Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-07-29

ingenious and dishonest about this quos-
ton Of the rights of naturalized citizens. If
they would say that Mr.. Cass made a bunder,
both Of principle and of policy. in his L.
Clerc and Hofcr letters. which he is now will
ing TO retraot, partially at least, that would
be honest and straightforward. and there
could he no objection. The chief imputation
that would then remain upon the admnistra-
ton and its organs would be the blundor, and
the indecent haste with which it was adopted
and defended Instead Of that the demo-
cratic presses interpret the position Of Mr.
Cass and the administration by the case Just
made up with the kingdom of Hanover, and
assuming that such has been their consistent
position on the question, keep the LcClerc
and Hofer letters out Of sight and accuse the
opposition press of misrepresentating the ad-
ministration. This trick might answer the
purpose Of confusing and deuding the public
if the facts were not all so fresh and distinct
in public recollection. The LcClerc letter,
was dated the It'll of May the lIofer letter.
the 18th of June and the dispatch to our
minister at Berlin upon the Hanover case, the
18th Of July--not two months between the
first and the last.
1t will hardly answer to say that the first
two declarations of Mr.. Cass were not under
stood. 1t is little too much to say that
Judge Douglas and Gov. Wise acted under a
msapprehension in their replies to the Cass
letters, or that they dishonesty perverted
them in order 90 make political capital against
the administration No more just is it TO ac-
cuse the democratic foreigners Of the same
blunder or the same perversion. Indeed sew
eral democratic state conventions at the
West. as well as the sachcms of Tammany
Hall, would be included in the same category.
What is more, the Washington Constitution
and nearly every administration paper in the
Union defended the LeClerc and Ilofcr letter
in the exact sense in which they were attack
ed by Douglas. Wise and the opposition pol
iticians and presses. The theory of misun-
Outstanding or an intentional pcrvcrsion is
therefore absurd and prcpostcrous. The sim
pie truth about the whole matter is, that the
administration found that in following the
presidents Of Webster and Everett it had
committed political mistake. if nothing
worse, and 1t fortunately happened that just
at this time our ambassador at the count of
Hanover had taken the broad American doc
true in the case of a returned citizen who
had been naturalizcd in this country giving
Mr.. Cass an opportunity to write a full cx-
position of the subject in a dispatch to our
minister at Berlin, and to approximate near
enough to the true doctrine to be understood
as adopting it.
Let us see what is the proper American
doctrine and what is the present position Of
the administration.
The true doctrine is that naturalizcd
American, wherever born. stands in precisely
the same relation to the government as a ma
tive born Americans is liable 20 the same du-
ties and entitled 60 the same protection. at
home and abroad, with the single exception
that be cannot become president or vice pres
ident of the United States. If be owes "a
debt in his former country, or any other
country and returns within its jurisdictions
he can be held under the laws Of that country
4 precisely as a native American can under
the same circumstances If he has commit
ted crime in his native country or any
country and returns be IS liable to be seized
and punishod-and so is a native born Amer
lean. Every government holds the right to
collect debts incurred within its jurisdiction.
by foreigners as well as by citizens So that
in this respect the native American and the
naturalzed American stand on the same foot
Ing precisely. But transierence of citizen
ship transfers all the political duties and La
bilities of citizenship we should
have the anomaly of citizenship under two gov
ernments at the same time. Now France and
other European governments claim the right tc
compel military service from all natives whom
they may be able to lay their hands on Mr.
LcClorc, Frenchman naWalizod in this coun-
try, wrote to Mr.. Cass to inquire if his citi-
zenship as an American would protect him
against this claim. Mr. Casss reply was -
1T is understood that the French govern
mont claims military service from all native,
OF France who may be found within its iuris
diction. Your naturalization in this countr,
; wH not creppt you from that claim, if yol
, should voluntarily repair thther
There is no misunderstanding this Mr.
Cass conceded the right of the French gov
eminent to force American citizens into IT.
} service, solely on the ground that they wer,
! born on French territory. This was com
plete surrender Of the American doctrine o
; the right of eXpatriation and the duty of thu
= government to protect its adopted citizens
This made some stir, and "A month later, il
reply to Mr.. Hoier a naturalized Prussian
} Mr.. Cass qualified his position as follows -
"Prussans, naturalizcd by the UnitcC
States and returning to the country Of theu
birth, are not liable to any duties or penal
, tles, except such as were existing at the peri
, cd Of their emigration. If, at that time the,
/ were in the army, or actually called into it
, such emigration and naturalization do not ex
3 empt them from the legal penalty which the,
, incurred by their desertion, but this penalt-
may be enforced against them whenever the,
, shall voluntarily place themselves within th
! local jurisdiction Of their native country, anc
shall be proceeded against according to law
1 This was better, but it did not come up t,
} the true doctrine The Prussan law require
, certain period of military service of ever,
, native, and it does not recognize his expatri
alton, but whenever he is found upon the soil
t forces him into the service for the period re
I quired by law, and this on the ground tina
: every Prussiani is born into the army, and car
4 only avoid his quota of service by actual es
cape beyond the reach of the government
The Hoier letter, therefore, sustains the RICH
OF the Prussian government to compel mill
tary service from our citizens who were borr
in Prussia. But the Berlin dispatch goes
step further and declares -
"A future liability to serve in the army vii
not be sufficient; because, before the time cai
arrive for such service, he has changed his al
legiance and has become Il citizen of tn
United States -