The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-06-25
EVANSViLEE,-iNo
sas- The subject of protecting naturalized

citizens from military service due to their
soyereigns when going within their jurisdic-
ton, continues TO bediscuSSed with partizan
vehemence that shows IL to he used to the
serious prejudice of the Administration
One of the leading Republican papers puts
this construction upon Gen. Cass' letter
IL holds that all our naturalized citizens
returning to their native land, revert to the
condition which attached to them at the
time oftheir departure. lie abandons them,
without remonstrance and without remorse,
70 the ruthless despotisms which claim juris-
diction over them. The utmost claim in
their behalf rs American citizens, which, by
the most liberal construction can be got out
of this letter, is that they are not liable TO
any penalties which have accrued since their
emigration. Who ever pretended that they
were2 IL is not the laws OF European ty-
rants, made since our foreign born citizens
came here, Of which they stand in jeopardy ;
it is the laws which existed at the time OF
their departure, and which their former SOW
ereigns are striving to force against them.
By those laws, they owed military service
to the government; the government now
seeks to revive those laws against them to
reclaim their lost allegiance, to ignore their
rights as American citizens, and to press
them into its army as soldiers. To this au-
daciods claim upon men who are as much
citizens of the United States as Mr.. CaSS
himself and who have visited Europe on Il
mere temporary sojourn, with the full pur-
pose of return, our Democratic Secretary in
defense of American nationality against the
crowned heads OF Europe, goes the full
length of the following sentence When
no personal liabilities exist against them Mt
the period of their emigration, the law of
nations, in the opinion of this government,
gives no right to any country TO interfere
with naturalized American citizens. Most
brave and chivalrous Secretary Astute
aud original observation Wonderful, re-
markable discovery
The question appears to be a simple one
the United States, ON his assuming the oh
legations of citizenship, undertakes To eN-
tend her protection over the naturaliLed citi-
zen 20 the same extent that she does To the
native born She does not assume to relieve
either from the personal obligations they
may have contracted under the municipal
laws OF another country, for which he is lia-
bic on returning to the jurisdiction OF tile
law which imposed them. The United
states gives the protection of her arms
wherever her flag carries her hws-upou
the seas, and even into foreign country
where she penetrates as an invader, and
plants her banner as a conqueror. Fighting
under the fi,g of the Union even upon the
soil ot mis- native country, the naturaized
citizen has Il right TO claim all its immunities
and, il taken prisoner, the United States Is
bound to protect him from all the penaitie.
affixed to his acts, done under our flag, 10y
the laws at his native country. While IA,
remains under the eyes Of her tag She vii
allow nu power Ia touch him When h'
goes abroad, She extends to him the shicl,
whi.h the rules of international law give.
her over NIL her subjects; hut that does no
extend to. II release OF personal obligation
uuder foreign municipal law. The foreign
Ell liability to military duty 10 his natiy
sovereign is IA personal obligation, INQUIRE,
under a local law, aud is an incident OF hi
birth. II il in the nature of ntlIer psrsona
obligations under municipal law. We nc
knowledge the right ui expiration suiPos
native citizen of the United States trans
f,ss Ia Al si.tn,. t. Rniit and enters lac
military service for twenty years AS som
Americans have done az the end Of fiy
ysnrs he leaves the Russian service, withor
leave, and returns To America and resume
his citizenship; then, after period, he ven
lures back to Russia on visit, is arreste
by the Russian government, and compelle
To serve out his twenty years Enlistment
Would there be II case in which the Unite
States could interfere to save him from Oh
obligations he had incurred under the law
and army regulations of Russia? The La
makes no distinction between the person:
obligations voluntarily assumed and tloS
" luhitt tAN N'''-1 "
therefore, parallel, as Ear as law and publ
right are concerned.
Ii anaturalized citizen shonld enlist for
term OF years in our army or navy, and by
fore his service had expired, begun afte
enlisting, he should desert-return To hi
native country and resume his allegiance {
is former soyercigu--and then after Will
should come back ON ayisit, and be arreste
as deserter from our army, E0uld our GOV
eminent admit the interference OF It toreie
power to shield him from aR obligation
had incurred while c,tizcn OF the Unite
States Would we not Indignantly OPpo
any attempt of Prussia 10 reclaim one OF h'
citizens who had been enlisted, and desertC
from our army, if caught afterwards with
our jurisdiction, and punished for his desc
ton. OF made to fulfil his enlistment If
naturalized sailor should desert from 8
American ship of war, in the ports of h
native country and should by form
act resume HI allegiance to his native so
ereigR, ana hOud afterwards come {