Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-06-18

mont Of time.
How Is 1t possible for any man to bring his
mind TO the conclusion that it is the policy Of
this government TO require foreigner upon
oath, 90 renounce on allegiance that u knows
and acknowledges 20 continue IN existence, and
that it has 10 will or power TO resist When
by the oath administered, thev renonnce all al.
legianoe to every other government, and are
particu drly required to renouRee allegiance to
ihai goUcrnment of iohieh they pers toreDsr SUD
jccts.
If this be the true construction Of our laws
Of naturalization, then the sooner those laws
aie repealed the better for all parties, and espe-
cially for the foreigner end those who have be-
come entangled in it's ntricacies, by renOuncing
all claims TO the protection of one government
without acquiring a right TO the protection Of
another, are upon the ground Of fraud entitled
to q general release from the obligations they
have assumed, as the laws themselves would
prove to be precisely what Democracy is, and
has of late years shown itself to be, sham
aud imposition, delusion and cheat.
We all know the European governments
generally deny the right of expatriation; but we
know at the same time that this government
has never recognized the tyrannical and des-
potic asumotion, and has, therefore, thrown
wide open its ports, aud freely extended its
arms in generous invitation TO the people Of all
countries to leave their native homes and come
among us, and avail themselves ofthe blessings
OF free government; and if we had ever ac
knowledged the claims and pretensions Of des-
potic rulers to bind and chain down the will Of
their subjects, after they had passed beyond
their jurisdiction, then we should be without
excuse OF justification in offering the benefits
of naturalization to any, and it is precisely be-
cause we refused to recognize such absurd de-
mands that our naturalization laws have been
enrolled upon our statute book,
When foreigner has complied with the pro-
visions Of our law, and taken out his naturali-
zation paper which emphaticaly declares him
to be "A citizen of ihe United States + Ameri %
ca" he is as much entitled TO the protection of
this government as if he had been born upon
American soil, and within the territory and
jurisdiction of the United States. There is no
such thing known to, or contemplated by the
Constitution or the law, as a halfway made
citizen--a mere political machine for helping
certain parties into power, and then being cast
off as so much drift wood on the shore, such as
the letter OF the Secretary of State would make
them.
They are either citizens or they are not citi
zens. If they are citizens, then the arm Of
this government is long enough and strong
enough to reach and protect them in all their
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may choose to 90; if they are not citizens, then
they are exercising privileges to which they are
not entitled, and for which the Democracy
have been under very many obligations. Let
the same Democracy now determine which horn
Of the dilemma they will select so far as their
trusted chiefs and responsible agents are con-
eerned, the question is already settled
But if they are still citizens or subjects of
France Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Italy,
Spain, Mexico, or other foreign States, owing
allegience and service to the powers of their re.
spectve nativites, how can they be citizens
owing allegiance and vice to our government!
"No man can serve God and Mammon at the
same time, and how can any serve two masters
at once. They are not only granted passports
to leave their own homes, with the full knowl-
edge and consent Gin thousands Of instances) of
their own government to which they have no in
tention of returning but in many cases they are
encouraged to come, facilities are afforded them,
or they are sent amongst us a portion of
redundant population, for whom they can find
no employment, and OF whom they are glad TO
rid themselves; and would it not be a monstrous
proposition, after they have become American
citizens and had improved their condition, and
their their business engagements should take
them abroad, or they should desire to make
last visit to their Fatherland, they should be liz
able to be seized upon and forced into the ranks
of the English, French, Austrian or Prussian
armies for five years military service, and if
this service is due, and is recognized by our
own Government as due, why have they not a
right to seize upon them wherever they may be
foundl for if the debt is still binding, there is
neither justice nor morality in an attempt on
our part to deprive those governments of what
they are justly entitled to.
lfthere is another Government on the face of
the earth that dsclaims the right to protect its
oiGfSens IN foreign land, have yet to
hear of the dishonoring and disgraceful &C.
acknowledgement This may be, as 1t seems IL is,
the doctrine of tae leaders of the Democratic
Party; but it is not the sentiment of the Amer
lean People; and it is not the sentiment of that
much abused American Party, which has been
especially held up by the Democracy as the en-.
emy offoreigners, in every respect. They may
think it judlcious and wise to restrain, to some
extent, the too tree and liberal extension Of cit
izenship to all who may hereafter seek our
shores; but they have nowhere, nor at any time,
protessed, nor will they now countenance the
idea, that any of our adopted citizens shall be
deprived of any of the rights they may have al
ready acquired. They have a perfect right as
all others have, in casting their individual votes
in the selection of their representatives., to ex.
press preference for whom or whatsoever par
ty they please, but they have never pretended
to claim for themselves any degree of protection
from their Government that they do not accord
to the adopted citizen.
How many of this class OF our citizens NAV
at this moment be travelling OF sol burning in
Europe, having left their families, their bus
ness, and fortunes at home, either ON a visit to
their friends, or on tour of pleasure, or for
the transaction of their ordinary pursuits, who
may, under this most extradnaTy declaration of
our Government, that Il may be done ioiih i'm.
punity, be dragged into the war now raging in
Europe, is question that must interest and
startle the nation, and calls toT a prompt and
unequiyocal repudiaton of sentiment, that
with all personal respect for the venerable Sec
tary, | must say, amounts to a pusillanimous
and detestable doctrine, unworthy of the Amer
can people, and especially unworthy of this
great and powerful GOyernment--aDd which,
IN principle, involves a total surrender of all
that was cOntended for in the War OF 1872
Who that recolects how Democratic Ad-
mnistration displayed its courage at Greytown
who that is familiar with the late demonstra-
ton against Paraguay-who that has not for.
gotten with what indomita5le energy Mexico
was pursued-whO that understands the eager
and inpatient anxiety with which this Admin
istratlon awaits a pretext for "piehing INTO
Cuba,-will believe Tor a moment that such Il
surrender of great priciple, that has been held
sacred from the formation of our Constitution
would have been made to one of these weak
and feeble powers that have no means of re-
dressing wrOng-and why should it be made to
France, or any other power on the globe, or to
all combinedl
profess to be man Of peace as long as
peace can be maintained with honor; but am
for war when the necessity arises without stop
IL - Al
of the adversary, and the more powerful that
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