Use
touching the subject of naturalization laws As
affecting our adopted fellow-citizens abroad II
| will be seen that the Governor differs with Gen
| Cass construction of our laws:
RICHMOND June l6, 1859
| To MAX l.. MAYER, ESQ:
DEAR Sm:-Absence has DELAYED nv replv Ia
yours of the 10th instant.
nave not time to elaborate an opinion upon the
letter of Gen. Cass, dated Washington, NAV II,
1859, addressed to Mr. Felix LIE Clere of Memphis
Tenn, saying to him, characterization in this coa,trD
will not exempt you from that claim" 1.-THE claim
OF the French Government TO military seruice from
all natives of France who may be found within its
jurisdiction elf you should voluntarily repaiT
thither,' (to France.)
My opinion is, that this concession by our Govern
ment is an abandonment of one of the mcst precious
American doctrines established BY our patriots
for free people. And | regret that Democratic
Administration has endorsed it laid down by its
Wing predecessor in the Department of State, Mr.
Edward Everett, following the authority of Whea-
ton.
The United States first established the right OF
repatriation and the solemn ceremony of nuturaIiza-
tion, investing foreigners with citizenship binding
them to allegiance and contracting to give them
protection whenever by oath and residence they
should become as native born. The old despotisms
held to the maxim, ''0nce citizen ALWAYS a citi.
Zen." The new Republic set up a new refuge OF
Liberty, and asserted that birth and nativity should
not limit the rights os man. She established s.nat
urazation" of those who chose to expatriate them
selves. 1t was for this we declared the last war
with Great Britain. She claimed the right to seize
her native citizens on board our ships. This we
fought to resist. We said that when her natives
were once naturalized here they became as if they
were native born. That is in fact the meaning of
NATURALIZATION Well, as we would not permit En-
gland to seize our own native born, would not
permit her to seize the naturalized citizens of Amer
lea, for the reason that naturalization put them on
the footing of native born
Again: Mr.. Cass may say that he limits the case
to those who voluntarily go to France and are ma
tives of that country. But he admits there within
her jurisdiction, the claim to military service.
Now, military service is political dutv belong
ing wherever allegiance is due, and, inasmuch as
we swear by an oath the native of France natural
lied here, to renounce allegiance to that country
and to every prince and potentate of earth, the
citizen of France, naturaxed here owes allegiance
by our laws to the United States, and has renounc-
ed allegiance to France. She ought not to claim
allegiance OF our citizens against our laws.
Again The naturaiiZed citizen not only renounces
allegiance, by our laws, to his native country but
by the same law adopt him one of our citizens
to all ntents and purposes, and we contract to give
MN protection as we give it to our native born
Naturalization is thus contract between subject
and a sovereign allegiance is the consideration on
the one hand and protection is the consideration on
the other. The subject swears allegiance to the
United States and the United States promises pro
lection to him.
True, the laws of every country must prevail in
its own jurisdiction. But this is the law as to mu
nicipa and criminal and commercial relations, moi
as to political. native, naturalized citizen OF
the United States, made the same by their laws
may be in France and must observe the laws there
must pay, for example, customs and duties or
penalties for crime there. But neither the one no
more than the other is bound to do military duty
there, because it is political duty which relates to
allegiance and not to residence or soiournment or
travel in transitu. In word, the naturaized NAV
be compelled to do and observe in France, but no
MORE and so the United States have contracted
with him. And political must be distinguished
from other duties as to either class of citizens.
The old world has never recognized these Ameri-
can doctrines, but they are the true American doc
trines and the United States is bound to afford pro-
lection in the case supposed by Mr. Cass. He is
but foil owing Mr.. Everett, and Mr.. Everett fol-
lowed tn e European code. That code is diametri-
cally opposed to ours, and think both Mr. Everett
and Mr.. Cass wrong. They have the European
code and ! the United States laws for authority.
would protect our naturazed citizens against mill
tary service of other powers to the uttermost ends
OF the earth. Truly yours,
Henry A. WISE.