Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-07-29


eSy- Here what John Mitchell the
editor of the Southern Citizen says about
Cass' doctrine on the subject of adopted
citizens:
The Presidents organ, The Constitution,
says that "misapprehensio prevails )" and
to make all right publishes dispatch
made on the Sth instant, to the American
Minister at Berlin. This dispatch, like
every other public document Of our Ad-
ministration, exhibits the extreme of i'm
becility. Nevertheless, it was evident
enough that public opinion in the United
States was bearing hard upon Secretary
Cass and, accordingly, this case of
Hanoverian citizen, who had emigrated
when child, not in actual service, and
not drafted that is ordered to join his
corps-has been got up to afford Gen. Cass
an opportunity of gallantly announcing
some American doctrine. The document
is long but here is the drift of it:
We "rccognize the right of expatria-
ton we have established san uniform
rule of naturalization we require an
oath to abjUre allegiance to all kings, &c.
We confer on an adopted citizen all the
rights and privileges which the native
citizen enjoys she is neither in better
nor in worse condition" These things
being laid down with much fine gallant
American phraseology, Mr. Cass proceeds
to argue at great length, that If a native
citizen goes to foreign country he must
obey its laws while there-a thing which
nobody ever doubted Then, says Mr.
Cass, if an adopted citizen goes to the
same country who chad committed an
offence against the law before his depar-
ture," he may be tried and punished
Look at the shabby equivocation of this !
the offence he committed was, ledcing
his country and renouncing his allegiance
on the invitation Of the United States ;
and it signifies nothing whether he with
draws himself before he has been "drafted'
or after in either case, he equally de-
prives his prince Of his service; and so it
is held by every Emperor and King in
Europe
Mr.. Cass, however, here seems TO join
issue with the said Emperors and Kings
he says the Offence must have been a
complete offence, liable at the time to
actual punishment. But the King of
Hanover replies, There is no offence at
all no punishment at all, this man is my
subject; he was born so; he must die so
it is not as punishment for an offence We
send him 10 his regiment-it is to give
him the glorious opportunity of fighting
for his country.
Against all this General Cass reasons
but he takes good care not TO say that our
government will insist upon even his in
rerpretation Of the matter On the con
trary he whincs in this way
at is to be deeply regretted that
German governments oyince SO much
tenacity on this subject. 1t would be bet
ter, far better, for them, considering the
comparatively small number Of their native
subjects who return to their dominions
after being naturalized in this country,
not to attempt to exact military service
from them. They will prove TO be most
reluctant soldiers
You may safely leave that to the drill
sergent aud provost marshal, Mr.. Secre-
tary. The Secretary thus concludes
1t is fortunate that serious difficulties
of this kind are mainly confined to the
German Statcs-and especially that the
laws of Great Britain do not authorize
any compulsory military service whatever,
But perhaps, on the other hand it is un-
fortunate that the laws of Great Britain
do authorize compulsory civil service
that Of jurors, for example, under penal
ties. For it seems that whatever the laws
of any country may require of an-Ameri-
can adopted citizen when he reyisits the
land OF his birth, that the American
government is disposed to submit to- II
they letus off cheap, it will be "fortun-
ate, they hold us to the extreme penalties
of their laws, it's unlucky that all,
We advise the Secretary to wre no
more about this business, he is only max
ing matters worse. Better for him to
push il aside as an abstraction"